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I would like to know how can I customize the Ubuntu installer NOT customize Ubuntu, I just want to modify the installer.

We have a large environment here with lots of developers and since we don't use Windows, I want to customize the installer to automatically set the timezone to NYC, the keyboard layout to English USA, put the company logo in the installer etc...

3 Answers 3

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I installed ubiquity:

sudo apt-get install ubiquity ubiquity-casper ubiquity-slideshow-ubuntu ubiquity-frontend-gtk

and I made some modification to it. Since it is all HTML files it is very easy to customize.

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  • 2
    What exactly did you modify? i.e. Which files?
    – Oxwivi
    Dec 12, 2011 at 13:24
  • 6
    everything in /usr/share/ubiquity-slideshow
    – aki
    Dec 12, 2011 at 13:31
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For most of it you don't need to modify the installer, debian-installer provides facilities to automate installation by passing a few configurations to it; this is called preseeding:

You can do this via network installs or a custom boot USB or whatever.

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  • added a link to update your excellent answer.
    – Elder Geek
    Jun 19, 2014 at 1:27
  • @Jorge Castro Links not working !
    – ankit7540
    Dec 20, 2016 at 6:14
  • The link is dead, in part because I think Ubuntu's installer is no longer based debian-installer which supports presiding. The docs can still be found on the Debian wiki but don't apply to Ubuntu: debian.org/releases/stretch/amd64/apb.html.en
    – rgov
    May 17, 2023 at 23:04
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Ubuntu Customization Kit (UCK) -- http://uck.sourceforge.net/ (It is available in software center as well) is the easiest way I've come across. Try it you can use it in a day. Just follow the steps and you have customized installation :)

Remastersys -- http://remastersys.sourceforge.net/ is another way of doing things (but mostly used for backups than installation) You basically install system and extra packages, change configurations. Then use Remastersys to create installer disk from that installation -- Be warned though installation disk can grow significantly in size.

And if you are feeling very adventures look at Linux from scratch (LFS) -- http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/

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  • these customize the installer? or ubuntu?
    – aki
    Nov 29, 2011 at 20:05
  • they all customize installer, for customizing Ubuntu itself there are way more sources to list here. LFS customize pretty much any linux distro but will take way too much time just to understand it. I would say try UCK its available in software center as well, very easy to create own installation CDs :)
    – wisemonkey
    Nov 29, 2011 at 20:09
  • with uck you can change the installer, customize screen, add logo etc..?
    – aki
    Nov 29, 2011 at 20:34
  • I've added wallpaper and custom login screen. I'm pretty sure u can find way to change logo (I didn't try it though)
    – wisemonkey
    Nov 29, 2011 at 20:37
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    i tried UCK but I couldn't find anywhere i can change the installer , is there a script i need to create? - i need to change text in the installer to put my intranet link with my company logo
    – aki
    Nov 30, 2011 at 15:47

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