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DaDesktop

Custom OS Template (Linux)

DaDesktop offers a range of popular Linux distributions, but sometimes you might need a particular distro that isn't listed. For most mainstream Linux distros, DaDesktop is pleased to help. Just let us know where the ISO file can be downloaded and which server you'd like the Custom OS template published on.

Important:

About Disk Partitioning
1. For custom templates, only a single disk partition is needed, or two at most: one for EFI/Boot, and another for the system and data.
2. LVM partitions aren’t supported, so steer clear of using them.
3. If you apply an incorrect partition layout, automatic disk resizing and other features will stop functioning.

Linux Template

Once we’ve pulled down the ISO file to the server, you’ll find it listed under Admin Menu->OS IMAGES->ISO FILES in your account.

From there, you can get the template ready under Admin Menu->OS IMAGES->CUSTOM OS TEMPLATES

Please follow this guide carefully, and complete all the steps as otherwise full DaDesktop operation is likely not to work.

  1. Install the operating system
  2. Set the default username to "student" and password to "student"
  3. Enable automatic login for the "student" account
  4. Use DaDesktop or your own brand wallpaper
    DaDesktop or your own brand wallpaper

  5. Many distributions now come with Wayland as their display driver by default. Even though Wayland runs fine on DaDesktop, we currently recommend switching back to X11.

    To turn off Wayland:-

    edit /etc/gdm/custom.conf as shown below 

    # Uncomment the line below to force the login screen to use Xorg
        WaylandEnable=false

    then log out and log back in

  6. Install spice-vdagent — your package manager is generally the easiest way to do this. Note: it might already be present, depending on your distribution
    • After the correct installation, restart the machine, and you should see the two running processes, spice-vdagent and spice-vdagentd
    • Install spice-vdagent, using your package manager in linux
  7. Install qemu-guest-agent, again using your package manager is usually the best approach
  8. Install X11VNC. Note: for some distributions, you might need to enable extra repositories like the 'epel' repo for Red Hat-based systems, such as Oracle Linux or Rocky Linux
  9. Configure X11VNC
    • make sure X11VNC is installed
    • run command sudo -i to open a root shell

    • Now run this command to set up X11VNC to launch automatically at boot 

      cat > /etc/xdg/autostart/x11vnc.desktop <

  10. Create the desktop notification script by executing the commands below 

    cat > /usr/local/bin/announce-vnc-users.sh <
  11. Reboot

  12. Verify your firewall settings, ensuring TCP port 5900 is open. For example:

    ss -pntl

  13. Disable the sudo password prompt (recommended)

  14. Check that everything works

    When you connect, if the URL changes to a new one with a token query parameter, you’re all set. That signals X11VNC is functioning. The text box at the bottom-left corner, which enables copy-paste between your local and virtual desktops, should also be working.

Please Note

To add extra optional features such as

  • DDWebdav to allow Trainer's content folders to be synchronised to each participant machines,
  • or DDUpload - to easily upload files to within a DaDesktop machine;

Please contact DaDesktop Tech Support.