Welcome to the Compact Flash Builder Tutorial
(for RedHat 6.1 Distribution)
This document will walk you through the process of building a Custom Compact
Flash Image with CFBuilder. If you have not already started CFBuilder, open a terminal,
change to the CFBuilder directory, (/IBM/CFBuider_2.3)
and execute the CFBuilder file.
- cd /IBM/CFBuilder_2.3
- ./CFBuilder
Here are some screenshots of the program during execution.
- Intro Screenshot - This screen is an introduction to the Compact Flash
- Builder. Once you have finished reading, click Next to continue.
- Building Packages Screenshot - The Build Package screen allows you
to build the
- Software Packages. The following packages are available:
- First click on the package you are interested in, so for example,
click on Netscape.
- Clicked on Netscape Screenshot - Clicking Netscape button will enable two buttons at
- the bottom, Build Package and Help.
- Click on the Help button.
- Help File Dialog Screenshot - The Help button will open a document with detailed instructions on how to obtain the latest Netscape package from
Netscape.com.
- Read the document and follow the instructions to download the latest package. You must
download this file to the client and save it. Once the package has downloaded, you can
select Build Package.
- Click on Build Package.
- Find Netscape File Screenshot - Clicking on Build Package will open a dialog and ask
you to supply the location of the file you downloaded.
- Click on Browse.
- Browse Dialog Screenshot - Clicking on Browse will open a FileOpen Dialog.
- Change the Directory to the location where you saved the Netscape Package. Then change
the Files of Type setting to Gzip (.gz) extension. Select the file you
downloaded and click Open.
- After Clicking on Open - Clicking Open returns the filename you selected to the window.
- Click Done.
- Unpacking and Installing - CFBuilder will now unpack and build the Netscape files
- The package will be saved to the Packages directory
in the CFBuilder Folder for future use. Building may take some time, please be patient.
You may, at any time remove these tars, but once deleted, you will have
to build them again.
- When the process is complete, you will see this screen:
- Finished Building - This screen appears after a successful package build.
- Repeat the process for each package you wish to install. Once you have finished building, click Next to continue.
- Partitioning the Compact Flash - WARNING! This page is very dangerous!
- This page will partition and format your Compact Flash. You must have your Compact Flash
already in your Network Station. If it is not, you must turn your
Network Station off by turning the switch off in the back (2800) or
unplugging the cord, (2200). Once the power is off, you can insert
your Compact Flash, and then power the machine on. On the partitioning page,
select the size of your Compact Flash and click Partition.
- Confirm Partition - You will be asked to confirm whether you really want
to partition your
Compact Flash.
- The program will partition and format the device /dev/hda, be careful
not to run this program on a PC with a hard drive. Once the partitioning is
complete click Next to continue.
- Creating a Compact Flash Image - Select which programs you wish to
install to your
Compact Flash.
- Select the packages that you wish to install to your Compact Flash.
Only the packages that you have built will be available. In this example,
Netscape is built, so it is available for installation. By default, you
will be installing a Base OS package,
and currently, only FVWM2 is available as your window manager. We
will be adding FVWM95 support shortly. You must select FVWM2, and
any packages you wish to install. Make your selections and click on
Build.
- Building the Base OS - The program will now build the Base OS and install it to the
Compact Flash. This process may take a while so please be patient.
- Once it has installed the Base OS, the program will install any other
programs you have selected. After installing your other programs, you
will be prompted to locate your FVWM2 RPMS. If you have not already copied
those RPMS to the client image, follow the instructions here.
- Find FVWM2 files - After the Base OS has installed you will be prompted to locate the
FVWM2 RPMS
- Click on the Browse button, find the files and click Open.
- Locate the FVWM2 RPMS - Use the FileOpen Dialog to locate the 2 FVWM2 RPMS.
Highlight one file and click Open.
- When both files are found, click Done.
- Found both FVWM2 RPMS - When both files are found, click Done
- Building FVWM2 package - A FVWM2 package is built for future use.
- CFBuilder will now extract the files from the RPM's and build a package for future use. At any time, you may remove the
fvwm2.tar.gz in the Packages directory and CFBuilder will prompt you the next time to locate the FVWM2 files again.
When the installation of FVWM2 is complete click Next to continue.
- Image Build Complete - CFBuilder is done installing Netscape and FVWM2. Click Next
to continue.
- Configuring your Compact Flash Image - The page allows you to configure your Image
- On this page you can set your Screen Size (640x480, 800x600 ... )
and your color depth, (8bit, 16bit), as well as your default sound level,
and also your Management Server IP. Click each button on the left
(Display, Sound, or Management)to bring up the configuration screen.
- Display Resolutions and Color Depth Configuration
- Display will bring up the Screen Size selection and color depth. Select your options
and click on one of the other options, or click on Save.
- Sound Level Configuration - Set the desired sound level
- Clicking on Sound will bring up a volume slider, set the desired level and click on Save or another
configuration option.
- Configure Management Server - Set the management server ip
- Clicking on Management will bring up the Management screen.
Select the Enable Management box and enter the ip of the Management
Server if you wish to have your Client use the Management server.
- Saving your configuration - After configuration, click on Save.
- Once you have configured your options, click Save to store the values.
Click Next to continue.
- Compact Flash Image Backup and Restoration - Backup or Restore your Custom Image.
- On this page you will be able to backup or restore any image that you have made
on your Compact Flash.
- Set backup location - Give a location to store the Backup Image.
- Click on Backup will bring up the Backup Location window. Enter the path where
you want to store the image or click Browse to find a location and give your
image an filename. Make sure you add the extention of .img, this will allow
the Image Restore window to locate your file more easily. The size of the image
will be exactly the size of your Compact Flash, i.e. a 64MB Compact Flash will
require 64 MB of space to store the image.
- Saving Image - Enter the path and filename of your image and click Save.
- Set restore location - Enter a location and filename for your backup image file.
- You can restore any image you have saved by clicking on Restore. You will
be prompted to locate the image.
- Restoring Image - Locate your image you want to restore.
- Once you have found the image, click Open. Be sure that the Compact Flash
size is equal to or larger than the image you want to restore, i.e., don't
restore a 128MB image to your 32MB Compact Flash; this will cause an error.
When you have finished backing up, or restoring, click Finish to end the
CFBuilder Wizard.
You may now reboot your Network Station from the Compact Flash you created.
Last Updated: 04.17.00 - CFBuilder Team - RAH/CMG