diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index 03d16b9..eccbd05 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -110,10 +110,10 @@ echo "copying data into the image"
 rootfs_mount=/tmp/new_rootfs
 populate_partitions $image_loop $initramfs_dir $rootfs_dir $rootfs_mount
 
-echo "copying modules into the rootfs"
-patch_rootfs $shim_rootfs $rootfs_mount || echo "failed patching rootfs"
-umount $rootfs_mount
-umount $shim_rootfs
+#echo "copying modules into the rootfs"
+#patch_rootfs $shim_rootfs $rootfs_mount || echo "failed patching rootfs"
+#umount $rootfs_mount
+#umount $shim_rootfs
 
 echo "cleaning up loop devices"
 losetup -d $shim_loop
diff --git a/build_rootfs.sh b/build_rootfs.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..f31fbb1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build_rootfs.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+#build the debian rootfs
+
+set -e
+if [ "$DEBUG" ]; then
+  set -x
+fi
+
+print_help() {
+  echo "Usage: ./build_rootfs.sh rootfs_path release_name"
+}
+
+check_deps() {
+  local needed_commands="realpath debootstrap"
+  for command in $needed_commands; do
+    if ! command -v $command &> /dev/null; then
+      echo $command
+    fi
+  done
+}
+
+if [ "$EUID" -ne 0 ]; then
+  echo "this needs to be run as root."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if [ -z "$2" ]; then
+  print_help
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+missing_commands=$(check_deps)
+if [ "${missing_commands}" ]; then
+  echo "You are missing dependencies needed for this script."
+  echo "Commands needed:"
+  echo "${missing_commands}"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+rootfs_dir=$(realpath "${1}")
+release_name="${2}"
+
+debootstrap $release_name $rootfs_dir http://deb.debian.org/debian/
+cp -r rootfs/* $rootfs_dir
+chroot_command="DEBUG=${DEBUG} release_name=${release_name} /opt/setup_rootfs.sh"
+chroot $rootfs_dir /bin/bash -c "${chroot_command}"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/patch_rootfs.sh b/patch_rootfs.sh
index 2ffaf37..6aff958 100755
--- a/patch_rootfs.sh
+++ b/patch_rootfs.sh
@@ -7,14 +7,20 @@ if [ "$DEBUG" ]; then
   set -x
 fi
 
-patch_rootfs() {
+copy_modules() {
   local shim_rootfs=$(realpath $1)
-  local target_rootfs=$(realpath $2)
+  local reco_rootfs=$(realpath $2)
+  local target_rootfs=$(realpath $3)
 
   cp -r "${shim_rootfs}/lib/modules/"* "${target_rootfs}/lib/modules/"
-  cp -r "${shim_rootfs}/lib/modprobe.d/"* "${target_rootfs}/lib/modprobe.d/"
-  cp -r "${shim_rootfs}/etc/modprobe.d/"* "${target_rootfs}/etc/modprobe.d/"
   cp -r "${shim_rootfs}/lib/firmware/"* "${target_rootfs}/lib/firmware/"
+  cp -r "${reco_rootfs}/lib/modprobe.d/"* "${target_rootfs}/lib/modprobe.d/"
+  cp -r "${reco_rootfs}/etc/modprobe.d/"* "${target_rootfs}/etc/modprobe.d/"
 }
 
-patch_rootfs $1 $2
\ No newline at end of file
+download_firmware() {
+  local firmware_url="https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromiumos/third_party/linux-firmware"
+  local firmware_path="/tmp/chromium-firmware"
+
+  git clone --branch master --depth=1 "${firmware_url}" $firmware_path
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rootfs/opt/setup_rootfs.sh b/rootfs/opt/setup_rootfs.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..7fd10c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rootfs/opt/setup_rootfs.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+#setup the debian rootfs
+#this is meant to be run within the chroot created by debootstrap
+
+set -e
+if [ "$DEBUG" ]; then
+  set -x
+fi
+
+custom_repo="https://shimboot.ading.dev/debian"
+sources_entry="deb [trusted=yes] ${custom_repo} ${release_name} main"
+
+#add shimboot repos
+echo -e "${sources_entry}\n$(cat /etc/apt/sources.list)" > /etc/apt/sources.list
+tee -a /etc/apt/preferences << END
+Package: *
+Pin: origin "${custom_repo}"
+Pin-Priority: 1001
+END
+
+#install the patched systemd
+apt-get install -y ca-certificates
+apt-get update
+apt-get upgrade -y 
+
+#install desktop
+apt-get install -y xfce4 xfce4-goodies network-manager blueman firefox-esr sudo
\ No newline at end of file