Install FAQ


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Install Questions

Q: What is a "HD Installation"?

A: Boot with Knoppix CD and select 'Preferences/ KNOPPIX HD installation'. You will get a Debian-like installation in a free partiton with GRUB 0.97 as bootmanager.

Q: What is a "Flash disk Installation"?

A: Boot with Knoppix CD and select 'Preferences/ Install KNOPPIX to flash disk'. You will get an installation of the compressed filesystem image on the flash device. This installation uses Syslinx to boot. While booting this installation you have the chance to create persistent memory.

Q: What is a "Poor man Installation?

A: Insert and start with the CD. At the boot prompt, type "knoppix tohd=<path to some hard disk>". For example if you have space in sda2, type "knoppix tohd=/dev/sda2. Knoppix will create a folder called "KNOPPIX" in the disk you chose and you will be asked to create persistent memory. After this Knoppix runs from hard drive; the CD can be removed. The disk partition used can be a Linux format such as ext3 but can also be fat32, but not ntfs. To boot this installation you need a Knoppix CD; at boot prompt type "knoppix fromhd=<path to the disk you used>.

Q: What is a "Poor man harddrive Installation?

A: Some people select 'Preferences/ Install KNOPPIX to flash disk' and do the installation not on an flash device but on a partiton of a harddrive and call it "poor man harddrive installation".

Q: What is "UNIONFS" and "persistent memory"?

A: Read the explanation in Live_CD_Tips

Other Questions

Q: Why does "df" not list my root partition ("/")?

A: The entry for "/" is somehow missing in /etc/mtab. Either edit that file and add a correct line for "/" or better replace /etc/mtab with a link to /proc/mounts, thn everything should be shown.

  • su -c "ln -sf /proc/mounts /etc/mtab"

Q: How do I install Knoppix over a Network?

A: Install Over Net HowTo

Q: Is there a way that does not use so much space?

A: There is the "Poor Mans Install", where you can copy some files from the CD to the harddisk. It will run like from CD, but the CDROM is free for other use and its a bit faster. Although you'll need a bootfloppy or change the Bios options to boot first the hard disk with Knoppix (i.e. the second hard disk or d: unit).

Q: Is there other way that does not use so much space? Perhaps by having a compressed file system?

A: Yes, you can install Knoppix in 700 megs instead of 2.3 gigs for the real install, but it will run as if it were from a physical CD, so you cannot install anything, unless you do a 'normal' install. Each time you boot your hardware will need to be redetected. This is not for novices. For more information see the HOWTO for the Hd Based HowTo hard drive based install.

Q: Why doesn't my sound work?

A: Just run "/etc/init.d/alsa-autoconfig" as root once and you'll be fixed up nicely. To have the sound levels set at boot (alsa defaults to muted) edit the file "/etc/init.d/bootmisc.sh" and add aumix -w 75 -v 75 to the bottom of the file.

Q: How do I install the latest Gnome?

A: Comment all the lines in /etc/apt/sources.list except the unstable ones.

  • apt-get update
  • apt-get install gnome

In order to have gnome-session working you must execute the following and choose metacity

  • update-alternatives --config x-window-manager

Optionally you can also install gdm, galeon, evolution, etc.



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