Build-essential and friends =========================== sbuild-createchroot installs build-essentials so your working environment should already be ok. You will only need to add a few more packages in the chroot, using sbuild-apt. eg. sbuild-apt apt-get install sudo fakeroot ssmtp To show what needs to be added or removed from the unstable chroot you can use: sbuild-checkpackages --list To add packages: sbuild-apt apt-get install or if you wish to remove packages: sbuild-apt apt-get --purge remove Alternatively, to enter the chroot and work inside it, use: sbuild-shell With these new tools buildd.chroot has been made obsolete. Possible problems ================= ssmtp won't install and debootstrap will fail if it can't find the hostname. /etc/hosts not copied over? You may need to use the latest debootstrap. You'll have to log in again for you to be in group sbuild. debconf needs to be set noninteractive: $ sbuild-shell ( or "sudo chroot /your/chroot /bin/sh" ) $ dpkg-reconfigure -plow debconf 1. Dialog 2. Readline 3. Gnome 4. Editor 5. Noninteractive What interface should be used for configuring packages? [1] 5 1. critical 2. high 3. medium 4. low Ignore questions with a priority less than.. [3] 1 Show all old questions again and again? [no] md5sum mismatch when building a source package (sbuild --source): - the original tarball has to be in the work directory - $CHROOT/build/ - for a sourceful build or a new orig.tar.gz will be created with an incorrect md5sum.