Custom Linux Kernel and BusyBox Setup

Welcome to the guide where we embark on a journey to build our very own custom Linux kernel and BusyBox, because why settle for pre-packaged when you can have it your way? Get ready to dive into the world of minimalistic and customizable Linux operating systems!

Step-by-Step Instructions#

Step 1: Install Dependencies#

First things first, let’s make sure we have all the necessary tools and packages. Run the following command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install wget bzip2 libncurses-dev flex bison bc libelf-dev libssl-dev xz-utils autoconf gcc make libtool git vim libpng-dev libfreetype-dev g++ extlinux nano
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Step 2: Download and Prepare the Linux Kernel#

1. Download the Linux Kernel:

   wget https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v6.x/linux-6.9.4.tar.xz
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2. Extract the Kernel:

   tar xf linux-6.9.4.tar.xz
   cd linux-6.9.4
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3. Configure the Kernel:

   make menuconfig
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4. Compile the Kernel:

   make -j 4
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5. Create a Directory for the Distro:

   mkdir /distro
   cp arch/x86/boot/bzImage /distro/
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Step 3: Set Up BusyBox#

1. Download BusyBox:

   cd ~
   wget https://busybox.net/downloads/busybox-1.36.1.tar.bz2
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2. Extract BusyBox:

   tar xf busybox-1.36.1.tar.bz2
   cd busybox-1.36.1
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3. Configure BusyBox:

   make menuconfig
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4. Compile and Install BusyBox:

   make -j 4
   make CONFIG_PREFIX=/distro install
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Step 4: Set Up MicroWindows#

1. Clone MicroWindows:

   git clone https://github.com/ghaerr/microwindows
   cd microwindows/src/
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2. Configure MicroWindows:

   cp Configs/config.linux-fb config
   nano config
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3. Compile MicroWindows:

   make -j 4
   make install
   make x11-demo
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4. Set Up a Sample GUI Application:

   mkdir x11-demo
   cd x11-demo/
   nano gui.c
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5. Compile the GUI Application:

   cd ..
   mv x11-demo /distro/
   cd /distro/x11-demo/
   gcc gui.c -lNX11 -lnano-X -I /microwindows/src/nx11/X11-local/
   mv a.out /distro/nirs-test-app
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Step 5: Prepare the Distro Environment#

1. Create Necessary Directories:

   mkdir -p /distro/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/
   mkdir /distro/lib64
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2. Copy Required Libraries:

   cp /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libpng16.so.16 /distro/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libpng16.so.16
   cp /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libz.so.1 /distro/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libz.so.1
   cp /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libfreetype.so.6 /distro/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libfreetype.so.6
   cp /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6 /distro/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6
   cp /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libm.so.6 /distro/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libm.so.6
   cp /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libbrotlidec.so.1 /distro/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libbrotlidec.so.1
   cp /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 /distro/lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2
   cp /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libbrotlicommon.so.1 /distro/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libbrotlicommon.so.1
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3. Copy Nano-X Binaries:

   cp -r /microwindows/src/bin /distro/nanox
   cp /microwindows/src/runapp /distro/nanox/
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Step 6: Create the Bootable Image#

1. Create and Format the Image:

   cd /distro/
   truncate -s 200MB boot.img
   mkfs boot.img
   mkdir mnt
   mount boot.img mnt
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2. Install Extlinux:

   extlinux -i mnt/
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3. Copy Files to the Image:

   mv bin bzImage lib lib64 linuxrc nanox nirs-test-app sbin usr mnt
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4. Create Additional Directories:

   cd mnt/
   mkdir var etc root dev tmp proc
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5. Unmount the Image:

   cd ..
   umount mnt
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Release Notes#

Simple GUI-Based Linux Distro - Version 1.0#

Overview: This release marks the initial version of our simple GUI-based Linux distribution, developed to run on QEMU. This distribution leverages the Linux kernel, BusyBox for essential Unix utilities, and Nano-X for graphical capabilities. This lightweight and efficient distro provides a basic graphical user interface and can serve as a foundational base for further customization and development.

Key Features:

• Linux Kernel 6.9.4
• BusyBox 1.36.1
• Nano-X/MicroWindows
• Sample GUI Application (nirs-test-app)

Installation Instructions:

1. Install dependencies.
2. Download and compile the Linux kernel.
3. Setup BusyBox.
4. Setup MicroWindows.
5. Prepare the distro environment.
6. Create a bootable image.

Known Issues:

• Limited GUI capabilities.
• Hardware compatibility primarily tested on QEMU.

Future Plans:

• Enhance GUI features.
• Broader hardware support.
• Provide detailed documentation.

Resources:

• Linux Kernel
• BusyBox
• MicroWindows
• X11 Hello

Acknowledgments: We extend our gratitude to the open-source community and the developers of the Linux kernel, BusyBox, and MicroWindows for their invaluable contributions.

_Contributors: @mranv