Making a live USB with internet anti-censorship tools, + persistence config

[PxALh]

I am going to a country that implements internet censorship, i.e. no access to Internet without anti-censoring tools. I am running MX linux, installed, where I have those anti-censoring tools. I would like to make a live USB of MX Linux with those tools, such that:
1. any Internet connection required (I hope none) to install MX Linux can be successfully fulfilled.
2. Installed MX Linux will have those anti-censoring tools.
This might require booting the live USB with persistence? Is "all persist" option appropriate for this purpose?

I have also backup of those anti-censoring tools on an external disk.

I already have a live USB of MX Linux 21, but without those anti-censoring tools. How can I add those anti-censoring tools to the live USB?

Many thanks!

[Eadwine Rose]

Why go with MX21? I would start out with 23 and go from there.

[PxALh]

Thanks for your timely reply.

Why go with MX21? I would start out with 23 and go from there.

MX 21 is what I use right now, and migrating to MX 23 is not as important as making sure I have a live USB to install MX 21 with Internet anti-censorship tools, in case my laptop is broken / stolen, etc.

Migrating to MX 23 is a big change: Debian 11 -> Debian 12, kernel version updates (I have NVIDIA GPU). I intend to do this when MX 21 reaches end of life. Otherwise, as long as MX 21 fulfills my needs, I have no motivation to migrate.

[Kermit the Frog]

You don't need to do anything special. Just start "MX Snapshot" from menu and create your iso. Then prepare a live usb with "MX Live Usb Maker"

(... No matter persistent or not. Cause the iso will be a snapshot "of the running system" "as is" , with whatever was installed and whatever was removed ... ).

Also you can test your live usb before you go.


(If any of those tools are requiring systemd (like some vpns) you'll have that option when you install back (also live session is still bootable with systemd though not perfect) ).


P.S. With personal snapshots you may not find an icon on desktop to click to install. (A kind of known bug). So, note somewhere:

Code: Select all

minstall-launcher

starts the installer.


P.P.S. The above way is easier and cleaner imho. But if you like to add those software to the current live usb: you need to do the same things (install them ...) when booted with that one, then "MX RemasterCC" from menu to make them permanent (assuming it's a writable usb).

[PxALh]

Thank you for your thoughtful advice!

> You don't need to do anything special. Just start "MX Snapshot" from menu and create your iso. Then prepare a live usb with "MX Live Usb Maker"

I did not know that MX Snapshot can be used as a personal system clone utility.

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> …assuming it's a writable usb

Is there non-writable USB used as a live USB? How can I check that the live USB I use is writable? (e.g. by successfully creating random files under /home/demo/ directory, or my current username if from snapshot iso)

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Where should I put files / softwares on the live USB? I noticed the directory ./Live-usb-storage corresponds to /live/boot-dev/Live-usb-storage when booting from the live USB, and I am wondering if there is a more "correct" / intended place to put them.

Some of those tools need Internet to download dependencies when installing, creating a chicken-and-egg problem. For example, geph, a proxy/VPN, provides flatpak package on Linux, which requires connecting to flathub.

Some solutions I can think of:
- flatpak's official doc on installing self-contained package onto a USB stick, for offline install. Which part in the filesystem in live USB should I put these packages?
- I have a VM (Virtual Machine) running installed geph. I can backup an image file from this VM and copy it to the live USB. Which part in the filesystem in live USB should I put the image?