SuSE 8.2 Live-Eval CD recommended for X and LVM...

[Dave_Bechtel]

--Downloaded it, booted it. Makes a saved-session on your HD for subsequent boots, kind of like KPX persistent-home I guess.

--I wanted to try it out for 2 reasons: better XFree86 config file using SaX, and LVM support. SuSE has a nice front-end in YAST (' yast ') for configuring LVM volumes. You have to search around for it in the menu tho.

--Since I'm using VMware, I wanted better X video mode support than what Knoppix provides by default, so I ran ' sax2 ' and copied relevant parts of the XF86Config file that resulted into my XF86Config-4 file in Knoppix. Now I can run vmware in fullscreen mode again, which has much snappier response than in windowed mode.

--LVM - once you have things setup the way you like in SuSE, you can reboot to Knoppix and run ' vgscan ' - the volumes will be autodetected. ' vgchange -y ' may be necessary as well. Then it's simply a matter of updating /etc/fstab and assigning the LVM device (mine is /dev/extralvm/extralvm) a mount point.

NOTE of warning: I did lose data by experimenting. Had an existing partition with the 8e LVM ID standalone(not part of LVM at all), reiserfs. Wanted to put it into an LVM volume group and resize_reiserfs. Non-critical data, so I didn't back it up 1st. Tried to resize it back in knoppix, couldn't mount it. Had to mkreiserfs on /dev/extralvm/extralvm, which lost the data. BACK UP before experimenting!!

--Good stuff tho. I wish SuSE would release their LVM frontend as a standalone product. I sprang for their 7.3 DVD and was running it on my server until about 3 weeks ago. Now the server is running Knoppix, and to be honest I don't miss RPM that much. apt-get RULES.

--Bottom line - if you want a better X config file and/or LVM setup, try the SuSE 8.2 live cd.

Here's one place you can get it:
ftp://ftp.uniroma2.it/Linux/suse/pub...live-eval-8.2/

SuSE mirrors:
http://www.suse.com/us/private/downl...t_mirrors.html

--A cautionary note, tho - suse livecd is not as useful as Knoppix. It didn't contain ' mc ', updatedb, or ' activate ' - all of which would have helped, since I was restructuring the partitions as well.

--Anyone else that has used suse livecd and wants to post their impressions can feel free to respond.

[bongski55]

Well I think this is not the proper forum for suse live eval .Anyway I have tried it and did not continue using it in favor of knoppix for the following reasons:

1. No active forum for help specific to the live eval. I tried google search but all I am getting are forums for suse itself with occasional mention of the live eval cd.

2. I was unable to open my modem and was also unable to compile the drivers as I did in knoppix because of the absence of gcc.

So knoppix it is!

[Dave_Bechtel]

--Ah, well - I posted it here because using the live-eval in tandem with Knoppix can give you a better end-user experience. Such as a more complete X config, and a way to config your LVM with a front-end.

Well I think this is not the proper forum for suse live eval .Anyway I have tried it and did not continue using it in favor of knoppix...
[[snip]]
So knoppix it is!

[aay]

Not a bad idea - especially with regard to the X config file. Thanks.