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[tfoso]

I have windows xp at home, connected to broadband

I am currently downloading the iso ready to burn to CD. When the CD is done.. do i just put it in the computer and boot up, and it will start knoppix 3.7 ? or do i have to make a partition and install it there or somthing?

Also how easy is it to connect to my broadband connection like on windows xp?

and how safe is it? like is my computer likley to break after i have used it?


M

[Harry Kuhman]

I have windows xp at home, connected to broadband

I am currently downloading the iso ready to burn to CD. When the CD is done.. do i just put it in the computer and boot up, and it will start knoppix 3.7 ? or do i have to make a partition and install it there or somthing?

Knoppix is a live CD, intended to run right from CD (you don't even need a hard drive in the computer in most cases).

I hope that you are following the instructions available through the Documentation link at the top of this page and the Downloading FAQ that you find there, particularly in checking the md5 sum and how to burn the file properly. It doesn't seem like you would ask this if you are though.

Also how easy is it to connect to my broadband connection like on windows xp?

Depends on your broadband connection, which you gave no details on. If you have cable it will likely work with no effort on your part at all. If you have DSL and you use a Cable/DSL router (a device that I just can't recommend enough for any broadband user, cable or DSL, even if they have only one system), then Knoppix will likely get it's setting by DHCP and be on the network when it boots (I have seen a Belkin router that doesn't get DHCP right and this isn't true for). The same holds true for Cable users with routers too. If you use DSL and don't have a router (or a modem with one built in) then you likely will have to run PPPoE software. Running Windows without a hardware router is an open invation to have your computer infected or worse, however. They are did cheap, and everyone on high speed should use one (If I could get one for dial-up I would have one for when I was on the road too).

and how safe is it? like is my computer likley to break after i have used it?

There are those of us who have little pitty on anyone who doesn't back up important data. Still, Knoppix is intended to be very safe. It wll let you access your disks, but defaults to a read-only mode so you can't hurt them. You certainly can override this and do awful things to your disk if you want. A few tips shoud keep you safe: don't run any install scripts and never try to write to an NTFS partition.

[tfoso]

Thanks for the reply!!

I have had a little read of the Documentation link, am not really sure what the "particularly in checking the md5 sum" is I thought you would just got into nero and burn a image from the iso file I downloaded?

My boradband connection is BT line, goes into a modem and then into my pc by usb.. I am unsure as to what "PPPoE software" is? firewall like zone alarm?

I am going to back up my machine before trying to use it, if i am not ment to write to an NTFS partition. what do i do when i want to install somthing? where do you intall it too.. and would it still be there after u run xp and then the CD again say the next day or somthing?

Really the only thing i will be doing is running it to test weather a webpage looks ok, So the only things i need it to have it running safely and to be able to connect to the net.

Thanks again

M

[Harry Kuhman]

I have had a little read of the Documentation link, am not really sure what the "particularly in checking the md5 sum" is I thought you would just got into nero and burn a image from the iso file I downloaded?

Checking the md5 sum is important. If you skip it you might get away without doing it (if you do get away without doing it this time you might still have a bad iso file next time). I don't have the time to type all the details yet again, but follow what is in the documentation you have a link for. Or use the search feature on the top of the page, select the button that searches the Knoppix forum, and enter md5 as a search term. My feeling is if you can't be bothered to learn something as simple as checking an md5 sum then you really should not be using Linux anyway.

My boradband connection is BT line, goes into a modem and then into my pc by usb.. I am unsure as to what "PPPoE software" is? firewall like zone alarm?

I'm still not real sure what you have or what a BT line is. Connecting by USB has been a problem for many people, it would be far far better to connect by ethernet if you have that option (and if you don't then I would say get a different provider, as you can't run a DSL/Cable router with the USB link, and they are manditory for safe use of the Internet in this age for high speed Windows users). PPPoE stands for Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet. It's used by most DSL providers to encapsulate the Internet packets that you send to them. Such DSL providers give you PPPoE software that you need to install on a Windows system to access their system, log in, and otherwise use the network (which you don't need if you use a DSL/Cable router, as these know about PPPoE and take care of that for you, you talk to the router with ordinary IP packets). So most DSL users without routers need to run PPPoE software. My understanding is that it is there on Knoppix, but I have no experience in using it (since I use a router I don't need it).

This has nothing to do with firewall software like Zonealarm. For windows I much prefer Tiny Personal Firewall (version 2.15, not the newer versions) or Kerio (I like an older version of Kerio much more than I like the newer ones but the newer ones are OK). One still needs a hardware firewall with Windows, a softwall firewall does not protect you from many known attacks.

I am going to back up my machine before trying to use it, if i am not ment to write to an NTFS partition. what do i do when i want to install somthing? where do you intall it too.. and would it still be there after u run xp and then the CD again say the next day or somthing?

You can write to other partitions, like FAT, just not NTFS. Or you can put a Linux partition on your hard drive. When I first got my notebook (which came with XP and thus a NTFS partion) I quickly repartitioned it with one small NTFS partition and the rest of the disk as a FAT partition. Both Xp and Knoppix can write to the fat partition with no problem, and I only keep windows software that I have no reason to access with KNoppix on the NTFS partition.

