This Howto is based on the knoppix remastering Howto; and therefore it is highly recommended that you read it in tandem.

Similar to Knoppix, Mepis uses the cloop kernel module to compress/decompress packages on the fly to and from memory - thus achieving an effective 2GB+ loop back image. Therefore your host Linux setup (that is used for remastering) should have the ability to read cloop devices via the cloop kernel module. Unfortunately since cloop is not, (at the time of writing), part of the official kernel source, it must be downloaded seperately and applied as a patch.

Fortunately there are easier alternatives...

• LiveCD option - Boot via a cloop supported liveCD (knoppix or mepis) and mount the hard disk partition that you wish to use for remastering purposes. Make sure you have the creare_compressed_fs binary (mepis & knoppix has it) or else apt-get install cloop-utils

• Using an installed LiveCD - Alternatively you could install Knoppix/Mepis to the hard drive, and work from within it.

• Patch the kernel - If you don’t want to leave your favorite distro, then try your luck with patching your kernel with the cloop kernel patch.

I used this approach and thanks to gentoo, it was a snap!

# emerge cloop

• Make 2 directories, one for your new Master CD, one for the source, on a directory (or a mounted disk partition). Also, make additional directories under these named linux:

 # mkdir -p /mnt/mymepis/{source,master}/linux

• Copy the content of the mounted (using cloop) linux file. If not didn’t boot from mepis but have cloop support issue.

 # modprobe cloop file=/mnt/cdrom/linux/linux
 # mount /dev/cloop/0 /mnt/loop
 # cp -Rp /mnt/loop/* /mnt/mymepis/source

• Copy all the other files except the big linux file

 # cd /mnt/cdrom
 # find . -size -10000k -type f -exec cp -p --parents '{}' \
  /mnt/mymepis/master/ \;

• Chroot to the sources we copied.

 # choot /mnt/mymepis/source/linux
 # mount -t proc none /proc

• Add/Remove software and customize the system as you would with debian 1).

• Unmount /proc and get out of (chrooted) jail

 # umount /proc
 # exit

• Create the cloop compressed image

# Clean up
rm /mnt/mymepis/source/linux/root/.bash_history
rm /mnt/mymepis/source/linux/root/.viminfo

# Make the compress loop add -b after create_compressed_fs for best compression
mkisofs -R -U -V "My Mepis" -publisher "Bud - www.babytux.org" -hide-rr-moved \
-cache-inodes -no-bak -pad /mnt/mymepis/source/linux | nice -n -5 \
 /usr/bin/create_compressed_fs - 65536 > /mnt/mymepis/master/linux/linux

• Generate the iso

 # cd /mnt/mymepis/master
 # mkisofs -l -r -R -v -V "Remastered Mepis" -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 \
   -boot-info-table -b boot/grub/stage2_eltorito -c boot.catalog -hide-rr-moved \
   -o /mnt/mymepis/mymepis.iso /mnt/mymepis/master

• Burn the CD iso image. Replace hdc with your CD burner device

 # cdrecord -v -dao -eject dev=/dev/hdc /mnt/mymepis/mymepis.iso

• To get a list of packages already installed, sorted by size:

  # dpkg-query -W --showformat='${Installed-Size} ${Package}\n' | sort -n

• To remove a package (and all packages dependant on it):

  # apt-get remove --purge <name-of-package-to-remove>

• To check for orphaned packages, and automatically remove if your brave!:

  # deborphan
  # deborphan | xargs apt-get -y remove

• When you’re done removing and adding packages, a good way to clean up is by typing this:

  # COLUMNS=200 dpkg -l |grep ^rc |awk '{print $2} ' | xargs dpkg -P

• To clean the apt cache (deb files that were downloaded)

  # apt-get clean

• To remove history files

  # rm /mnt/mymepis/source/linux/root/.bash_history
  # rm /mnt/mymepis/source/linux/root/.viminfo

• When testing X-based programs:

  On the chrooted environment...
   
  # export DISPLAY=localhost:0.0

  On the host environmemt used to remaster...
  
  # xhost + localhost

• For this to work, it seems the X server should be listening to tcp (can it work using unix pipes?).

    to check if X is listening to tcp... 
        
    telnet localhost 3306

    to enable tcp listening using startx (this can be insecure!)
    
    # defaultserverargs="" startx      

• Installed package info are in /var/lib/dpkg/info (for grepping purposes)

(Note: paths are given relative to the chrooted environment)

• To customize the bootsplash

 Copy one of the sample bootsplashes and modify it
 
 # cp -a /etc/bootsplash/themes/{linux,mysplash}
 
 Modify /etc/bootsplash/themes/mysplash/{images,config} files

 Remove the current boot splash from the initrd...
   
 # cd /mnt/mymepis
 # gunzip master/boot/initrd.gz; gzip master/boot/initrd

 Append the new one to it...
 
 # /sbin/splash -s -f \
 /mnt/mymepis/etc/bootsplash/themes/mytheme/config/bootsplash-1024x768.cfg \
 >> /mnt/mymepis/master/boot/initrd

 Do the same for the boot splash found in the chroot (/mnt/mymepis/source/linux/boot/initrd.splash)

• To customize kdm background image

 # cp mywallpaper.png /usr/share/wallpapers
 # vi /etc/kde3/kdm/backgroundrc
 
 Wallpaper=mywallpaper.png

• To customize desktop wallpaper

 # cp mywallpaper.png /usr/share/wallpapaers
 # vi /etc/kde3/kdesktoprc
 
 Wallpaper=/usr/share/wallpapers/mywallpaper.png

• Customized Grub boot splash, extract /boot/message and modify background.pcx 14 color image

 cpio --extract < /boot/grub/message
 find . | cpio -ov > ../message