mkksiso ======= :Authors: Brian C. Lane ``mkksiso`` is a tool for creating kickstart boot isos. In it's simplest form you can add a kickstart to a boot.iso and the kickstart will be executed when the iso is booted. If the original iso was created with EFI and Mac support the kickstart boot.iso will include this support as well. ``mkksiso`` The host system architecture needs to match that of the iso. ``mkksiso`` will raise an error if it finds a .discinfo on the iso with a mismatched arch. As of version 37.1 ``mkksiso`` can be run by normal users. It no longer needs to mount the iso to add the kickstart or edit the configuration files so you do not need to be root. mkksiso cmdline arguments ------------------------- .. argparse:: :filename: ../src/bin/mkksiso :func: setup_arg_parser :prog: mkksiso Create a kickstart boot.iso or DVD ---------------------------------- Create a kickstart like you normally would, kickstart documentation can be `found here `_, including the ``url`` and ``repo`` commands. If you are creating a DVD and only need the content on the DVD you can use the ``cdrom`` command to install without a network connection. Then run ``mkksiso`` like this:: mkksiso --ks /PATH/TO/KICKSTART /PATH/TO/ISO /PATH/TO/NEW-ISO This will create a new iso with the kickstart in the root directory, and the kernel cmdline will have ``inst.ks=...`` added to it so that it will be executed when the iso is booted (be careful not to boot on a system you don't want to wipe out! There will be no prompting). By default the volume id of the iso is preserved. You can set a custom volid by passing ``-V`` and the string to set. The kernel cmdline will be changes, and the iso will have th custom volume id. eg.:: mkksiso -V "Test Only" --ks /PATH/TO/KICKSTART /PATH/TO/ISO /PATH/TO/NEW-ISO Adding package repos to a boot.iso ---------------------------------- You can add repo directories to the iso using ``--add /PATH/TO/REPO/``, make sure it contains the ``repodata`` directory by running ``createrepo_c`` on it first. In the kickstart you can refer to the directories (and files) on the iso using ``file:///run/install/repo/DIRECTORY/``. You can then use these repos in the kickstart like this:: repo --name=extra-repo --baseurl=file:///run/install/repo/extra-repo/ Run ``mkksiso`` like so:: mkksiso --add /PATH/TO/REPO/ --ks /PATH/TO/KICKSTART /PATH/TO/ISO /PATH/TO/NEW-ISO Create a liveimg boot.iso ------------------------- You can use the kickstart `liveimg command `_, to install a pre-generated disk image or tar to the system the iso is booting on. Create a disk image or tar with ``osbuild-composer`` or ``livemedia-creator``, make sure the image includes tools expected by ``anaconda``, as well as the kernel and bootloader support. In ``osbuild-composer`` use the ``tar`` image type and make sure to include the ``kernel``, ``grub2``, and ``grub2-tools`` packages. If you plan to install it to a UEFI machine make sure to include ``grub2-efi`` and ``efibootmgr`` in the blueprint. Add the ``root.tar.xz`` file to the iso using ``--add /PATH/TO/ROOT.TAR.XZ``, and in the kickstart reference it with the ``liveimg`` command like this:: liveimg --url=file:///run/install/repo/root.tar.xz It is also a good idea to use the ``--checksum`` argument to ``liveimg`` to be sure the file hasn't been corrupted:: mkksiso --add /PATH/TO/root.tar.xz --ks /PATH/TO/KICKSTART /PATH/TO/ISO /PATH/TO/NEW-ISO When this iso is booted it will execute the kickstart and install the liveimg contents to the system without any prompting. Modifying kernel cmdline arguments ---------------------------------- You can add arguments to the kernel cmdline in the ISO config files by using ``--cmdline``, like this:: mkksiso --cmdline "console=ttyS0,115200n8" /PATH/TO/ISO /PATH/TO/NEW-ISO Removing arguments ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ mkksiso version 37.3 and later support removing arguments from the cmdline. This can be done with or without adding a kickstart to the iso:: mkksiso --rm "quiet console" /PATH/TO/ISO /PATH/TO/NEW-ISO will remove the quiet and console arguments from all the the kernel cmdlines on the ISO. Changing existing arguments ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ With the combination of ``--rm`` and ``--command`` it is now possible to change existing arguments. For example let's say the ISO has a console=tty3 set on the cmdline. You want to change that to ttyS0 so you run this:: mkksiso --cmdline "console=ttyS0,115200n8" --rm "console" /PATH/TO/ISO /PATH/TO/NEW-ISO which will first remove all instances of console in the config files, and then add the new console argument. How it works ------------ ``mkksiso`` only depends on ``xorriso`` and ``isomd5sum``. It takes advantage of ``xorriso``'s ability to extract files, replace files, and add files to the iso without need to mount it. ``mkksiso`` extracts all of the config files it knows about, and then modifies the boot configuration files to include the ``inst.ks`` command. It adds any extra command line arguments you specify, and then builds the new iso with the configuration files replaced, and new files and directories added. The last step is to update the iso checksums so that booting with test enabled will pass. It uses ``implantisomd5`` from the ``isomd5sum`` project.