New to Knoppix...have some questions

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11-30-2004, 06:13 AM
quicksilver1024

New to Knoppix...have some questions

Ive read the system requirements for Knoppix already, but I dont know what "Intel compatable" means :? srry i am a complete noob

I am currently using a Sony Vaio (PCV-RX752)
-2A GHZ Intel Pentium 4 Process. (dont know if that means anything)

also, i want to make sure that this OS wont damage anything. Cause i heard from some ppl that after using Linux, some parts of their computer were seriously damaged.

ive been wanting to use a different OS other than windows for quite some time now, and when i read an article about linux, i wanted desperately to try it out.

please help me use this OS, ty

( i am trying out this OS, and if it works as a replacement to windows, i'll use it on my laptop that im getting as a present soon)
11-30-2004, 06:16 AM
quicksilver1024

also, im wondering if running the OS will leave any traces of the OS on my computer...

like the cache when browsing with the browser provided by knoppix

and if there is any link or site that will help me answer my questions and other newbie guides to the OS, please post them
11-30-2004, 07:42 AM
Jameson

My understanding of "Intel Compatabile" is a processor that is made my intel, or a processor that is made by a differnt company that can do the equivilent of an intel processor. So to answer your first question, Yes a Pentium 4 is made by Intel so there should be no problem there.

When your run Knoppix from the CD it does exactly that, "runs from the CD" and if you do save something it is stored in yoru RAM (Random Acess Memory) which is dumped when you turn your computer off, by deafult Knoppix (when running from CD) is set to prevent you from doing any damage. Everything Knoppix uses when running from the CD is removed (Unless you save it to a USB Drive or other media) so no it does not touch any other OS's and will not leave any traces.

Hope this helps,

-Jameson
12-01-2004, 11:33 PM
quicksilver1024

thanx for the reply,

Ive checked my local bookstore and found the Knoppix Hacks book, that i'll buy today or tommorow...

but before i get it, can you tell me how (if possible) to change the GUI? I heard somewhere that you can change it to your liking. Is this simple to do or is it very difficult?
12-02-2004, 02:40 AM
eco2geek

See "Hack #3" on page 7. :wink: To set your UI, use the "desktop=" cheatcode at the Knoppix boot prompt. For example,

desktop=fluxbox
desktop=icewm
desktop=wmaker
desktop=xfce

(Knoppix defaults to KDE)
12-02-2004, 03:47 AM
firebyrd10

Does anyone reccomend the book, even if i'm already somewhat knowledgeable in knoppix?
12-02-2004, 04:30 AM
eco2geek

Most of it you'll already know (especially you, firebyrd). But it does give a good presentation on how to make your own Knoppix remaster, as well as how to do some not-so-apparent stuff, like recover a borked Windows administrator password and edit the Windows registry using "chntpw".

(And in any case buying it is a good way to encourage O'Reilly to publish a second edition.)
12-02-2004, 07:44 AM
quicksilver1024

hmm...so you dont recommend the book?

the main reason im buying it because i can read it for longer periods than reading things like it on the internet...

it costs quite alot too...around 47 bucks canadian...

do you think its worth buying?
12-02-2004, 08:36 AM
eco2geek

If you've been dinking around with Knoppix for a while, many of the "hacks" in the first four chapters will seem familiar. But, quicksilver, if you're new to Knoppix, the book is definitely worth buying. It answers a lot of the questions that newbies tend to ask over and over. It's a thorough guide on how to use Knoppix, starting at zero.

The later chapters explain lots of, um, "advanced" (for lack of a better word) things you can do with Knoppix.

So, yes, it's worth buying. No reason you should pay retail, though. Don't Amazon and Barnes & Noble ship to Canada?

(Despite the "Hacks" title, which makes it sound like it's aimed at experts, it's really more of a book-length HOWTO, starting simple and getting more complex.)
12-02-2004, 11:18 PM
quicksilver1024

k im not getting the book anymore, since my parents refuse to buy things online..and the retail price for it is ridiculous...

but i went through the remasteringhowto doc, and it says one of the requirements to customize your own knoppix is that you must have a linux system installed to your pc....

im only trying out knoppix, and i dont want to install a linux system just to customize it...

is there any other way to make my own knoppix without having linux alreqady installed?
12-03-2004, 12:16 AM
firebyrd10

Quote:

Originally Posted by quicksilver1024

k im not getting the book anymore, since my parents refuse to buy things online..and the retail price for it is ridiculous...

but i went through the remasteringhowto doc, and it says one of the requirements to customize your own knoppix is that you must have a linux system installed to your pc....

im only trying out knoppix, and i dont want to install a linux system just to customize it...

is there any other way to make my own knoppix without having linux alreqady installed?

