simple way make linux livecd

use GNU Guix

GNU Guix can define whole system use scheme lisp.

make a simple config.scm

file config.scm: 

(use-modules (gnu))
(use-service-modules networking)
(use-package-modules certs)

(operating-system
  (host-name "livecd")
  (timezone "UTC")
  (locale "en_US.utf8")

  ;; this bootloader config will ignore by disk image generate.
  (bootloader (bootloader-configuration
		(bootloader grub-bootloader)
		(targets '("/dev/sdX")))) 

  ;; this filesystem config will ignore by disk image generate.
  (file-systems (cons* (file-system
			(device (file-system-label "my-root"))
			(mount-point "/")
			(type "ext4"))
		      %base-file-systems)) ; basic filesystem, such as /proc

  (users (cons* (user-account
		 (name "guest") 
		 (comment "Guest")
		 (group "users")
		 (supplementary-groups '("audio" "video")))
		%base-user-accounts)) ; basic users, such as root, nobody

  (packages (cons* nss-certs ; tls certs
		   %base-packages)) ; basic package, such as coreutils util-linux

  (services (cons* (service dhcp-client-service-type) ; dhcp client service
		   %base-services))) ;; basic service, such as getty udev

add your packages

diff --git a/config.scm b/config.scm
index 0d7a449..f8eadab 100644
--- a/config.scm
+++ b/config.scm
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 (use-modules (gnu))
 (use-service-modules networking)
-(use-package-modules certs)
+(use-package-modules certs tmux emacs emacs-xyz w3m)

 (operating-system
   (host-name "livecd")
@@ -27,6 +27,12 @@
		 %base-user-accounts)) ; basic users, such as root, nobody

   (packages (cons* nss-certs ; tls certs
+                   tmux ; terminal mux
+                   emacs ; code editor
+                   emacs-rime ; input method plugin for emacs
+                   emacs-company ; autocomplete plugin for emacs
+                   emacs-geiser ; emacs scheme plugin
+                   w3m ; text web browser
		    %base-packages)) ; basic package, such as coreutils util-linux

   (services (cons* (service dhcp-client-service-type) ; dhcp client service

add your services

diff --git a/config.scm b/config.scm
index f8eadab..480a9bb 100644
--- a/config.scm
+++ b/config.scm
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 (use-modules (gnu))
-(use-service-modules networking)
+(use-service-modules networking docker dbus)
 (use-package-modules certs tmux emacs emacs-xyz w3m)

 (operating-system
@@ -36,4 +36,9 @@
		    %base-packages)) ; basic package, such as coreutils util-linux

   (services (cons* (service dhcp-client-service-type) ; dhcp client service
+                   (service kmscon-service-type
+                            (kmscon-configuration
+                             (virtual-terminal "tty7"))) ; colorful terminal
+                   (dbus-service) ; use in kmscon
+                   (service tor-service-type) ; use for access internet
		    %base-services))) ;; basic service, such as getty udev

add your home config file

you can define your home config file in skel: 

mkdir ./skel
cp $HOME/.bashrc ./skel/
cp $HOME/.tmux.conf ./skel/
mkdir ./skel/.emacs.d/
cp $HOME/.emacs.d/init.el ./skel/emacs.d/init.el

diff --git a/config.scm b/config.scm
index 480a9bb..05f5a10 100644
--- a/config.scm
+++ b/config.scm
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
		  (group "users")
		  (supplementary-groups '("audio" "video")))
		 %base-user-accounts)) ; basic users, such as root, nobody
+  (skeletons `(("." ,(local-file "./skel" "skel" #:recursive? #t))))

   (packages (cons* nss-certs ; tls certs
		    tmux ; terminal mux

add your data file

copy your data file: 

mkdir ./data
cp -r $HOME/music ./data/music
echo 'This is a livecd' > ./data/README

diff --git a/config.scm b/config.scm
index 05f5a10..7233379 100644
--- a/config.scm
+++ b/config.scm
@@ -42,4 +42,10 @@
			      (virtual-terminal "tty7"))) ; colorful terminal
		    (dbus-service) ; use in kmscon
		    (service tor-service-type) ; use for access internet
+                   (service special-files-service-type
+                            `(("/README" ,(local-file "./data/README" "README"))
+                              ("/etc/config.scm" ,(local-file "./config.scm"
+                                                              "config.scm"))
+                              ("/music" ,(local-file "./data/music" "music"
+                                                     #:recursive? #t))))
		    %base-services))) ;; basic service, such as getty udev

test your config

boot up a virtual machine, use qemu. 

`guix system vm config.scm` -m 2048

make bootable image

bootable disk image, use ext4 file system for root. 

guix system image config.scm

bootable livecd image, use iso9660 file system for root. 

guix system image -t iso9660 config.scm

other arch?, use this: 

guix system image --system=i686-linux config.scm

more format: 

guix system image --list-image-types

Last updated: 2023-06-28