Open source software is all about choice. Various OEM style installations are available through Ubuntu and derivatives, the Debian and RedHat families can give a similar experience with the GNOME desktop. The SUSE family is unique in that any graphical system can be preinstalled, even just a basic window manager and the user setup sequence is independent of the installed desktop system; this means that you are not limited to GNOME in openSUSE Linux!
Here’s something to listen to whilst you read this tutorial:
This tutorial shows just how simple preparing a SUSE system for transfer to a new owner is. I will be using openSUSE since SUSE Enterprise Linux requires a paid subscription which the new system owner would need to install software and updates.
- Install openSUSE Linux on the system
- Create a user account when prompted
- Set a root password or make it the same as the user account password
- Select any graphical system that the new owner would like
- Configure hardware, install drivers, apply updates
- Install any software which is to be preinstalled for the new owner
Time for another song:
With openSUSE, or SUSE installed with a working user account it is now time to prepare the Firstboot system for the new owner which is extremely simply with the SUSE family. The result will be the complete removal of the current user account so that the new owner can setup their own desktop and set a root (administration) password:
- Switch away from the GUI with Ctrl + F2
- Login as root
- Enter the following command ~ # zypper install yast2-firstboot #and accept the package selection (y)
- Delete your temporary user account ~ # userdel -fr setusername
- Prompt the system to run YaST Firstboot on next boot ~# touch /var/lib/YaST2/reconfig_system
- Shutdown the system ~# shutdown -h now #and give it the the new owner.
The Result
Let’s have a look at the new owners Firstboot experience on a preconfigured system with a game and 3D modelling application:
That concludes this tutorial. Remember that you can preinstall any graphical system with openSUSE and SUSE and the Firstboot setup procedure is the same. Before you go there is some very important information you must review below: