The LOW Risk Linux Adventure...

**grepzen** · 11-04-2004, 11:55 AM

So, you've got (or are mid planning/assembly of) a carPC. And like so many of us, your plans are becoming more fluid as you learn about more technologies. Which OS, is best, which front end, hardware, etc. the list goes on.

But installing linux is risky.. The learning curve, walking away from the things you know and love in windows. For some, the risk is just too high to explore further. But what if you could load linux w/o installing it? --yeah actually HAVE run, load, see, learn, play with, explore, fiddle, you name it.. ALL w/o ever enduring the linux install process.

Well, you can. http://www.frozentech.com/content/livecd.php (I'm partial to KNOPPIX) is a list of "LIVE LINUX CDs".

Live Linux is a bootable cd w/ linux on it.. LiveLinux 'borrows' your PC's hardware (mem, hd, peripherals, etc) only for the durration that boot.

"When you're done w/ live linux, remove the cd and reboot."

With live linux, you can:
<> save/restore session data to a windows disk or folder.
<> install/run Linux applications onto/from a windows disk or folder.
(Though, Linux must be running to use those linux apps)

FAQ:
Q: So I just download the CD.IMG of a LiveLinux cd, burn it and boot from it and I have linux running?
A: Yep!

Q: Do need to create a Linux partition to keep linux data on?
A: No, session/configuration/ even linux applications can be kept on your windows partition/file system.

Q: What does LL install on my system when I boot with it?
A: Some temporary files are used.. but they're removed at shutdown. --generaly speaking there is no evidence that linux was ever on the PC after a reboot. (but for configuration data that you would have opted to write to disk)

Q:
A:

**Nic** · 11-04-2004, 12:08 PM

there are disks like this for SUSE as well

**RPI Geek** · 11-04-2004, 12:17 PM

Thank you for the link!
Is there a way to put this image on a CF card and boot from it that way? Is it as simple as burning the image, copying the files to the CF card, and running the card as an IDE drive wtih an adapter?

**Nic** · 11-04-2004, 12:20 PM

ahh i didnt realise this was a list of distros, i thought it was a specific distro made for booting from cd

**grepzen** · 11-04-2004, 01:20 PM

Is there a way to put this image on a CF card and boot from it that way? Is it as simple as burning the image, copying the files to the CF card, and running the card as an IDE drive wtih an adapter?

Well.. I don't know of any bootable CFs. IF they exist, if you can write to them then yes.. some of these LiveLinuxs are quite small. There may be more help down that link RE: booting from CFs.

**jcdillin** · 11-04-2004, 01:27 PM

Actually i've used linux to hack my Compaq IA-1 internet appliance. Which involves copying a linux image to a CF card, keep in mind that the images are special for the compaq but still has some good methods and such.

http://www.ia1hacking.com
and
http://www.linux-hacker.net/
has some great information as well.

**grepzen** · 11-04-2004, 01:34 PM

that's some good cookie.. thanks

I don't 'know' this, but I'm guessing boot times would be quicker w/ CF than w/ from an HD or even CD..

**jcdillin** · 11-04-2004, 01:48 PM

Actually it's surprising, it's not much faster. You would think it would be like lightning. But it's not much faster than a HD. Just has the benefit of being very tiny so it doesnt have to load as much. The whole operating system for my IA1 fits on a 16MB flash card and gives me screen savers, XMMS for playing media, etc.

**liquid_smoke** · 11-04-2004, 01:57 PM

wow, that list is extremely long, does anyone have any favorites or versions that have the most features/ useability ?

**grepzen** · 11-04-2004, 02:15 PM

<-- has/uses & likes the Knoppix and knoppix-std (Security Tools Distro)

&&&
If you find that you like knoppix, you can run an option that installs onto HD to make your load perminient.

a great bridge from non-linux.noob to full-linux.geek.