Knoppix Terminal Server


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We can use "Terminal server" during class. One computer has to work as TS host and offers Knoppix over the LAN (not WLAN); the computers of the students works as TS clients and don't need an installation of Knoppix on their computers. They have to boot with the BIOS option "over network" and get the OS from the server for this session.

Terminal Server installation

If you have a computer, who cannot boot from DVD or USB but over network, you can use the Terminal Server install (in former days known as PXE install). This computer will be your TS client. You need another computer connected to your LAN (not WLAN) as the TS host.

Boot Knoppix on your TS host and select "Knoppix => Start KNOPPIX Terminal Server". When you get the question "Please enter the desired IP-Range ..", you have to change the values to the IP range of your router. For me the values are "192.168.17.10 192.168.17.30". Important: deactivate the option "secure Disable root access on client(s)"!

Now boot your TS client with the BIOS option "over network". When you can see the Knoppix screen go on with [Enter]. At the end of the startup you are within the TS client, but get the OS from TS host. To see the partitions of the TS client use "lsblk" in a terminal. In my example '/dev/sda4' is a free partition and ext4 formatted.

* Do the installation

su
mount /media/sda4
rsync -av --progress /mnt-system/KNOPPIX /media/sda4
cd /mnt-system/boot/syslinux/
cp linux linux64 minirt.gz /media/sda4/KNOPPIX/

Important note: "/dev/sda4" is only as an example; use your own value! Take care of '/KNOPPIX' with or without "/" at the end. If you did use a DVD instead of a Flash device to boot the TS host, you need the line "cd /mnt-system/boot/isolinux/"

* Make the installation bootable

To be able to boot the "Terminal Server installation" on the TS client we need an entry within GRUB of the standard OS on this computer. In my example it is Debian on '/dev/sda1'. Mount your partition containing your standard OS.

If you are using GRUB legacy as bootloader append within '/boot/grub/menu.lst' of your standard OS

title KNOPPIX PMI
kernel (hd0,3)/KNOPPIX/linux fromhd=/dev/sda4 (.. other boot-parameter ..)
initrd (hd0,3)/KNOPPIX/minirt.gz

title KNOPPIX 64 PMI
kernel (hd0,3)/KNOPPIX/linux64 fromhd=/dev/sda4 (.. other boot-parameter ..)
initrd (hd0,3)/KNOPPIX/minirt.gz

Important note: In this example Knoppix has been installed to 1st device in the 4th partition (hd0,3). "(hd0,0)" means 1st device and 1st partition with GRUB legacy.

If you are using GRUB2 as bootloader append within '/etc/grub.d/40_custom' of your standard OS

menuentry "Knoppix PMI" {
set root='(hd1,1)'
linux /KNOPPIX/linux (.. other boot-parameter ..)
initrd /KNOPPIX/minirt.gz
}

menuentry "Knoppix 64 PMI" {
set root='(hd1,1)'
linux /KNOPPIX/linux64 (.. other boot-parameter ..)
initrd /KNOPPIX/minirt.gz
}

Don't forget "update-grub"!

Important note: In this example Knoppix has been installed to 2nd device in the 1st partition (hd1,1). "(hd0,1)" means 1st device and 1st partition with GRUB 2.

Instead of (.. other boot-parameter ..) use the parameters as you need or as you can see in the "APPEND"-lines of '/mnt-system/boot/isolinux/isolinux.cfg' from Knoppix DVD - but without the parameter "initrd=minirt.gz".

* We need persistent memory

First time we boot our "Terminal server installation" we have to edit the boot parameters within Grub manually. When you can see the option "Knoppix 64 PMI" type "e" to edit the paramters. At the end of the line "linux /KNOPPIX/linux64 ..." append "mkimage" and go on with [F10].

You can select the size of your persistent memory (file, not partition) and if you want to encrypt this or not.

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