Installing software is beyond what I'm prepared to write about in this forum. See the Documentation section from the link at the top of this page and read the forums, there is a lot of information posted. But understand that Knoppix is first and foremost a LIve CD, intended to run from CD (no matter what add-ons have been hacked in). If you decide that you want to move to Linux after trying Knoppix, you might be much better off installing a version of Linux that is intended for hard drive install.

Really the only thing i will be doing is running it to test weather a webpage looks ok, So the only things i need it to have it running safely and to be able to connect to the net.

Which gets back to that USB interface, which may be a problem. Again, you might want to search the forums (particularly the networking forum, although some users haven't figured out which posts go where) for information on connecting to a broadband modem with a USB connection.

[tfoso]

Thanks alot for your help!!

[tfoso]

sorry i couldnt explain properly what the modem i had was.. here is a little more info.. i have a microfilter, plugged into the phone line socket.. then i have my phone plugged in and a wire going from the microfilter to a small box.. and from the small box is a usb cable going to my pc..



"Microfilters split your telephone line, enabling you to talk and be online at the same time. You will need a microfilter plugged in to each telephone line or extension that you want to use with broadband."

you have to connect to it like dial up..
I used to have cable that was on all the time but we moved house and it wasnt avalible in that area!

[Harry Kuhman]

sorry i couldnt explain properly what the modem i had was.. here is a little more info.. i have a microfilter, plugged into the phone line socket.. then i have my phone plugged in and a wire going from the microfilter to a small box.. and from the small box is a usb cable going to my pc..

"Microfilters split your telephone line, enabling you to talk and be online at the same time. You will need a microfilter plugged in to each telephone line or extension that you want to use with broadband."

you have to connect to it like dial up..
I used to have cable that was on all the time but we moved house and it wasnt avalible in that area!

You have DSL. DSL uses these filters to keep the RF used by DSL out of thelephones. As long as your DSL is working and you have one of these filters on each line servicing a phone and telephone device (like answering machines), don't worry about them.

Does your modem have only a USB connection or does it offer ethernet also? Does it have a router built in (many new ones do)? If you post some information about the DSL modem someone may be able to give you more information about it, or you may be able to find the information yourself by doing a web search.

[Daeve]

Unfortunately the majority of ADSL (which is used over the phoneline in the UK - provided by BT - British Telecom, and often this line is actually provided by another ISP that basically rents it off BT like Wanadoo, Pipex etc..) providers in the UK give away a free, or offer with the service only a USB connected ADSL modem - often the Speedtouch USB (frog modem and the like) ones.
You usually have to go out and buy another one if you want to be connected by ethernet.

I tried for a couple of years with different distros of Linux but could never get any drivers for my ADSL USB modem to work - I eventually gave up and am now on cable via ethernet - though again NTL the major cable provider for the UK usually install it as USB but at least theres another scket so you can switch later.

I'm giving Linux a go again via Knoppix and other live CDs mainly because I find them invaluable for data recovery when NTFS drives go down and wont boot/get recognised in windows. I have a few friends who are interested in switching to Linux but they have USB only ADSL and are totally new to Linux - they have been overwhelmed by how complicated it is to get a net connection with it (even though they are fairly computer savvy and intelligent) and all have gone back to XP for the moment.

[Harry Kuhman]

Unfortunately the majority of ADSL (which is used over the phoneline in the UK - provided by BT - British Telecom, and often this line is actually provided by another ISP that basically rents it off BT like Wanadoo, Pipex etc..) providers in the UK give away a free, or offer with the service only a USB connected ADSL modem - often the Speedtouch USB (frog modem and the like) ones......

My ISP in the US (BellSouth) tried to stick me with a USB only modem too. But I insisted on an ethernet conection or I would not accept the service. They said they had to send someone out to install the ethernet modem and the service call would cost $150. Again I protested. They finally waved the fees and I got my "free" ethernet modem (and the "install", although I had to stop the idiot they sent from breaking stuff and install it myself, just let him watch). That was a few years ago. At this point DSL modems have a lot more features and are less expensive. Many people have switched providers over to cable and have old DSL modems lying around collecting dust, or they have even just tossed them in the trash. I know of at least two people who have unused DSL modems with ethernet ports this way, and would be surprised if I could not find more by asking amoung my friends. Given the clear dangers from running a system behind an DSL modem with no hardwall firewall (particularly Windows, since that's about all that will run on the USB type interface), I consider running on the USB interface plain stupid. You just need to hold your ground with the service provider and insist that you get what you want (at a price that you find acceptable).

Some hints that may help get you there: When you talk to people at the ISP that want to know about your hardware, tell then that you have a free ethernet port available. Tell them that you do not have any free slots available (yes, there are DSL modems that don''t work worth a darn and fit right in the slot, and of course they only have windows drivers. If they ask what OS you run you might tell them Linux, but if they say Linux is not supported try Win95 (that's how I convinced them that I didn't have USB support and so couldn't accept the USB modem).