diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4c1b170fc94a8a9f77a3371739e64283123bf812..e726345960e51aa18292a5ec0a15cf4a295219f6 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ $(foreach p,$(wildcard $1/*),echo "Applying \"$1\" to \"$2\":" && \
 endef
 
 CASPER_SOURCE_DIR=$(ISO_CONTENT)/casper
-INITRD_SOURCE=$(CASPER_SOURCE_DIR)/initrd.lz
+INITRD_SOURCE=$(CASPER_SOURCE_DIR)/initrd
 SQUASHFS_SOURCE=$(CASPER_SOURCE_DIR)/filesystem.squashfs
 APT_CACHE_DIR=$(WORKSPACE)/apt_cache
 
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ rootfs_common_clean:
 initrd_unpack : $(ARCH_DIR)$(STATE_DIR)/initrd_extracted
 $(call gentargets,$(STATE_DIR)/initrd_extracted) : $(call archdir,%)$(STATE_DIR)/iso_extracted
 	mkdir -p "$(call archdir,$*)$(INITRD)"
-	cd "$(call archdir,$*)$(INITRD)" && lzma $(XZ_LZMA_FLAGS) -d < "$(call archdir,$*)$(INITRD_SOURCE)" | cpio -i
+	cd "$(call archdir,$*)$(INITRD)" && (cpio -t; lzma $(XZ_LZMA_FLAGS) -d) < "$(call archdir,$*)$(INITRD_SOURCE)" | cpio -i
 	touch "$(call archdir,$*)$(STATE_DIR)/initrd_extracted"
 
 initrd_clean:
@@ -601,6 +601,7 @@ $(REPO_DIST_DIR)/binary-$(call altarch,$(PRIMARY_ARCH))/Packages $(REPO_DIST_DIR
 		>> "$(REPO_DIST_DIR)/binary-$*/Release"
 
 	cd "$(REPO_ARCHIVE_DIR)" \
+	&& touch "Packages.$*" \
 	&& cat Packages.noarch "Packages.$*" > "$(REPO_DIST_DIR)/binary-$*/Packages"
 
