FreeBSD Based Live CDs

I'm there! by phrostie · 2004-03-03 00:51 · Score: 3, Interesting

i'd been meaning to give one of the BSDs and other try. maybe nows the time.

good news.

Hopefully eventually by beware1000 · 2004-03-03 00:55 · Score: 5, Interesting

I'd really like to see one of those Business card size CD's in BSD form. The Linux ones have saved me more times than I can count.

Re:Hopefully eventually by nabetse · 2004-03-03 07:47 · Score: 1, Interesting

You can get the businesss card size CD's for free at loadux.com . I got mine a few days ago and works great! I take it to school on my wallet and use it instead of Windows that's installed on most of the school PC's.

OS Comparison by DarkkOne · 2004-03-03 00:55 · Score: 5, Interesting

This is good news for alot of people (like me.) I've just recently developed a fairly major interest in GNU/Linux, other alternatives, free software (as in speech) and the like. I've tried several GNU/Linux liveCDs, but am still in my "distro-decision" process, and having another alternative to try out will be very nice. Definitely a step in the right direction, the more OSes that you can "try before you buy" so to speak, the better, 'eh?

Re:OS Comparison by DarkkOne · 2004-03-03 01:25 · Score: 4, Interesting

Well, actually I'm looking for a variety of purposes. I need my internet gateway machine set up, a local network server for a variety of purposes, a development box (which in the end is probably going to end up running a Microsoft OS, because mainly I'm going to be working on a game project I've put aside for too long, and unfortunately if I ever want to sell it, the "mainstream" is still running MS. Though, with my development rate, GNU/Linux will be "mainstream" by then and MS will be suffering from bitrot. And yes, it'll probably include source either on-cd, or available online if I ever do finish and sell.)

Anyway, back to the subject at hand, machines which will be running various OSes.
A) Game Development platform.
B) Internet Gateway
C) Internal multipurpose server. (Print/File/Internal document/http hosting)
D) Laptop.

That last one's the fun one. It's a Sony VAIO PCG-NVR23, and I really want to move it to GNU/Linux, as it serves mainly as a word processor and web browser, so there's no excuse for it to have ANY non-free software, but I'm not familiar enough with GNU/Linux to necessarily be able to follow the directions I've found to get it working. Though I'm sure once I RTFM (or RTFD as the case may be) I'll get things worked out in the end.

Anyway, suggestions for a few of those will be welcome, so long as you guys don't get into arguments about it. (Y'know, a few simple "Why this might work here" style comments are nice. Any posts that claim someone else is wrong, are most certainly not.)
Re:OS Comparison by pnutjam · 2004-03-03 02:19 · Score: 2, Interesting

I would love to run Linux on my laptop, IBM Thinkpad 770z, but I find the wireless support in Linux to be sorely lacking.

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Cheap storage VM.
Re:OS Comparison by DarkkOne · 2004-03-03 02:28 · Score: 3, Interesting

From what I've been able to tell, in my limited readings, the wireless support "out of box" at the moment seems to be lacking, but a little spot research and it seems often enough what you need can be found out there. If you've already installed and are discovering you're in trouble, and don't have an ethernet port to plug into, you may be in trouble, but since you're posting here, I imagine a little pre-planning is all you need.
Re:OS Comparison by BlueBat · 2004-03-03 05:18 · Score: 1, Interesting

IMHO the best thing to do is grab a spare computer, download a bunch of interesting distro's (Linux, BSD, whatever you want), install them and use them for a day or two.

I would love to do this but all of my old computers go to family members. Even my fathers old computers go to family members. I am planning on installing Linux but I need to redo my drive and reinstall my Windows 98SE. I figure I may be able to do it in a couple of weeks as I am currently working on a number of systems for family members.

I still need my Windows 98SE because I like to play games and most games wont run under Linux. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I will have time to do this. In the meantime, I play with the Live CD versions.

BlueBat

Re:FreeBSD is a solid OS by MoonFog · 2004-03-03 00:59 · Score: 4, Interesting

Linux needs LiveCDs, but the BSDs certainly stand on their own.

