beginning with linux from scratch: v6.3 vs v7
 

Hi,

I'm kinda new to linux and wanted to get started with LSF. I downloaded LSF v7 (book) but when i downloaded the liveCD (6.3) I read it cannot be used to build 7.0 or later. Should I use the v6.3 book and leave the v7 book till later?

Thanks

Hello and welcome to LinuxQuestions,

I haven't build LFS for quite some time now but I guess that it all has to do with the version of the prerequisites for building LFS version 7. Since the LiveCD is for an older version the host system requirements do not coincide with the requirements for building LFS 7. But on the other hand you can use any distro you like as a building host for LFS as long as you have the required tools with the correct versions installed. Have a look at this page, those are the host system requirements for building LFS 7. There's even a script you can copy/paste to check if your system complies. So, install a basic distro (Debian for example), install the necessary tools (check that you're getting the mentioned versions or newer) and start building.

Looking forward to your participation in the forums. Have fun with Linux.

Kind regards,

Eric

Hi,

To extend on EricTRA's answer: Do make sure your host meets the requirements. I recently noticed that Ubuntu (and distro's based on Ubuntu) started using eglibc, which makes them unusable as host!

EricTRA already mentions Debian to be a good host, I would add Slackware to that. Both need minor adjustments to make them suitable.

Hope this helps.

If you are new to Linux the I also recommend to check if you yourself fulfill the prerequisites for LFS. If you don't, LFS will be only copy and paste of commands you don't understand and you learn nothing.

Hi,

Sorry if i seem slow on the uptake. But just for confirmation:
1) I can continue with 6.3 and update the packages if i have the per-requisites for 7?
2) If I wanted to ,for example, design my own customized login, interface and icons, i have to edit the source of the gui packages/libraries or I can write my own and merge them?

Thanks for the support and help

I think everyone above is suggesting that you find and install a host system that will work with the current version (v7.1). And I agree with that idea. That version 6.3 was released several years ago. To me, having that old CD is not a good enough reason to build that old LFS version. I would install some common no-frills Linux distro like the ones suggested above and use that to build the current version of LFS. I used Arch at first without problems. Now I use my last LFS system to build the next. Of course do what you think is best, but I'm nearly certain that you eventually will encounter difficulties starting out building a system full of obsolete packages. And IMO, upgrading packages in an LFS system is not always so straightforward. It's often easier to rebuild the whole system than to upgrade packages. The book even says that.

Hi,

Thanks for all the help. Managed to make some progress. using slackware 13.37 and already started with the builds.