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Bootable Linux Demo Distro - Knoppix

Posted by michael on from the beautiful-work dept.

ts writes "Newsforge has an article about using Linux to recover Windows partitions. The interesting part is not only the article, but also the comment about Knoppix a Live-on-CD distribution of Linux. I just downloaded it and it booted from CD on a Shuttle Spacewalker SS25. AMAZING. Even the audio works. Have any /. users found interesting uses for this distro?" I've been looking for exactly this to use in demonstrations. Perfect.

13 of 212 comments (clear)

  1. No Pix? by oever · · Score: 5, Informative

    Well no, lots of pix. These are the specs of this Debian based distro:

    * Linux-Kernel 2.4.x
    * KDE V3.0.2 as the standard desktop with K Office and the Konqueror WWW-browser konqueror
    * X Multimedia System (xmms) an MPEG-video, MP3, Ogg Vorbis Audio player and xine
    * Internet connection software kppp,pppoeconf (DSL) and isdn-config
    * Gnu Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) Version 1.2
    * utilities for data recovery and system repairs, even for other operating systems
    * network and security analysis tools for network administrators
    * OpenOffice(TM), the GPL-developed version of the well-known StarOffice(TM) office suite
    * many programming languages, development tools (including kdevelop) and libraries for developers
    * in total more than 900 installed software packages with over 2000 executable user programs, utilities, and games

    --
    DNA is the ultimate spaghetti code.
  2. I found an interesting use for this distro... by screenbert · · Score: 4, Informative

    "Have any /. users found interesting uses for this distro?"

    Yes I used the diskette to prop my table leg up. I was able to replace the AOL CD I was using.

    Seriously though it could have problems with varying types of file systems. For instance the guy said he used it with ME, not with Windows 2K which uses NTFS. And of course microsoft decided to come out with encryption in W2K so those files would pretty much be lost if you had that setup. Why not just create a recovery CD? If it's FAT there are a lot of ways to boot to it. Just my .02 cents worth.

  3. Seti@home by Perdo · · Score: 4, Informative

    Full bootable Linux w/seti@home using my username. Perfect for every public machine I find that has network access w/dhcp enabled.

    --

    If voting were effective, it would be illegal by now.

  4. Some more "LiveCD" Distros... by Critical_ · · Score: 5, Informative

    Some more linux live cd distros:

    * DemoLinux - http://www.demolinux.org/
    Dedicated to bootable Linux CD distributions.

    * LNX-BBC - http://www.lnx-bbc.org/
    Business Card Sized Open-Source Bootable CD.

    * Mondo Restore/Rescue Utility - http://www.microwerks.net/~hugo/
    Use a live bootable Linux CD for your system backups and recovery.

    * Linux - Live on CD - http://www.ocslink.com/~blunier/
    Linux - Live on CD. Hard disk not required

    * Dyne Bolic - http://lab.dyne.org/DyneBolic/
    Complete GNU/Linux operating system working without the need for any hard-disk.

    * Diskless Nodes - http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/Diskless-HOWTO-3.htm l
    Includes information on creating your own live CD.

    * Virtual Linux - http://sourceforge.net/projects/virtual-linux
    Bootable Mandrake Linux distribution with 1.6 gigs worth of tools and toys on a single CD.

    FreeBSD LiveCD -- http://livecd.sourceforge.net/

    NetBSD LiveCD -- http://www.netbsd.org/Changes/#live-cd

  5. The most convincing Linux Evangelizer by rickymoz · · Score: 5, Insightful
    When talking of Linux, a lot of people think it is still like DOS. When I tell them to boot the computer and in the meantime inserted Knoppix, they go like "wow! that's Linux?!?!" Usually the boot takes 3 minutes and I guarantee them I don't change anything on their disk. Telling them that they have 8000 USD value software on this disk and show them things like OpenOffice.org, Mozilla, The GIMP, KOffice, the games, they can't utter a sound.

    Even me, when I discover a new Knoppix CD, I cannot believe my eyes: every latest version is on it and it's running rock solid.

