JonasOS

Personalized Debian-based OS project focused on a clean XFCE desktop and useful defaults.

Read more:

• https://blog.jonashubeny.dev/posts/jonasos-beginning/
• https://blog.jonashubeny.dev/posts/improving-defaults/

What is currently included

• Debian live ISO build based on live-build
• XFCE desktop session with LightDM
• Basic desktop apps (for example Firefox ESR, Mousepad, Thunar, Xfce utilities)
• Networking and audio defaults (NetworkManager + PulseAudio packages)
• Shell defaults for new users via /etc/skel (.bashrc, .profile)

Project structure

JonasOS/
  README.md
  build/
    live-build/
      auto/
        config
      config/
        includes.chroot/etc/skel/
          .bashrc
          .profile
        package-lists/
          system.list.chroot
          xorg.list.chroot
          xfce-core.list.chroot
          xfce-apps.list.chroot
          display-manager.list.chroot
          fonts.list.chroot
          themes.list.chroot
          extras.list.chroot
  scripts/
    build_iso.sh
    run_vm.sh
  packages/                        # legacy placeholders
  overlay/                         # optional custom files
  out/                             # generated ISOs
  .github/
    workflows/
      ci.yml

Build ISO

scripts/build_iso.sh runs Debian live-build inside a Podman container and copies the resulting ISO to out/.

chmod +x scripts/build_iso.sh
./scripts/build_iso.sh

Host requirements:

• podman
• sudo access
• internet access (container installs required build tools with apt)

Result:

out/*.iso

Run ISO in VM

scripts/run_vm.sh starts QEMU with the newest ISO from out/ (or falls back to build/live-build/live-image-amd64.hybrid.iso).

chmod +x scripts/run_vm.sh
./scripts/run_vm.sh

Host requirements:

• qemu-system-x86_64
• KVM support (/dev/kvm)

Open ISO in GNOME Boxes (Fedora/libvirt)

If GNOME Boxes shows a permission error when opening an ISO from out/, copy the ISO into libvirt storage and set the correct ownership/permissions:

sudo install -o qemu -g qemu -m 644 \
  /home/jonas/_JONASOS/JonasOS/out/live-image-amd64.hybrid.iso \
  /var/lib/libvirt/images/live-image-amd64.hybrid.iso

Allow Boxes to browse the libvirt images directory:

sudo chmod 755 /var/lib/libvirt/images

Optional (if SELinux still blocks access):

sudo restorecon -v /var/lib/libvirt/images/live-image-amd64.hybrid.iso

Then restart GNOME Boxes and select:

/var/lib/libvirt/images/live-image-amd64.hybrid.iso

Tip: In the file picker, press Ctrl+L and paste the full path directly.