[CentOS-devel] Newbie Questions: Goal to make a customized minimal CentOS install CD

Thu May 3 12:25:32 UTC 2007
Phil Schaffner <Philip.R.Schaffner at NASA.gov>

On Wed, 2007-05-02 at 16:06 -0500, EXT-Rodgers, Marianne wrote:
> I have some basic questions, easy to most of you, I am sure. I have
> looked on the CentOS main site at the install manual, but am not finding
> my answers. Am I at the right place?

There has been considerable discussion of related issues on the
centos-doc (Wiki) list.  See the following threads:

http://lists.centos.org/pipermail/centos-docs/2007-March/000348.html
http://lists.centos.org/pipermail/centos-docs/2007-March/000340.html
http://lists.centos.org/pipermail/centos-docs/2007-March/000323.html

This may have gotten lost in the frenzy of getting CentOS5 out the door.

Some scripts for creating media (primarily targeted at producing DVDs
from CDs or FTP trees, but covering part of the same processes as
creating custom media) have been discussed here, such as:

http://lists.centos.org/pipermail/centos-devel/2007-April/003401.html

> I already know how to make install DVDs and CDs. I just need to know if
> there is things for the CentOS director, comps.xml updates, things like
> this for my customized  DVD. I want to delete packages on my install DVD
> until I only have the rpms left that I want to use.
> 
> Current questions:
> 
>  1.  Just how are the hdr (header) files used, and how do you update
> them?
>  2.  How do I update the comps.xml file, and is this necessary ?
>  3.  Why isn't /var/log/rpmpkgs on my prototype, which rpm or command
> makes it work?
>  4.  Which files will update automatically when rpms are removed, and
> can I safely just remove RPMs from the CerntOS/RPM directory?
> 
> I apologize in advance if this is not the right forum to ask these
> questions. I would be happy if directed to a proper site to find my
> answers. I have already googled, with little results.

Documenting all this on the Wiki would be an ideal outcome.  My
suggestion would be to join the -docs list and start the creation of a
Wiki page containing what you already know, then solicit help filling in
the blanks.  Some of the participants in the above-referenced threads
are certainly interested, and as you point out, the CentOS developers
certainly have the expertise to answer such questions - just don't think
it has been "captured".

Phil