Why is this ? IMHO, Linux stands just fine on its own. People have been talking on slashdot about how they use the Live CDs to show people what Linux can do, and to run Linux where you cannot install etc, I can't see why it should be any different with a BSD live cd. My guess is that it will be used as the Linux live cd's, to test and try. I think it's a good idea, and I will most certainly try it, I don't buy your idea that BSD stands better on its own than Linux though.

BSD isn't a hard install by Anonymous Coward · 2004-03-03 01:01 · Score: 5, Interesting

" If it offers a painless BSD install "

I was shocked, yes shocked, at how easy OpenBSD was installed on my intel machine. The mac install was another kettle of fish but the intel install was the easiest install I've ever done. FreeBSD wasn't exactly a difficult install either. I don't remember NetBSD being hard come to think of it. Actually, has anybody found an intel BSD OS difficult to install?

Re:BSD isn't a hard install by LeoDV · 2004-03-03 01:51 · Score: 2, Interesting

" Maybe its easy once you know what you're doing."
Well isn't that the case with all computers and software? I've installed all the Big Three BSDs, several iterations of the much feared Slack, Debian and countless other distros, and they've never posed any serious problems -- sure, driver/package issues and the like, but zero showstoppers. Why? I'm fairly computer literate, but nothing exceptional, I have no l33t *nix 1nst4ll sk1llz (maybe some experience).

All I did was read, download and print down the necessary information for each distro/flavour before installing it. And everything went smooth from there.

I hate those so-called gurus who just tell you to read the man pages when you come to them with a problem, but if you want to install and configure Linux/BSD, reading up is really all you have to do.
Re:BSD isn't a hard install by Hel+Toupee · 2004-03-03 04:12 · Score: 4, Interesting

On obsolete hardware, I've found that FreeBSD, anyway, is much easier than Linux. FreeBSD is perfectly happy installing off of a floppy to any 486 or better with a network connection. Most Linux installs I've tried either don't have the option to go from floppy, or want a large amout of RAM (for the hardware in question) to install. My worst installation experience was Mandrake 9.1 on a P150 laptop with no cd drive and a non-standard cardbus controller that refuses to work with the yenta-socket driver. If BSD would have recognized the PCMCIA NIC, it would have been wham, bam, thank-you-ma'am. IIRC, even if Mandrake would have seen the NIC, I would still have to export the install CD's from a NFS server somewhere, because they don't have a central FTP site to use. As it was, I ended up pulling the hard drive out and loading the install stuff on it from another computer, then booting an install disk and using the low-mem configuration (I only have 48 meg) to install from the hard drive.

--
PERL:
All of the power of Voodoo with most of the understandibility!

Re:FreeBSD is a solid OS by neodymium · 2004-03-03 01:04 · Score: 4, Interesting

Especially for Firewalls, it is a good idea to use (modified) live-CDs. This way, everything is stored on a read-only filesystem, even in the rare case of a BSD remote root exploit, a reboot fixes everything.

Re:FreeBSD is a solid OS by Lussarn · 2004-03-03 01:08 · Score: 5, Interesting

LiveCDs have alot of purposes, I use them as servers. I run internet based games at work, At the end of the registration periods we need about 2,3,4 or more webservers just for a couple of hours to handle the load (and we have quite a few to begin with). I have a LiveCD which I can pop into any workstation and have a instant webserver (No reformating of windows machines that is).

It's based on knoppix, only took me a couple of hours to work ou how to remaster it to suit my needs.

LiveCDs are cool.

Useful if money is tight by Jexx+Dragon · 2004-03-03 01:10 · Score: 3, Interesting

I've been using Knoppix for some time now, as I have to use Windows on my computer and cannot afford another. I think that for those of us who like to get experiance with as many operating enviroments as possible, but can not set up systems for each this could be a very useful project. Though I suppose one could always just dual- or multi-boot.

--
I don't have time to comment my code, the program is late already.

LiveCD. by Sentosus · 2004-03-03 01:10 · Score: 5, Interesting

I enjoy playing with LiveCDs, but I always find that we are not taking advantage of the writing ability of many CD drives.

I want my configuration changes as well as any programs I install to be burned on the CD in either rewritable or writeable with limited space type setup.

If I download a neat application and install it or save a word doc in my directory, I want it automatically cued up to be burned when I shutdown.

