Configuration file #

MiniOS differs from most classic flash distributions in that some parameters can be set before boot in a fairly simple configuration file minios/minios.conf, which minimizes the amount of work required when creating your own modules to create embedded systems. Optionally, some of the parameters can be set in the boot parameters.

MiniOS configuration file #

Boot options take precedence over the configuration file. Some parameters in this file are service ones and it is better not to change them. Below is an example of a standard configuration file:

USER_NAME="live"
USER_PASSWORD="evil"
ROOT_PASSWORD="toor"
HOST_NAME="minios"
DEFAULT_TARGET="graphical"
ENABLE_SERVICES="ssh"
DISABLE_SERVICES=""
SSH_KEY="authorized_keys"
CLOUD="false"
SCRIPTS="true"
HIDE_CREDENTIALS="false"
AUTOLOGIN="true"
SYSTEM_TYPE="puzzle"
CORE_BUNDLE_PREFIX="00-core"
BEXT="sb"

Some of these options can only be set once, before the first load, if you are using persistent mode. In persistent mode, only the following parameters can always be changed:

USER_PASSWORD
ROOT_PASSWORD
ENABLE_SERVICES
DISABLE_SERVICES
SSH_KEY
HIDE_CREDENTIALS
AUTOLOGIN

Description of parameters #

Parameter	Meaning	Example	Which initrd works with
USER_NAME	The name of the user whose profile will be created on first boot. If you specify the username root, then no user profile will be created, the USER_PASSWORD parameter will be ignored, and login will be performed using the root profile.	USER_NAME=live USER_NAME=user USER_NAME=root	MiniOS Live Kit Slax Live Kit UIRD
USER_PASSWORD	The password of a main user in clear text. The password must not include `'` , `\` , and other characters that might be misinterpreted by bash.	USER_PASSWORD=evil USER_PASSWORD=PxKYJnLK8cv0E3Hd	MiniOS Live Kit Slax Live Kit UIRD
ROOT_PASSWORD	Password of the privileged user root in clear text. The password must not include `'` , `\` , and other characters that might be misinterpreted by bash.	ROOT_PASSWORD=toor ROOT_PASSWORD=9gVIlgGsZtpKPsE8	MiniOS Live Kit Slax Live Kit UIRD
HOST_NAME	The name of the node associated with the system.	HOST_NAME=minios	MiniOS Live Kit Slax Live Kit UIRD
DEFAULT_TARGET	The purpose of systemd. You can read more about systemd targets here.	DEFAULT_TARGET=graphical DEFAULT_TARGET=multi-user	MiniOS Live Kit
ENABLE_SERVICES	Enable services on boot.	ENABLE_SERVICES=ssh ENABLE_SERVICES=ssh,firewalld	MiniOS Live Kit
DISABLE_SERVICES	Turn off services on boot.	DISABLE_SERVICES=docker DISABLE_SERVICES=docker,firewalld,ssh	MiniOS Live Kit
SSH_KEY	The name of the SSH public key file, which must be located in the system folder on the media (along with the main .sb modules). By default, the system looks for a file named authorized_keys. This file will be copied to `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` of the main user and root user when the system boots, and can be used to authorize with using SSH keys.	SSH_KEY=authorized_keys SSH_KEY=my_public_key.pub	MiniOS Live Kit Slax Live Kit UIRD
CLOUD	Service parameter, required for use with cloud-init, does not apply to public versions of MiniOS.	CLOUD=false	MiniOS Live Kit
SCRIPTS	Running shell scripts from the minios/scripts folder, enabled by default. Scripts run automatically on tty2 after reaching multi-user.target (init 3).	SCRIPTS=true	MiniOS Live Kit Slax Live Kit UIRD
HIDE_CREDENTIALS	Hide credentials displayed as tooltip in tty. Disabled by default.	HIDE_CREDENTIALS=false	MiniOS Live Kit Slax Live Kit UIRD
AUTOLOGIN	Enable/disable automatic login. Enabled by default.	AUTOLOGIN=true	MiniOS Live Kit Slax Live Kit UIRD
SYSTEM_TYPE	Select the operating mode of the system. If you plan to install software exclusively by modules, you must use “puzzle”, if you want to install software using apt, then “classic”. The default setting is “puzzle”.	SYSTEM_TYPE=puzzle SYSTEM_TYPE=classic	MiniOS Live Kit Slax Live Kit UIRD
CORE_BUNDLE_PREFIX	A service parameter that tells utilities in the system the name of the module with the base system.	CORE_BUNDLE_PREFIX=00-core	MiniOS Live Kit Slax Live Kit UIRD
BEXT	A service parameter that indicates to utilities in the system the extension in the module file name.	BEXT=sb	MiniOS Live Kit Slax Live Kit UIRD

Important! #

The SSH server is enabled by default for compatibility with 3rd party initrds, to disable it, you must not only remove it from ENABLE_SERVICES, but also add it to DISABLE_SERVICES.
When first booting in persistent mode, or if you are using clean boot or RAM boot mode, you can optionally change the HOST_NAME and DEFAULT_TARGET parameters.
The CLOUD, CORE_BUNDLE_PREFIX and BEXT parameters cannot be changed, they are service ones and are used in non-standard non-public versions of MiniOS (cloud virtualization, non-standard module layout, etc.).
When using an initrd other than the MiniOS Live Kit, some of the options will not be available, pay attention to the right column.

What else can the minios.conf file be useful for? You can use it to set your own parameters in your scripts when creating modules. On first boot, it is copied to the /etc/minios folder, then the /etc/minios/minios.conf file is automatically monitored and, when changes are made, overwrites the configuration file on the flash drive, if it is writable. Thus, you can put your variables in minios.conf and get them from /etc/minios/minios.conf in your scripts regardless of the type of initrd used.