I Love IT ! But have some issues with Knoppix

[Cuddles]

I need some answers to some, probably, simple questions...

BACKGROUND:
1) I have older system, running Win98, 433 Mhz, 320 Meg RAM, with a Sony DVD ROM, and a Optiwrite CD-RW connected to the internal Hard Drive Interface - it is not SCSI, and for the life of me, can't remember the acronym at this time, MFM, RLL, shesh, too many acronyms in the world.

2) I am purchasing a new system at the start of the new year, which will have a 1.7 Ghz, 256 Meg RAM, same DVD and Rewrite CD-RW, same hard drive interface, and an external US Robotics USB modem - instead of the WinModem in my older system.

3) Currently I am running Knoppix from the Live CD on my older system, until I get the new system, and will probably install Knoppix to the new system as the Main OS on the hard drive. Until the new system arrives, and some of my hardware issues can be resolved, see below, Knoppix will be a "Toy" and "Play OS" till I am sure I can migrate without loss of what works at this time on the old system. Excluding the WinModem of course.


Inclusion of posting made within "The Lounge" newsgroup...
HELP !!!

First thing -=- I am running Knoppix on the Live CD.

If I use either a Floppy or HD to hold my configuration settings - i.e. Save Configuration under the KNOPPIX heading -=- Does this save also the PASSWORDS that I set, like the SU account? Or do I have to do a full HD install to retain passwords?

Second thing -=- as suggested by BaldYeti (from The Lounge Forum) -=- I ran Knoppix and placed a blank CD-RW in my CD-RW drive, connected to my internal controller, non-SCSI -=- I forget the interface - shesh -=- and tried something called KWIK"something" - it started and then shutdown. Does these programs that allow rewriting on a cdrom need SU rights? Anyone have experience with using the Live CD and working with CD-RW media? I would like to create a partioned Knoppix area on the rewrite so that I can retain more of my settings inbetween shutdowns and boots. The CD-RW drive has the ability to write packet data, so it should react like a hard drive, only a little slower during the write phase.

Thanks to everyone - amazing how much Unix I am learning - and how many forum discussions I have read here - the help has been fantastic - I tried to find the password setting commands in the HELP screens using a SU/Root window, and had no luck - thanks to the person who posted the FAQ on Unix Commands in the General Support Forum - had an idea what the command was - now I KNOW - PASSWD - saved my sanity

Again, thanks for any assistance on these issues,
Cuddles

[paradocs]

Welcome Cuddles,

2) On you new system I would go for 512 Meg RAM (total only $80us.)

3) I like running KNOPPIX from the live CD (actually live DVD)
and do serious stuff, I think :wink: . When I boot, I know
my operating system has not been messed up.

PASSWORDS I do not think passwords are saved since this would
be done in root directories. If you want privicy, use encryption.
A start up script could re-enter your passwords if you need then.

The commands cdrecord mkiosfs work well. Packet data
is very new for Linux and not supported in KNOPPIX.
So you have to erase a CDRW and the write the whole disk.

I have a project to save persistent home on CDRW. This
is not for a high level user but has some interesting uses.
http://www.knoppix.net/docs/index.php/BurnHome

Best Wishes,
paradocs

[Cuddles]

Paradocs wrote:
Welcome Cuddles,

2) On you new system I would go for 512 Meg RAM (total only $80us.)

3) I like running KNOPPIX from the live CD (actually live DVD)
and do serious stuff, I think . When I boot, I know
my operating system has not been messed up.

PASSWORDS I do not think passwords are saved since this would
be done in root directories. If you want privicy, use encryption.
A start up script could re-enter your passwords if you need then.

The commands cdrecord mkiosfs work well. Packet data
is very new for Linux and not supported in KNOPPIX.
So you have to erase a CDRW and the write the whole disk.

I have a project to save persistent home on CDRW. This
is not for a high level user but has some interesting uses.
http://www.knoppix.net/docs/index.php/BurnHome


Thank you Paradocs,

First, thanks for the welcome.

Second, I didn't think the passwords were being saved, just a hope.

Third, I can understand you wanting to use Knoppix as a second OS, but, I have seen many things that MS does, and the security of Windows is almost non-existent, as each new OS they develop has no security carried over from a previous OS they have learned the security leaks from. So, I can see Knoppix as a new OS that has learned from its previous mistakes. I want to convert to Knoppix and use it solely. [if possible]

Fourth, I take it that the commands you have spoke of; CDRecord and MkIosFs, do not show up in the menus in KDE, they must be run in a Root window or something, right?

Fiveth, I am very new to Unix, Linux, and Knoppix - many of the programs that are shown in the KDE Start Menu, I have no clue what they do, or when one would run them. Does anyone have a "Newbie" crash-course book on need-to-know commands, programs, and "How To" information to make Knoppix/Linux/Unix run as secure, Hacker blocking, etc... I have learned a lot of these need to know things from within the Windows OS for many years, so I am able to get around, and know when something needs to be run, or has to be run, and what that program is - I am not this way within this new OS, and want to know.

Sixth, I am not sure if anyone in the Knoppix world has done what I want to do - Complete conversion to Knoppix OS - from what I read in a lot of the posts here, I think I am the only one who wants to. Is Knoppix/Debian to be taken as a viable, taken seriously, OS? Or, is it simply a nice thing to show off, but have another OS, like Windows, running 95% of the time, and run Knoppix say 5% of the time to show off to friends?

I realize that someone claiming that they want to immerse themselves into a OS 100%, and also have almost 0% of the knowledge of that said OS, can be taken as a fool, actually, more appropriately, a fool without a clue. But, I started programming the same way. I had little to no knowledge of programming, but have beat the odds on that one. I see Knoppix not only as a way to get away from the MS security leak problems, but as a OS that is by-far more stable, less bug-ridden, less-back-doors, and far less problematic than its MS opposition. For this reason, I see Knoppix as the Saviour of the Devil -=- Micro$oft.

I hope I am not the only one.

Lastly, I have realized that this move, conversion, to Knoppix is like comparing someone who jumps into a pool without having a clue how deep the water is, and not knowing how to swim. In fact, I can easily say, I didn't have a clue how deep the water really is, and only now, am I seeing the deepness of this water. For this reason, I feel I am playing the fool. I also feel that when I do get Knoppix running "full-blown" and hit the Internet, I am probably going to be "wide open" to attacks. I want to learn before that time, and hope that this forum can help a Brave Soul to accomplish this.

Thanks to everyone here, for the assistance, and to the Creator, and constant Creator's, of Knoppix - for I see that this OS will be the OS to battle the Golliath that is MS, and I see that Knoppix, when it has its small details resolved, will be the OS of chioce. Because MS is not as "open" to seeing what is going on "behind the curtain" as Knoppix is. As the small group going in from of the great Wizzard in the Wizzard of Oz had seen behind the curtain, the great Wizzard was a simple man. Windows is nice, but it does not have this openness as this OS has, and has lost touch with a single users needs, not to mention the needs of security.

Cuddles