Hi all,

I would like to know how to create an OEM iso for any linux distro. Is it something only a programmer or linux expert can do or anybody can do it? My plan is to prepare a Kubuntu 14.04 OEM with some customizations like installing kubuntu-restricted-extras, removing some softwares (especially where we have more than one application for the same task) etc.

Here is the longer version of my question. I have two laptops which I'm not using much. I would like to donate them to somebody who may have need for them (they are not all that ancient/broken). I can wipe out current distro and give them what is called a nakedPC. But I would prefer to pre-install linux on them. In doing so I would be achieving three things:
1) Satisfaction that these laptops will still serve somebody who may need them, instead of ending up in junkyard.
2) Spreading linux in my own little way.
3) Opportunity to learn something new (about OEM installs in this case).

This is what I know about OEM OS: It is OS pre-installed for later consumption by another user. Software is installed (and customized) except the creation of user account, some settings like language, keyboard layout, timezone etc. When the other user boots up for the first time, he will be presented with screens/menu to create a useraccount and the settings mentioned above. Once done, the PC is ready to be used by the user.

There is a nice explanation about OEM on the LinuxMint site. It only confirmed my ideas about OEM. It did not explain how a OEM CD is created. That is what I would like to know.

There is LinuxMint OEM iso, but only available for cinnamon and MATE editions, not for KDE or XFCE. I like KDE better. As stated above I'm planning to create a Kubuntu OEM iso.

Can somebody guide me?

OEM = Original Equipment Manufacture
that is what DELL,HP,ACER ,... and so on installed BEFORE you bought the computer

cal them

Hi John,
I know what OEM stands for. You did not read my post fully I guess. May be the word OEM is wrong but what else can I use? 'pre-install' may be? I was asking how can I pre-install linux on my laptop so as to give away. Just like I got Windows pre-installed by Dell, HP when I bought them.

I downloaded linuxmint17 cinnamon oem iso. Installed it on one of the laptop and it worked just fine. This laptop is now ready to be given away. But I'm not satisfied. I wanted to install KDE version. There are no KDE version of the oem iso. Even for cinnamon, only 64bit oem iso is available. My other laptop is a HP Mini which is 32-bit only.

Google found this.

I had asked for help elsewhere and was pointed to this thread in askubuntu. That also has link that you posted. Thank you.

That is exactly what I was trying to do. I was finally able to install Kubuntu on my HP Mini as well. Now both my laptops are ready to be given away. As such my problem is resolved. I still have query though.

This (oem-config-prepare?) looks like some user-friendly, business-friendly goodie from Ubuntu. What about pre-installing other distros like Slackware, Debian, Mageia etc. Do they have any sw/script for this purpose?

A real cd is a mechanical creation. You find a company that makes a master and they press a small aluminum and glue it to a plastic disc.


I know that isn't what you are asking about.

Go to SuseStudio and create what you want.

Software for an OEM install would only be useful for Linux distributions which come pre-installed under contract with some vendor such as Ubuntu or whatever distro. Would not expect there to be too many as there doesn't seem to be much need but then, I haven't really done a search.

Most of what you are looking for is just a basic install without configuration and the configuration options you mention aren't exactly complex and in fact are things normally done during an actual install. You should be able to easily write a simple How To for them in a page or two and put a link on the Desktop for the future user. I guess it is a moot point since you have it working the way you want from the link above. I was curious if it would work since the thread is three years old.

Doesn't look like it from my searching.

Good idea though for situations like yours - I go in and install for people, not distribute so I haven't seen the need myself. Pity, but it could be moderately distro specific. Just think about trying to accommodate the current fracas over whether systemd is present or not.
Especially with the slackers.

I found it's not common to find oem solution in distros. I only found in Ubuntu (and Ubuntu based distros) and I think I saw one in Mandriva. I looked into susestudio but it seems we can only base our remastering on opensuse/suse linux. Also, I could not find anything about oem iso; there were options for creating live cd/dvd iso, virtualization formats, some cloud deployment stuff etc. There is certainly no distro-agnoistic script/sw available for this purpose.

We don't care much because we are already smart enough to know what linux is, what a distro is, how to download one, how to partition HD and install a distro etc. But, for many people OS (or software) is something that they get when they buy computer. They just switch on, enter few details when asked and start using. For the kind of life styles they may have, we cannot expect them to learn all these geeky stuff either.

When we think of OEMs we usually think of big names like Dell, HP etc. They probably don't care much about linux as there may not be profits. But there could be startups or small companies that would be willing to pre-install linux and sell computers. We should not think we need to have a contract with vendors to create such a solution. If we have tools that make oem install possible, then somebody would use it.

I started ranting I guess :-) I will stop now. My actual problem is solved. What started as my need to dispose off my old hardware lead me to learn something about OEM installs and now I'm looking at remastering installs, creating live cd/dvd etc. Time well spent.

Thank you all who helped.