Also, it would be nice to be able to go to a website and enter your hardware configuration and a customer version of the live cd be created on the server and be available for download with your drivers in ISO format.

SP

Re:FreeBSD is a solid OS by clymere · 2004-03-03 01:17 · Score: 2, Interesting

"ObviouGuy" looks like an obvious troll. Regardless of how well an OS works, there are always going to be plenty of situations where a LiveCD proves invaluable. I would think someone savvy enough to be running BSD would know better then to spout such nonsense.

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once you go slack, you never go back

DVD?? by millahtime · 2004-03-03 01:17 · Score: 3, Interesting

With so many of us having dvd drives, I wonder why there isn't a dvd version?? You could fit so many more of the ports on there to be tried.

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Evolution or ID?

Its a shame linux doesnt work this well by 8400_RPM · 2004-03-03 01:22 · Score: 4, Interesting

Its a shame that regular hard installed linux cant work as well as these live cds. To get debian to pick up my usb flash drive I had to recompile the kernel. To get redhat to see it I have to mount it every time. Yet with knoppix, I just plug it in and it works...

Live CD on Flash Drives??? by 8400_RPM · 2004-03-03 01:24 · Score: 5, Interesting

I've seen 512mb flash drives and even 1gb flashdrives. Has anyone tried putting a live CD on one of these? I would think it would be blazing fast.

Er... "Now?" by little_fluffy_clouds · 2004-03-03 01:24 · Score: 4, Interesting

"Now the BSD world has an answer to Knoppix."

Except we've had that answer for a while - here is the first NetBSD Live CD announcement from 20th June, 2002, by Jorg Braun:

ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/iso/1.5.2/README.i 386live

Note this was the first version - a 1.6 based version was also released (with updated packages).

--
What were the skies like when you were young?

It's a great tool. by mrselfdestrukt · 2004-03-03 01:32 · Score: 3, Interesting

"If it offers a painless BSD install (the way Knoppix makes it easy to install Debian to a hard drive), this should be a popular project."
Dude, If you need Knoppix to be able to install Debian easily on your HD then you need help! If on the other hand you need a live Linux distro to use in emergencies or when a full installation is not viable/ available or required, then rather stick with your Knoppix.
The same goes for this. It is great and a lot of BSD fans will be really happy about this, but I pity those that will use it to "easily" install FreeBSD on a HD. IMHO That's just sad...
It is meant to be so much more and I think a lot of people don't understand the true functionality and usefullness of a live Linux distro or BSD. Anyway, nice!

--
"I used to have that really cool,funny sig ,but it got stolen."

Re:FreeBSD is a solid OS by PowerBert · 2004-03-03 01:36 · Score: 3, Interesting

I would rather run OpenBSD on my Firewall, if for no other reason than ipfw is a mess and long over due for a rewrite. IMHO OpenBSD PF is far better. If you come from a Linux background writing your firewall backwards takes a bit of getting used to though :-)

I agree with your point about running from a LIVE CD, all my servers run GRSecurity patched Linux kernels from ISOLINUX boot CDs. The init process replaces the entire OS on disk from the CDRom. I can upgrade all of my boxes by changing the CDRom and rebooting.

Re:FreeBSD is a solid OS by neodymium · 2004-03-03 02:07 · Score: 3, Interesting

Normally, one logs to a remote syslog host...

why all foreign? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-03-03 03:30 · Score: 1, Interesting

I've noticed that nearly all the live cds are developed outside the United States. Is there a reason why this sort of software is more appealing in say, Germany, Italy, or Brasil than the US of A?

Maybe this is simply more verification that the American are beginning to suffer technologically from inferior mathematics and science education.

no business card, but... by smartfart · 2004-03-03 03:58 · Score: 4, Interesting

I've had a NetBSD 1.6 LiveCD sitting in my briefcase for about a year now. Why are these people claiming to be the first ones to do it?

--
Need a Linux consultant in New Orleans?

Maybe I can help some... by da5idnetlimit.com · 2004-03-03 04:49 · Score: 2, Interesting

I recently moved all my machines (4, not that much) to Linux and here is the choices I finished with :

B) Gateway : astaro.org
Nice (very nice) standalone firewall with statefull packet inspection.

