Best Linux Live-CD? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

TheProf · 03-30-2005, 08:56 AM

Hello,

I'm going to be visiting a friend and I'd like to take along a Linux Live-CD - the ones were you drop in the CD, reboot the computer, and voila! You've got a fully-functional linux OS without touching the hard drive.

But I don't know which one - there are so many different types. Does anyone have any suggestions?

thanks.

bendsley · 03-30-2005, 09:09 AM

I guess I should suggest the obligatory Knoppix. It has just about everything you could fit onto a 700mb cd.

http://knoppix.net/

What is KNOPPIX?

KNOPPIX is a bootable CD with a collection of GNU/Linux software, automatic hardware detection, and support for many graphics cards, sound cards, SCSI and USB devices and other peripherals. KNOPPIX can be used as a Linux demo, educational CD, rescue system, or adapted and used as a platform for commercial software product demos. It is not necessary to install anything on a hard disk. Due to on-the-fly decompression, the CD can have up to 2 GB of executable software installed on it.
What software is installed on the KNOPPIX-CD?

The following Highlights are available in this Debian-based (www.debian.org) CD:

* Linux-Kernel 2.4.x and 2.6.x
* KDE 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)
* 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

Latch · 03-30-2005, 03:30 PM

yeah.. just use Knoppix. It's the most popular/common.

Slavakion · 03-30-2005, 06:47 PM

If your friend uses a wireless card to access the internet, there's probably an 80% chance it won't work since the card uses a closed-source chipset. Then you might want to check into finding a livecd that comes with madwifi. I think DamnSmallLinux does...

bendsley · 03-30-2005, 07:58 PM

Knoppix does include the madwifi drivers.

Slavakion · 03-31-2005, 03:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bendsley

Knoppix does include the madwifi drivers.

Oh, alright. I must've used an old version that didn't have them.

d3cemberist · 04-09-2005, 04:05 PM

Knoppix is the best. I've used it a few times. It works very well if you are in a pinch. (IE: If your windows install crashed or something like that)

merlin · 04-09-2005, 07:11 PM

there's also Knoppix STD (for security tools distribution, not the other std)

Slavakion · 04-10-2005, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merlin

there's also Knoppix STD (for security tools distribution, not the other std)

The only problem with that is that STD is a utilitarian distro. Not very friendly looking. If you know what you're doing, it comes preloaded with all of the security tools you need. But that was the first time I saw linux, and I was like "Oh shit".

phukraut · 04-10-2005, 09:07 AM

Take along more than one LiveCD. I used Knoppix on an HP P4 once and it gave a kernel panic. So I recommend Knoppix and anything else (preferably something not Debian-based to get the idea of the differences). <a href="http://www.livecdlist.com/">This</a> site is a nice list of available LiveCDs. Have you considered something other than Linux? I found that even FreeBSD has done a LiveCD! Nice.

Holo · 04-10-2005, 02:33 PM

www.damnsmalllinux.org

you can get the embedded version and run it in QEMU, which is included in one of the releases. This allows you to run DSL without even having to reboot!

jonjon42 · 04-10-2005, 06:53 PM

I use knoppix when I need to, haven't found anything I liked much more
although my friend swears by damn small linux.

Wingless · 04-10-2005, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phukraut

Have you considered something other than Linux? I found that even FreeBSD has done a LiveCD! Nice.

Where could I find a FreeBSD Live distro?

Edit: Nevermind, it's on the site that you listed

03-30-2005, 08:56 AM	#1 (permalink)
TheProf Crazy	Best Linux Live-CD? Hello, I'm going to be visiting a friend and I'd like to take along a Linux Live-CD - the ones were you drop in the CD, reboot the computer, and voila! You've got a fully-functional linux OS without touching the hard drive. But I don't know which one - there are so many different types. Does anyone have any suggestions? thanks.

03-30-2005, 09:09 AM	#2 (permalink)
bendsley Professional Loafer Location: texas	I guess I should suggest the obligatory Knoppix. It has just about everything you could fit onto a 700mb cd. http://knoppix.net/ What is KNOPPIX? KNOPPIX is a bootable CD with a collection of GNU/Linux software, automatic hardware detection, and support for many graphics cards, sound cards, SCSI and USB devices and other peripherals. KNOPPIX can be used as a Linux demo, educational CD, rescue system, or adapted and used as a platform for commercial software product demos. It is not necessary to install anything on a hard disk. Due to on-the-fly decompression, the CD can have up to 2 GB of executable software installed on it. What software is installed on the KNOPPIX-CD? The following Highlights are available in this Debian-based (www.debian.org) CD: * Linux-Kernel 2.4.x and 2.6.x * KDE 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) * 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 __________________ "You hear the one about the fella who died, went to the pearly gates? St. Peter let him in. Sees a guy in a suit making a closing argument. Says, "Who's that?" St. Peter says, "Oh, that's God. Thinks he's Denny Crane."

03-30-2005, 07:58 PM	#5 (permalink)
bendsley Professional Loafer Location: texas	Knoppix does include the madwifi drivers. __________________ "You hear the one about the fella who died, went to the pearly gates? St. Peter let him in. Sees a guy in a suit making a closing argument. Says, "Who's that?" St. Peter says, "Oh, that's God. Thinks he's Denny Crane."

04-09-2005, 04:05 PM	#7 (permalink)
d3cemberist Crazy	Knoppix is the best. I've used it a few times. It works very well if you are in a pinch. (IE: If your windows install crashed or something like that) __________________ i like my coffee black and my parole denied.

04-10-2005, 02:33 PM	#11 (permalink)
Holo A Real American	www.damnsmalllinux.org you can get the embedded version and run it in QEMU, which is included in one of the releases. This allows you to run DSL without even having to reboot! __________________ I happen to like the words "fuck", "cock", "pussy", "tits", "cunt", "twat", "shit" and even "bitch". As long as I am not using them to describe you, don't go telling me whether or not I can/should use them...that is, if you want me to continue refraining from using them to describe you. ~Prince

03-30-2005, 03:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
Latch In Your Dreams Location: City of Lights	yeah.. just use Knoppix. It's the most popular/common.

03-30-2005, 06:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
Slavakion Mjollnir Incarnate Location: Lost in thought	If your friend uses a wireless card to access the internet, there's probably an 80% chance it won't work since the card uses a closed-source chipset. Then you might want to check into finding a livecd that comes with madwifi. I think DamnSmallLinux does...

04-09-2005, 07:11 PM	#8 (permalink)
merlin Tilted	there's also Knoppix STD (for security tools distribution, not the other std)

04-10-2005, 09:07 AM	#10 (permalink)
phukraut Addict	Take along more than one LiveCD. I used Knoppix on an HP P4 once and it gave a kernel panic. So I recommend Knoppix and anything else (preferably something not Debian-based to get the idea of the differences). <a href="http://www.livecdlist.com/">This</a> site is a nice list of available LiveCDs. Have you considered something other than Linux? I found that even FreeBSD has done a LiveCD! Nice.

04-10-2005, 06:53 PM	#12 (permalink)
jonjon42 Psycho Location: inside my own mind	I use knoppix when I need to, haven't found anything I liked much more although my friend swears by damn small linux. __________________ A damn dirty hippie without the dirty part....