I have the same problem here

Here's what I found on tazlito doc (/usr/share/doc/tazlito/tazlito.en.html)

writeiso

This command will write the current filesystem to a cpio archive (rootfs.gz) and then generate a bootable ISO image. Writeiso can be used in a HD install or in live mode and will also archive your current /home directory. This command lets you easily remaster and build your own LiveCD image, just boot, modify any files, and then:

# tazlito writeiso [gzip|lzma|none]
# tazlito writeiso gzip
# tazlito writeiso gzip image-name

Hope this help.

I just tried tazlito writeiso lzma and it takes a while to do since my SliTaz with a clean home folder is about 1.6GB. But it works and I now have an LiveCD iso with my current setup - it rocks ;)

I can't seem to ever get tazlito writeiso working. I tried it with lzma and gzip. In both cases, it randomly terminates with the error:

Unable to mount the cdrom to copy  the Kernel and needed files. When Slitaz is running in RAM the kernel and bootloader files are kept on the cdrom. Please insert a LiveCD or unmount the current cdrom to let Tazlito handle the media.

----
ENTER to continue....

I have slitaz installed on the hard drive. I don't have a cdrom drive. I tried mounting the cooking-iso to /media/cdrom, that didn't help. Also, when I installed slitaz, I installed using the stable iso, then did a "tazpkg set-release cooking", then upgraded. How will the LiveCD help in this case, since even the cooking-iso has kernel .34 whereas my current install is running .37.

Anyone has any ideas how I can provide it a LiveCD without a cd drive? Thanks.

I get the same error... it expects the LiveCD in the drive and mounted @ /media/cdrom - which doesn't always happen. You could probably mount an iso to there which negates the need for a CD drive. As to how, I'm not sure...

Actually, I did try that. I mounted the cooking iso using the mount -r loop command at /media/cdrom and then ran tazlito. Still gives the same error.

Also, as I mentioned in my previous post, tazlito claims it needs the LiveCD to copy kernel and bootloader files. But my current install is running kernel version 2.6.37 whereas the latest kernel available in iso form is 2.6.34. So even assuming I did have the LiveCD in my CD drive (which is not happening for me, since I haven't used a machine with a cd drive in like 5 years), how will that help? tazlito couldn't possibly copy bootloader and kernel files from a LiveCD that uses an older version of the kernel to the rootfs.gz being created for an install running kernel version 2.6.37.

Doesn't make any sense. I'm lost. It would be really nice to get this working, since I play around with my machines  a lot, requiring frequent reinstalls. They all share the same hardware for most part, except maybe the network adapters. It will save me a lot of grief by avoiding the whole 'setup' process between configuring xorg, setting up apps, customizing look and feel, what have you!

Slitaz will make an iso of your kernel but first you need to give it an iso of your kernel.  I am finding a number of kernel problems.

It looks like tazlito might assume the same kernel and assume cd hardware when it should not.  If anyone has used tazlito writeiso successfully when the user's kernel was different from the live cd kernel, it would help to post it.

Tazlito has improved, though.  Believe it or not, the slitaz v1 tazlito wanted you to connect to the internet to re-download uncustomized system files to make an iso of your customized, local hd system (imagine that on dialup) and then the process did not work for many people.

I suggested on the old forum to have a simple command to burn an iso of the current, local system, which is what the new tazlito writeiso is trying to do.

I guys,

Claudinei, what flavor and kernel did you use?

Thank you

SliTaz Stable 3.0. 

@Trixar_za & @slicel, appreciate the responses. Not complaining, I realize a lot of work has gone into making things better. Just wasn't sure if I was missing something or if the problem lay elsewhere. Thanks for clarifying.

@claudinei, I will give gen-distro a shot, thanks for looking into this.

Ms3811, I did not think you were complaining because I know that users who post problems are often helping slitaz as much as the reverse.

It looks like tazlito writeiso is avoiding an internet connection to external files by using the cd for external files so tazlito is still not reading the current, local, customized system as the direct source for the new iso.

*sighs* Ever use that software that can turn Windows XP into a LiveCD? It ALSO needed to read files off the install discs to work, which makes your statement kind of redundant especially if your expecting anything more for SliTaz than you'd expect from Windows...

Anyway, back on topic: Funny enough using the writeiso function while booted from the LiveCD works for me too :/