You get a very secure firewall, with a free licence if under 10 protected ips.

I'm using it as firewall, mail relay and DMZ control for my small webserver.
updates are downloaded automatically and it's really, really stable.

It also includes (for a fee) a good email antivirus.

Nice solution, web based control, didn't get a problem since I put it on. It's just take 2-3 hours to get your firewall rules right when you're a noob like me 8)

C) I'm using E-Smith (Mitel) (contribs.org) specialized distro.

Can be used as gateway too, but I only use the web server (apache), mail server (The Horde frontend for a web access + pop3 etc), sql, etc...
If my web server gets compromised, I won't lose Internet access at the same time...

I was willing to put it as local fileserver too, but I took the "serious" path and it is on the dmz doing only web and mail. Alas Mitel dropped the project, but the people at contribs.org keep on develloping the server (wich is based on Redhat 7.2, btw)
and it just works...

A) Knoppix Cluster on my desktop (Dual PIII 1ghz) and on the file server (Duron 1.3). It's debian, it's nice and stable and you can do everything debian... + I GOT MY OWN CLUSTER TO PLAY WITH 8) (ok, a smally cluster with just 2 nodes and 3 cpus, but MINE !!! MINE !!! My preciouuuuus clussssster 8)

Being debian, all open sources IDE are easily accessibles, so for dev jobs...

D) Can't help you there. I think to remember some special distros going foe Sony laptops (gentoo ?) but I can't be certain at the moment.

My goal was to be able to control everything without using my shitty mechanical KVM, so web-based interfaces are in both E-Smith and Astaro. The fileserver I control with ssh and Webmin, until I understand how to get a vnc server running...

The uptime for all my machines is 28 days for now, I had everything off to install an ups last month. Other than that, I didn't reboot for quite some time...

Have a look at astaro for it is really a good distro, and if you find another web/mail/sql server with a good and easy management solution to replace e-smith, I'm interested too 8)

--
It takes 40+ muscles to frown, but only four to extend your arm and bitchslap the motherfucker

Why BSD? by WD · 2004-03-03 05:04 · Score: 1, Interesting

What would a BSD card get you that a Linux one can't?

Addendum : by da5idnetlimit.com · 2004-03-03 05:09 · Score: 2, Interesting

Just forgot the specs of the machines and the network, so you get an idea of what you need...

All together I have 5 pcs and an Xbox on the network

Internet Access is Xdsl 4Mbits and pppoe.

Firewall is a PII 450 with 280 Mo ram. CPU usage under 2% average, so you can use a smaller machine if you want...

The Webserver with E-smith is a PII350 with 370Mo ram, but it will run from a P200-128Mo and up.

The fileserver is a Duron 1.3+256 Mo ram, 4+80Gigs on a raid card and a smallish 4Gig hdd for the system...more than enough to stream video and music to the xbox 8)

good luck and have fun 8)

--
It takes 40+ muscles to frown, but only four to extend your arm and bitchslap the motherfucker

Yes, it did by nonameisgood · 2004-03-03 11:34 · Score: 2, Interesting

I am running on the FreeBSIE live disk now, on a ECS K7S5A v.1 board.

I did have to pop in a PS/2 mouse (having been using the same 3 button generic serial for years in this box), but it works great.

I use Knoppix as a recovery disk when I screw up a config file or something else while tinkering and have found it to be very useful. I also supply copies to Win weenies when they ask about Linux.

--
Faith is the very antithesis of reason, injudiciousness a critical component of spiritual devotion. Jon Krakauer

Portable servers. by zaunuz · 2004-03-03 22:16 · Score: 2, Interesting

If you are moving around alot (like me), and want to run a web-server (like me), this is probably the sollution: Visit a friend, ask to borow one of his/her unused PCs for a day or two, pop it in. The only problem is local storage: Some web-servers, for instance those who run php/cgi/whatever to generate info stored locally need somewhere to store that info. If its not much, you can probably just use a floppy, but if there's more than 1.44Mb, then youve got a problem. Making FreesBIE compatible with those USB-drives would be a great idea.

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this is probably the most boring sig in the world

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