 #The following rules requires none of its dependencies. However, it writes a timestamp to the metadata
diff --git a/befehlt_zum_bauen b/befehlt_zum_bauen
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..838ae1f0d6302dbcb7ab544bead0889b3992f035
--- /dev/null
+++ b/befehlt_zum_bauen
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+time /bin/sh -c 'sudo make clean_really_all && sudo rm -rf /workspace/* && make WORKSPACE=/workspace config && sudo make image && sudo make repo && sudo make IMAGE_FILE=/home/buildhauer/images/lip-ws17-beta1-4.img image_deploy' 2>&1 | tee ~/build-4.log
diff --git a/config/Makefile.conf.17.10.1 b/config/Makefile.conf.17.10.1
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..daa8934f5d919d8e03c6e7d37256d0304eb1c5dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/Makefile.conf.17.10.1
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#see /home/buildhauer/lipck/config/Makefile.conf.defaults for default values.
+WORKSPACE=/workspace
+ PRIMARY_ARCH=x86_64
+ SECONDARY_ARCH=i686
+ ISO_BASE_URL=http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/releases
+ ISO_RELEASE=artful
+ ISO_CHANNEL=release
+ ISO_VERSION=17.10.1
+ ISO_FLAVOR=kubuntu
+ ISO_PATTERN_FLAGS=
+ APT_SOURCE_URL_OVERRIDE=http://ftp.halifax.rwth-aachen.de/ubuntu/
+ IMAGE_GIT_URL=https://git.fsmpi.rwth-aachen.de/osak/lipstick.git
+ IMAGE_GIT_BRANCH=ss18
+ IMAGE_EXTRA_INFO=
+ IMAGE_PART_SIZE=7600MB
+ IMAGE_PART_LABEL=LIPStick
+ IMAGE_GRUB_COMMON_MODULES=part_msdos fat ext2
+ IMAGE_GRUB_MBR_MODULES=part_msdos fat ext2 biosdisk
+ IMAGE_GRUB_EFI_MODULES=part_msdos fat ext2 normal part_gpt terminal crypto search_fs_file search_fs_uuid search_label extcmd minicmd lvm gfxterm loopback efifwsetup efi_gop efinet efi_uga exfat ntfs cmp test configfile search echo font gettext boot tar memdisk ls cpuid
+ GPARTED_VERSION=0.28.1-1
diff --git a/config/Makefile.conf.daily b/config/Makefile.conf.daily
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..a3212d2b8ef52d5b33349676de525d69a3649316
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/Makefile.conf.daily
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#see /home/buildhauer/lipck/config/Makefile.conf.defaults for default values.
+WORKSPACE=/workspace
+ PRIMARY_ARCH=x86_64
+ SECONDARY_ARCH=i686
+ ISO_BASE_URL=http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/
+ ISO_RELEASE=artful
+ ISO_CHANNEL=daily-live/current
+ ISO_VERSION=17.10
+ ISO_FLAVOR=kubuntu
+ ISO_PATTERN_FLAGS=release-prefix url-no-release
+ APT_SOURCE_URL_OVERRIDE=http://ftp.halifax.rwth-aachen.de/ubuntu/
+ IMAGE_GIT_URL=https://git.fsmpi.rwth-aachen.de/osak/lipstick.git
+ IMAGE_GIT_BRANCH=ws17
+ IMAGE_EXTRA_INFO=
+ IMAGE_PART_SIZE=7600MB
+ IMAGE_PART_LABEL=LIPStick
+ IMAGE_GRUB_COMMON_MODULES=part_msdos fat ext2
+ IMAGE_GRUB_MBR_MODULES=part_msdos fat ext2 biosdisk
+ IMAGE_GRUB_EFI_MODULES=part_msdos fat ext2 normal part_gpt terminal crypto search_fs_file search_fs_uuid search_label extcmd minicmd lvm gfxterm loopback efifwsetup efi_gop efinet efi_uga exfat ntfs cmp test configfile search echo font gettext boot tar memdisk ls cpuid
+ GPARTED_VERSION=0.28.1-1
diff --git a/config/Makefile.conf.non-daily b/config/Makefile.conf.non-daily
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..3304ade36a135ff0692e26e0d4638d641e987b6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/Makefile.conf.non-daily
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+PRIMARY_ARCH=x86_64
+SECONDARY_ARCH=i686
+ISO_BASE_URL=http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/releases
+ISO_RELEASE=artful
+ISO_CHANNEL=beta-1
+ISO_VERSION=17.10-beta1
+ISO_FLAVOR=kubuntu
+ISO_PATTERN_FLAGS=
+APT_SOURCE_URL_OVERRIDE=http://ftp.halifax.rwth-aachen.de/ubuntu/
+IMAGE_GIT_URL=https://git.fsmpi.rwth-aachen.de/osak/lipstick.git
+IMAGE_GIT_BRANCH=ss17
+IMAGE_EXTRA_INFO=
+IMAGE_PART_SIZE=7600MB
+IMAGE_PART_LABEL=LIPStick
+IMAGE_GRUB_COMMON_MODULES=part_msdos fat ext2
+IMAGE_GRUB_MBR_MODULES=part_msdos fat ext2 biosdisk
+IMAGE_GRUB_EFI_MODULES=part_msdos fat ext2 normal part_gpt terminal crypto search_fs_file search_fs_uuid search_label extcmd minicmd lvm gfxterm loopback efifwsetup efi_gop efinet efi_uga exfat ntfs cmp test configfile search echo font gettext boot tar memdisk ls cpuid
+GPARTED_VERSION=0.28.1-1
diff --git a/contrib/rootfs/offline_repo.json b/contrib/rootfs/offline_repo.json
index 5d05062cfd0763b54d87bfb3f46eee8e618f154a..8cfdf7344a7e66093b3492a44c0cd001c23f1ec7 100644
--- a/contrib/rootfs/offline_repo.json
+++ b/contrib/rootfs/offline_repo.json
@@ -77,22 +77,22 @@
             "tagged": true
         },
         {
-            "pkgname": "linux-image-4.16.1-041601-generic",
+            "pkgname": "linux-image-unsigned-4.18.8-041808-generic",
             "pkgdescription": "Vanilla Linux Kernel",
             "tagged": false,
             "urls": [
-              "http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.16.1/linux-image-4.16.1-041601-generic_4.16.1-041601.201804081334_amd64.deb",
-              "http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.16.1/linux-image-4.16.1-041601-generic_4.16.1-041601.201804081334_i386.deb"
+              "http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.18.8/linux-image-unsigned-4.18.8-041808-generic_4.18.8-041808.201809150431_amd64.deb",
+              "http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.18.8/linux-image-4.18.8-041808-generic_4.18.8-041808.201809150431_i386.deb"
             ]
         },
         {
-            "pkgname": "linux-headers-4.16.1-041601-generic",
+            "pkgname": "linux-headers-4.18.8-041808-generic",
             "pkgdescription": "Vanilla Linux Kernel Headers",
             "tagged": false,
             "urls": [
-              "http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.16.1/linux-headers-4.16.1-041601_4.16.1-041601.201804081334_all.deb",
-              "http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.16.1/linux-headers-4.16.1-041601-generic_4.16.1-041601.201804081334_amd64.deb",
-              "http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.16.1/linux-headers-4.16.1-041601-generic_4.16.1-041601.201804081334_i386.deb"
+              "http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.18.8/linux-headers-4.18.8-041808_4.18.8-041808.201809150431_all.deb",
+              "http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.18.8/linux-headers-4.18.8-041808-generic_4.18.8-041808.201809150431_amd64.deb",
+              "http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.18.8/linux-headers-4.18.8-041808-generic_4.18.8-041808.201809150431_i386.deb"
             ]
         }
       ]
diff --git a/contrib/rootfs/pre_installed_packages b/contrib/rootfs/pre_installed_packages
index e8de312faab4a81fb19644c5f572001525d46ed1..9d904ed3084f08ba98a225bc9f27bf23391f9670 100644
--- a/contrib/rootfs/pre_installed_packages
+++ b/contrib/rootfs/pre_installed_packages
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ kompare
 xloadimage
 gpsd-clients
 kde-config-gtk-style
-libav-tools
+ffmpeg
 hunspell
 vlc
 p7zip-full
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ vim
 htop
 git
 gparted
+grub-efi-amd64-signed
+shim-signed
 