  6. No Big Deal by archnerd · · Score: 5, Informative
    Linux Boot CD are not difficult to write. Here's how you can write your own in a few hours:

    1. Compile the system. There's a fanastic guide at linuxfromscratch.org.
    2. Set the fstab up to place all read-write hierarchies on a tmpfs filesystem. This include tmp, var, and portions of etc. Have copies of the initial state of thse filesystems in a separate directory on the CD and set the bootscripts up to untar them at bootup.
    3. Compile a highly compatible kernel. Basically, enable most things that cannot be compiled as modules and compile all modules.
    4. Use devfs with compatibility links. it cuts down on confusion as to what devices exist.
    5. Create an ISO of the filesystem, being sure to enable all options required for bootable CDs.
    6. Install lilo into the boot sector of the ISO.
    7. Burn the CD.
    8. Reboot and pray.

    1. Re:No Big Deal by Mr.+Mosty-Toasty · · Score: 4, Interesting

      It is a big deal if you do it like Klaus Knopper, the author, did it: He uses cloop to transparently decompress the CD-ROM image. Thus he can stuff 1.8GB on a 700MB disk.

    2. Re:No Big Deal by Aceticon · · Score: 4, Funny
      1. Compile the system. There's a fanastic guide at linuxfromscratch.org [linuxfromscratch.org].
      2. Set the fstab up to place all read-write hierarchies on a tmpfs filesystem. This include tmp, var, and portions of etc. Have copies of the initial state of thse filesystems in a separate directory on the CD and set the bootscripts up to untar them at bootup.
      3. Compile a highly compatible kernel. Basically, enable most things that cannot be compiled as modules and compile all modules.
      4. Use devfs with compatibility links. it cuts down on confusion as to what devices exist.
      5. Create an ISO of the filesystem, being sure to enable all options required for bootable CDs.
      6. Install lilo into the boot sector of the ISO.
      7. Burn the CD.
      8. Reboot and pray.
      9. ???
      10. Profit
  7. perfect for showing win users it's their fault by Sankt_Nelson · · Score: 4, Funny

    We are runnning a Network in a large Student Apartment House, with about 500 PCs connected.
    Whenever someone starts shouting: "Hey my network doesn't function and it's all your fault!"
    You just go there, pop the knoppix CD into the drive, surf to slashdot, download some mp3s and tell him: "Nope, it's yours."

    You would not believe in how many ways you can misconfigure a personal firewall!

  8. Knoppix for training purposes by kubla2000 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Oxford University is setting up Linux training courses. We're assuming that those on the course have little or no experience of Linux. We're using Knoppix for the course because it comes with the basic software that a user will need to learn and become familiar with the OS and it lets them take the CD home or to their office and play with it while making no permanent changes to their precious systems.

    My own project is run entirely on Open Source Software and it is my belief that spending public funds on licenses for office suites, web browsers, email clients, databases and webservers is money poorly spent. It seems that others in the university agree. A medium sized project can save thousands of (dollars, euros or pounds) by setting up staff with the basic tools for their tasks on an Open Source platform. Those thousands of pounds can often mean the project can bring in another researcher / investigator / clerical assistant.

    Getting fellow academics and their students to dip their toes into the Open Source Gnu/Linux waters through a bootable CD like Knoppix is very easy to do. We'll see how these training courses go but I'm hopeful that we'll see more projects migrating at least some of their staff from Microsoft to Gnu/Linux

  9. Re:Mini-CD linux demo distribution by Kredal · · Score: 5, Informative
    This is what you want...

    Linuxcare Bootable Toolbox

    It will fit on one of those oddly cut business card sized CDs, so will of course fit on a 3 inch CD. Enjoy!

    --
    Whoever stated that signature sizes should be limited to one hundred and twenty characters can just go ahead and kiss my
  10. bulging eyes... by 4im · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... is what I got out of the instructor at the MS Active Directory course, when I just booted a Knoppix CD instead of the W2K Server on the harddisk.

    He ended up admitting that it was quite nice, and that indeed he and his colleagues were experimenting with RedHat... I wonder how long they'll remain MS Certified Training Center ;-)

  11. Using it for POS systems by gregfortune · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I just got it setup for a client running Point of Sale systems. Most of their machines are Linux based and our POS software runs just fine, but we haven't ported the printing to Windows yet, so running the software on the Windows machine is not possible.

    When the client is offsite and needs a bunch more computers, we can now just grab a couple of spare Windows boxes, stick a CD in and boot up a fully functional Linux system with our software installed and configured. The process for adding your own software is listed in their English forum and I can help anyone out who's interested. Post a reply here and I'll check when I get back from Reno, NV on the 12th.