Quick and Easy - text mode

1. Start with a machine installed with SL6 (or compatible) with the same arch as the distribution you want to build.
2. Install revisor-cli from SL6
   yum install revisor-cli (for SL6)
   For non-SL distributions, you will need at least revisor-cli, sl-revisor-config, and livecd-tools from SL6, everything else should be in your distribution.
3. (Optional) Edit configuration files and/or kickstart files. You can change them so that they pull the packages from your own repository, have more or fewer packages on the image, and all sorts of things. By default you will pull your packages down from ftp1.scientificlinux.org.
   - /etc/revisor/conf.d/revisor-sl6-i386.conf
   - /etc/revisor/conf.d/revisor-sl6-i386-updates.conf
   - /etc/revisor/conf.d/revisor-sl6-x86_64.conf
   - /etc/revisor/conf.d/revisor-sl6-x86_64-updates.conf
   - /etc/revisor/SL6/ks/sl6.everything.ks
   - /etc/revisor/SL6/ks/sl6.match.tuv.install.dvd.i386.ks
   - /etc/revisor/SL6/ks/sl6.match.tuv.install.dvd.x86_64.ks
   - /etc/revisor/SL6/ks/sl6.all.groups.ks
   - /etc/revisor/SL6/ks/sl6.small.ks
4. Run the revisor command to create your DVD. These are just examples. These in particular are what we use to build the official SL releases.
   • For i386
     revisor --cli --install-dvd --install-tree --model=sl6-i386 --kickstart=/etc/revisor/SL6/ks/sl6.match.tuv.install.dvd.i386.ks
     This builds the i386 Install-DVD
     We then move the DVD iso images out of the way and run
     revisor --cli --install-dvd --model=sl6-i386 --kickstart=/etc/revisor/SL6/ks/sl6.everything.ks
   • For x86_64
     revisor --cli --install-dvd --install-tree --model=sl6-x86_64 --kickstart=/etc/revisor/SL6/ks/sl6.match.tuv.install.dvd.x86_64.ks
     This builds the x86_64 Install-DVD
     We then move the DVD iso images out of the way and run
     revisor --cli --install-dvd --install-tree --model=sl6-x86_64 --kickstart=/etc/revisor/SL6/ks/sl6.everything.ks
   These commands will create an Install-DVD that has all the lastest security and fastbug updaes.
   • For i386
     revisor --cli --install-dvd --install-tree --model=sl6-i386-updates --kickstart=/etc/revisor/SL6/ks/sl6.match.tuv.install.dvd.i386.ks
   • For x86_64
     revisor --cli --install-dvd --install-tree --model=sl6-x86_64-updates --kickstart=/etc/revisor/SL6/ks/sl6.match.tuv.install.dvd.x86_64.ks
5. By default, your images and/or install tree are put in /srv/revisor/

Change Installation Types

Installation Types are the group of groups that you are able to pick on the installation type part of the install.
They are items such as "Desktop", "Minimal Desktop", or "Basic Server"

1. Edit the file /etc/revisor/SL6/build/scripts/product/installclasses/scientific.py
   Edit the "tasks" section however you would like.
2. run the make.product.img.sh script
   /etc/revisor/SL6/build/scripts/make.product.img.sh
3. Then build your install as is documented above.

Troubleshooting

Problem: I am having trouble building a 32 bit image, but I can build a 64 bit image. Or vice versa.
Solution: A 32 bit image has to be built on a 32 bit machine or chroot area. A 64 bit image has to be built on a 64 bit machine.
Note: If you are building a 32 bit image using a chroot area, make sure that /proc, /sys, and /dev are bind mounted to the appropriate chroot areas. Also make sure that you do a "setarch i386" after you chroot.

Problem: I make an install image, but it doesn't do anything
Solution: You have to have anaconda as one of your packages in your kickstart, or select anaconda in the graphical package selection page.