 #texlive
 dvidvi
diff --git a/scripts/casper-remove-needed-packages-from-unistall-manifest.awk b/scripts/casper-remove-needed-packages-from-unistall-manifest.awk
index 4de124e7cffb407a9e3a87bce38746dd3f8e8b0c..c7f8c79116c1a229e8a614a99d54f6baa7845f5f 100644
--- a/scripts/casper-remove-needed-packages-from-unistall-manifest.awk
+++ b/scripts/casper-remove-needed-packages-from-unistall-manifest.awk
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 BEGIN {
 	# This is the number of things we're going to remove. Adjust it when changing the regular expression below
-	want = 3;
+	want = 2;
 	skipped = 0;
 }
 
@@ -16,14 +16,17 @@ function skipit() {
 
 /^linux-signed-image-.*-generic/ {
 	skipit()
+	#not in manifest since ws18
 }
 
 /^zenity/ {
 	skipit()
+	#not in manifest since before ss18
 }
 
 /^(lib(javascriptcoregtk|webkit2gtk))/ {
 	skipit()
+	#not in manifest since before ss18
 }
 
 /^(python3-pyqt5.(qtsvg|qtwebkit))/ {
diff --git a/scripts/common_functions.sh b/scripts/common_functions.sh
index 615a5aabfb142a3c85e2870dd0d1e0bc0d53e4ef..28d346d90dfcbcc01e45206e52b75d36d8a77c59 100644
--- a/scripts/common_functions.sh
+++ b/scripts/common_functions.sh
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ function divert_initctl()
 {
         dpkg-divert --local --rename --add /sbin/initctl
         if ! ln -s /bin/true /sbin/initctl; then
-		echo "LIPCK: Failed to divert initctl!"
+		echo "LIPCK: Failed to divert initctl (probably some error occured since diversion was added)!"
 		revert_initctl
 		exit 1
 	fi
diff --git a/scripts/repo_packages.sh b/scripts/repo_packages.sh
index f31201199b92e885e395f3f2e5ddea353e09e7e5..74de1e1343f9125573a97fdaf8d568439ba6e32a 100755
--- a/scripts/repo_packages.sh
+++ b/scripts/repo_packages.sh
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ ARCH="$1"
 DESTINATION="${2:-"/cdrom"}"
 SCRIPT_DIR="/remaster"
 CONTRIB_DIR="$SCRIPT_DIR/contrib/"
+export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
 
 test -n "$ARCH"  || { echo "$(basename $0): fatal error: no architecture specified."; exit 1; }
 
diff --git a/scripts/rootfs_remaster.sh b/scripts/rootfs_remaster.sh
index b776b2bf55ccdbc6bab4cea3ac26258b8ce45ffa..dfeae1e90e5a768106c9fa0e735a8d00e0484b76 100755
--- a/scripts/rootfs_remaster.sh
+++ b/scripts/rootfs_remaster.sh
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ set -e
 
 SCRIPT_DIR="/remaster"
 CONTRIB_DIR="$SCRIPT_DIR/contrib/"
+export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
 
 #source common functions
 if [ -e "$SCRIPT_DIR/scripts/common_functions.sh" ]; then
diff --git a/scripts/uck_functions.sh b/scripts/uck_functions.sh
index 5b4c67c7bc51fb2bd72476c720850080a474ebfc..4e50199220c5e8c13d3435fea0636aad7f86166c 100644
--- a/scripts/uck_functions.sh
+++ b/scripts/uck_functions.sh
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 # along with UCK.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.                    #
 ###################################################################################
 
+export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
+
 function install_lang_packages()
 {
         #the content of this function is extracted from UCK