Speed up HDD boot

**oli888** · 05-19-2006, 06:47 PM

Hi

I successfully installed Knopix 4.0 on my HDD, but it takes a while to boot up. When it loads, it gives me a choice of 2 kernels:

1. 2.x.x.x Default
2. 2.x.x.x

(I can't remember the exact kernel that I have)

Also, I get the following message:

"You have passed an undefined mode number."

If I write boot:vga=normal, I don't get this error, and if I just continue everything works OK.

However, is there any way to skip these two small time-wasting decisions and set a default choice, because I have just switched from Windows but dislike the loading times. Otherwise Knoppix is a fantastic Distro with the only HDD install I can get to work!

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer,

Oli

**UnderScore** · 05-19-2006, 08:57 PM

First, a HD install seems to be a great way to get Linux going on your PC but there are plenty of difficulties ahead. If you are a expert or are willing to put the time in to become somewhat of an expert, then it might be good for you to do a HD install. If you are a newbie and you do not want to spend hours fixing broken packages or getting network settings to behave as they should, then perhaps a HD install is not for you. See also http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/HD_Insta...g_not_to_do_it

Suse Linux just released its 10.1 on May 11. Fedora Core 5 was released under two months ago. Ubutnu Linux will have its 6.06 release in about 3 weeks. You can get free CDs shipped to anywhere in the world from https://shipit.ubuntu.com/ (this uses GNOME as the desktop) and https://shipit.kubuntu.org/ (this uses KDE as the desktop). Any one of the three distros will be a better long term solution when compared to a Knoppix HD install.

To apply the vga=normal as default so that it boots with it everytime, as root user, edit the /boot/grub/menu.lst file and find where it says something like (not exact, this is an estimate):

Code:

title      Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.8-1
root      (hd1,4)
kernel      /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8-1-k7 root=/dev/hdg5 ro single vga=791
initrd      /boot/initrd.img-2.6.8-1-k7
savedefault
boot

Change the vga=791 or whatever value it is to vga=normal. Save it & reboot.

**oli888** · 05-19-2006, 09:43 PM

I had problems with other distros:

Ubuntu came up with different error mesages every time I tried to install it. Suse and Fedora Core need too many CDs. I used Knoppix because it installs on the HD, it is a popular distro and only needs 1 CD.

**Harry Kuhman** · 05-19-2006, 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by oli888

I had problems with other distros.....

Knoppix is based on Debian, which you didn't mention. While there are as many as 14 Debian CDs in a set, you really only need or want the first one, or even better, just the 100 meg "net install" CD. The other Cs are all programs that are in the Debian package system, and as long as you have a high speed internet connection it is better to just apt-get what you want to install right of the Internet than burn and swap a bunch of CDs. The CDs 2-14, of course, are great if you are installing on systems without Internet access, but totally unneeded by most users. And, of course, a real Debian install will not have the known problems of a Knoppix "hard disk install".