Vamos Client
"Vamos Client” is a linux image that you can use to netboot diskless computers or use with rootz. This is the first version (1.0b) of the client which is based on debian etch and debian live infrastructure. Content
What you’ll get is a full gnome desktop with the following pacakges:
- firefox
- gaim
- open office
- gimp
- inkscape
- frozen bubble and more…
Special Features
- Live system – you can boot this image on any type of modern hardware and start working without installing anything! (similar to livecds)
- Persistence – the ~ (homedir) is seamlessly saved on the server, so your session is not lost after reboot or power supply crash. This feature was also upstreamed (patched) back to debian live. You can see the details and implementation on debian live mail archive
Instructions
Download the squashfs image: http://vamosproject.com/upload/vamos-client-1.0b.squashfs
Squashfs is a highly compressed filesystem that we can mount directly as root filesystem. While the benefits of squashfs image are the size and network efficiency, those images are hard to maintain. For example, if you want to install a new software, you’ll need to mount the squashfs, chroot into it, install and then build the new squashfs. The whole process can take hours!
Still want to use the squashfs method? just copy the squashfs file into /tftpboot/images/vamos/binary/casper.
If you want to change the image from time to time, you better use flat filesystem. You can change flat filesystem on the fly and you also get better boot times. To do it, follow these step and execute the commands as root:
mount the squashfs:
mount -t squashfs -o loop vamos*.squashfs /mnt/tmp
copy the content:
rsync -av /mnt/tmp/* /tftpboot/images/vamos/binary/casper/vamos-client.dir
umount:
umount /mnt/tmp
Notice that the directory in casper should be named in the pattern of *.dir Customization After you’ve got the vamos client to work, you can change the image for your own needs. There are few things you might want to do:
- Update the software (apt-get update)
- Install a new application (apt-get install gftp)
- Or completley remove gnome and install another desktop environment
To start the customization you’ll need to chroot into the vamos-client.dir as a root:
sudo chroot /tftpboot/images/vamos/binary/casper/vamos-client.dir
To finish:
exit
notice: you cannot redo the changes in the chroot (i.e. exit without saving), so you should consider backup before making a big change
XFCE customization howto
First remove gnome:
apt-get remove gnome* --purge
And then install XFCE
apt-get install xfce4
That's it!