Trying to get a pre-built Knoppix environment to boot...

[fuwahh]

Hi everyone,

An academic has given me a copy of a KNOPPIX with a program built into it. See the imgur link below for the file structure I have been given.
The files were given to me in a zipped folder, with the only instruction being to 'burn the files within this zip folder to a CD'.

Is there a specific process I have to follow to get the files I've been given into a bootable state? Everything I have tried has not worked: simply burning the files using any CD burning software does not result in a bootable CD. The guides I have found for burning a bootable KNOPPIX CD also don't appear to be applicable to my situation since I'm not creating a brand new KNOPPIX environment - I'm trying to get a pre-existing and modified environment to boot.

I've been assured that these files have resulted in a bootable and functional KNOPPIX system in the past.




isolinux.cfg:

DEFAULT linux26
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us vga=791 initrd=miniroot.gz nomce quiet alsa noscsi BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
TIMEOUT 300

PROMPT 1
DISPLAY boot.msg
F1 boot.msg
F2 f2
LABEL lamppix
KERNEL linux26
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us vga=791 initrd=miniroot.gz nomce quiet alsa noscsi BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL lamppix-scsi
KERNEL linux26
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us vga=791 initrd=miniroot.gz nomce quiet alsa BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL knoppix-txt
KERNEL linux26
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us vga=normal initrd=miniroot.gz nomce quiet alsa BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL expert
KERNEL linux26
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us vga=791 initrd=miniroot.gz nomce alsa BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL fb1280x1024
KERNEL linux26
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us vga=794 xmodule=fbdev initrd=miniroot.gz alsa nomce quiet noscsi BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL fb1024x768
KERNEL linux26
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us vga=791 xmodule=fbdev initrd=miniroot.gz alsa nomce quiet noscsi BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL fb800x600
KERNEL linux26
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us vga=788 xmodule=fbdev initrd=miniroot.gz alsa nomce quiet noscsi BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL failsafe
KERNEL linux26
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us vga=normal nosound noapic noscsi nodma noapm nousb nopcmcia nofirewire noagp nomce nodhcp xmodule=vesa initrd=miniroot.gz BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL userdef
KERNEL linux26
APPEND ###############################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################

Thank you so much for reading! I really need all the help I can get

[Harry Kuhman]

Knoppix is normally released as a ISO file that MUST be burnt "AS AN IMAGE" to a CD to make it bootable. Simply copying any set of files (or even a bootable ISO) to a disc (DVD rather than CD most recently) will not allow you to boot the resulting disk, you just end up with a disc with files on it but no boot structure. If a disc could be created that way, then I expect Klaus and others would do it, as convincing newcomers to burn the ISO file "AS AN IMAGE" is one of the more challenging things for a novice to overcome. If you want to be able to boot a disc you simply can't just copy files to it. So whoever gave you that information was wrong. Beyond that I don't know what he was trying to do or what he gave you, I suggest that you get back in touch with him.

However, you say that you got a zipped folder, but I have to question if you are sure that you were given a zipped folder of are you letting Windows hide file extensions from you and have you by chance really been given an ISO file? Many people have come here thinking they have a zip file but really have an ISO file and Windows is hiding the extension from them (and they foolishly don't turn that "feature" off). If you have an ISO file then follow the instructions for burning it "AS AN IMAGE" and you'll likely produce a bootable image.

I recommend Nero for this purpose, even the brief trial version. Windows 7 (and I suspect later versions) can burn an ISO into a bootable image but Windows doesn't let you do a low speed burn, and high speed burns have their own set of booting problems.

[knp]

[QUOTE=Harry Kuhman;133498]Knoppix is normally released as a ISO file that MUST be burnt "AS AN IMAGE"

Mr Kuhman

Now that "usb devices" are very common, do you know why

it is not possible

to get from official sites a single file especially dedicated for direct

INSTAALATION on them and so avoiding "BURNING" matters.

My question is probably too naïve...but it may be a suggestion.

Thanks you eventually for your response.

knp

[Harry Kuhman]

I have no knowledge of why Klaus chooses to do what he does or does not do.

My use of Knoppix has always been limited to the Live CD or DVDs that it was designed for. I have tried to get flash drives working in the past, but never with any luck. Others have gotten this to work so I will accept that the fault is with me but I do not believe it is obviously simple. Nor have I had much luck with installed Knoppix and "persistence". For normal Linux installs I suggest distros that are intended to be installed to disc, with my personal choice being Debian.

There are tools that have been developed that will install an ISO to a flash drive and make it bootable. But they are not really want you want either. That would only give you a "Live DVD" read only version of Knoppix stored on a flash drive, and you seem to want a fully functional and flexible read/write system on your flash drive. All that I have to offer here is that isn't Knoppix. Can it be make to work? I believe the answer is yea, kinda, sorta, with more effort than it is worth and with more issues cropping up in the future. Again, I suggest installing a distro like Debian to your flash drive.

[knp]

Thanks you Mr H. Kuhman.

knp