You could probably creat a linux filesystem and continue with that. You can't use Fat because it doesn't support the permissions needed.
01-04-2005, 07:16 AM
greenfly

Quote:

Originally Posted by firebyrd10

Quote:

Originally Posted by quicksilver1024

k im not getting the book anymore, since my parents refuse to buy things online..and the retail price for it is ridiculous...

but i went through the remasteringhowto doc, and it says one of the requirements to customize your own knoppix is that you must have a linux system installed to your pc....

im only trying out knoppix, and i dont want to install a linux system just to customize it...

is there any other way to make my own knoppix without having linux alreqady installed?

You could probably creat a linux filesystem and continue with that. You can't use Fat because it doesn't support the permissions needed.

firebyrd10 is right, as long as you can create a linux filesystem to hold the uncompressed filesystem, you can remaster without having a fully installed Linux distribution all from the Knoppix CD.

Recently I've started thinking that for most people, it's easier and better if they use tools like saveconfig and klik and the knx-live-installer to install and tweak their desktops, instead of going for a full remaster, so I recommend tinkering with that before you go through the trouble of a full remaster.
01-05-2005, 02:21 AM
GreyGeek

Re: New to Knoppix...have some questions

Quote:

Originally Posted by quicksilver1024

Ive read the system requirements for Knoppix already, but I dont know what "Intel compatable" means :? srry i am a complete noob

I am currently using a Sony Vaio (PCV-RX752)
-2A GHZ Intel Pentium 4 Process. (dont know if that means anything)

Any cpu made by Intel is 'Intel compatible'. So are certain cpu's made by AMD, like Athlon, for example. Your Sony Vaio contains an Intel cpu so it is 'intel compatible'.

Quote:

Originally Posted by quicksilver1024

also, i want to make sure that this OS wont damage anything. Cause i heard from some ppl that after using Linux, some parts of their computer were seriously damaged.

My first install of Linux, using RedHat 5.0 in 1997, was on a brand new Sony Vaio. Not only did it not hurt the Sony, it made it run better! I purchased it brand new on Dec 29th, 1996. Within the next three months I had to reinstall Win95 from scratch 5 TIMES! The box was contantly crashing. I thought it was a piece of trash. After I installed RH as a dual boot and started spending time on the RH side I noticed that the Sony NEVER crashed. In fact, from the end of March till I switched to SUSE 5.3 in September of 1998 I never had a single crash on that Sony while running RH. I realized that it was Windows 95 that was a piece of trash, and that RH was good.

You should know, however, that if you set your Horizontal and Vertical frequency setting of your monitor incorrectly you can risk burning out your monitor. For example, mMy monitor is a MAG 770V. It's HFreq range is 30-70KHz and it's vert freq range is 50-150 Hz. (Note: one is KHz and the other is Hz). If, while setting up your montior it is not among the preidentified monitors and you set the values for these parameters outside the range specificed in your monitor docs you could experience a "smoke test".

If you are not sure what your monitor specs are go to the vendor's site, or do a Google, and look them up. If notihing else there are industry standards that are pretty conservative and usually work on all monitors.
In the list of screen resolutions given by xf86conf they will be marked with an "i". But, usually Knoppix automatically detects and sets the monitor correctly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by quicksilver1024

ive been wanting to use a different OS other than windows for quite some time now, and when i read an article about linux, i wanted desperately to try it out.

please help me use this OS, ty

( i am trying out this OS, and if it works as a replacement to windows, i'll use it on my laptop that im getting as a present soon)

When you from boot the Knoppix CD nothing is installed to your HD, nor are any setting changed on your PC. Everything is run in memory and/or from the CDROM.
01-18-2005, 09:50 AM
Gencho

Quote:

Originally Posted by eco2geek

See "Hack #3" on page 7. :wink: To set your UI, use the "desktop=" cheatcode at the Knoppix boot prompt. For example,

desktop=fluxbox
desktop=icewm
desktop=wmaker
desktop=xfce

(Knoppix defaults to KDE)

I have noticed that in Knoppix 3.7 xfce and wmaker are missing, although they are listed in the boot screen help and in the cheatcode list. :? I don't know if they were removed intentionally.

Besides of not being able to start them (X exits with an error message), some programs report about missing things (xmms says: "Gtk-WARNING **: Ladbares Modul in Module-Pfad: "libxfce.so" kann nicht gefunden werden,").