Dual Boot Your Box

Alrighty then, test driving Knoppix was weird in a couple of ways for me. First off, when I initially loaded it up on my desktop unit at home, it looked surprising like Windows with the same type of icons, layout and whatnot as a somewhat modified Windows unit. My first thought was that this was some type of a joke almost, that rather then Linux being “different” then Windows, it basically took the same information and details as Microsoft uses and simply presents it differently onscreen. Secondly, there were indeed a few things that took me by surprise – the whole double click thing for example – but then the amount of applications that come with the OS. There were literally folders within folders within folders of applications. Most were not self-explanatory but I click on many just to see what would happen.

Once you’ve decided that using or learning Linux may be worthwhile or interesting, you have several choices. First, is continue with Knoppix (or any other LiveCD distribution) by creating a small permanent config partition on your hard drive. Second, if you have an old unit – something faster then a 386 – laying around in a closet or garage, is to load Linux up on that unit as a test bed. Third, and probably least likely, is to jump into Linux with both feet by wiping your Windows hard drive clean and install Linux instead. Finally – and my preferred method – is to dual boot your OS’s, so you can run both Linux and Windows on the same unit. Not at the same time, but on the same equipment.

For dual boot to work, you’ll need roughly 4GB of space – depending on applications and storage space you want – which is relatively easy to get if you have any free space on your Windows machine. First, I’m no Windows expert, but if you make Windows run with less then 10% free space on the drive, you’ll get warnings, slow performance and general sluggishness all over the place. So plan ahead and if all you have is a little extra room on your hard drive after a good Spring cleaning, you may want to stick with the LiveCDs instead.

To make room for Fedora Core, you’ll need to resize your Windows partitions. Boot up Knoppix and under System choose QTParted – which will allow you to resize one partition at a time. Create the room you’d like to have, and then select “commit” from the toolbar. Reboot back into Windows to do two things. One, make sure it’s still bootable and secondly, ensure that your partition truly has been made smaller and if you go into Computer Management – Disk Management you can verify an empty block of space for Linux to eventually land.

Obtain the Fedora Core 4 cd images or DVD image from a Fedora mirror and burn to CD's or DVD. Boot from the first disk.

I did a Custom Install of Fedora Core 4.

• Partitioning - Done through Autopartitioning. I have 3 partitions: a 1GB / main partition, a 3GB /home partition and a 0.5GB partition.
• Boot Loader - My boot loader is Grub which is installed on the / partition, NOT the MBR. To do this, select Configure Advanced Boot Loader Options and install to First sector of boot partition. I use Bootpart from Windows 2000 to load Linux. An alternative to Bootpart is the NT OS Loader + Linux mini-HOWTO. I recommend this so you do not corrupt your Windows installation in a Dual-Boot environment.
• Package Selection - apx 3.1-3.7GB. It is NOT RECOMMENDED to install "Everything" - for further explanation please read my installation commentary.
• [Highly Recommended] - Select both Gnome Desktop Environment and KDE Desktop Environment.
• [Optional] - Select XFCE if you'd like to try a lightweight window manager.
• [Optional] - Remove openoffice.org_i18n from Office/Productivity if you don't need international support and wish to save ~apx. 600MB of disk.
• [Highly Recommended] - Add grip, k3b, kdemultimedia, totem, and xmms in Sound and Video. Anything you want, please select.
• [Recommended] - Remove helix-player in Sound and Video.
• [Recommended] - Select Server Configuration Tools.
• [Recommended] - Select Windows File Server. This is required if you wish to share files with a Windows computer.
• [Required] - Select Development Tools. This is required to do any form of compiling or modifying your linux installation. Chances are you will need this.
• [Highly Recommended] - Select X Software Development. This is required to compile new software that uses the X-Windows system.
• [Highly Recommended] - Select Gnome Software Development. This is required to compile new software that uses the Gnome environment.
• [Highly Recommended] - Select KDE Software Development. This is required to compile new software that uses the KDE environment.
• [Highly Recommended] - Select Legacy Software Development. This is required to use some older software and compile some older software.
• [Recommended] - Select Administration Tools.
• [Recommended] - Select System Tools.
• Firewall - You can deselect this if you have a hardware router/firewall (D-Link, Netgear, etc.). It is easy to disable later if you like.
• Security Enhanced Linux - Disable SELinux. This is only needed to strictly secure a linux machine for both server usage and for multiple users. I personally find it unnecessary for personal usage.

Install and reboot. For the first boot:

• Network Time Protocol - Enable this ONLY if you have an active working internet connection that is on (ex: broadband, T1, DSL). Do not enable NTP Broadcast unless you have other linux machines on your network.
• Video Resolution - Set this to the correct settings you know should work even if it doesn't seem to sit properly on the screen.
• Users - Create 1 user account for yourself. Always use that account DO NOT use root as your personal account.

Knoppix: Kick Linux’s Tires

The popularity of Knoppix is due to many factors. Its extensive hardware detection allows the majority of systems to boot straight into a graphical environment without the need for manual configuration. It connects automatically to most kinds of networks, and includes software both for use as a computer system (notably web browsers, OpenOffice, and the GIMP) and for system repair (recover those most important files when Windows completely crashes).

Starting from version 4.0, Knoppix has been split into a DVD "maxi" edition (with over 9GB of software), and a cd "light" edition, both developed in parallel. The limited first edition of the Knoppix 4.0 DVD was first released on June 22, 2005.

Instructions for use:
1. Install the Knoppix cd into cd tray.
2. Reboot your computer.
3. Allow Knoppix to load completely.

Note: if your cd doesn’t boot, it could be a bad copy of Knoppix you have or potentially, your BIOS has your cd-rom as something other then the 1st boot device. Reboot, F10 at the splash screen and change your boot order.

Knoppix does not touch your hard drive. Period. Yes, you can configure a small space on your computer to hold onto your configuration files you edit so that the next time you boot, it “remembers” your setting. But again, it does not touch the hard drive.

Use for a Bad Windows Crash – you think everything is lost to include BrettRocks.jpg file that is probably the most important file you’ve ever owned in your life. You know backups are important, you hear about backups weekly from your IT sources but for some reason you didn’t backup BrettRocks.jpg.

While booting, you’ll see this screen below. It’s running off your cd, so it’s slower then running off a hard drive but it’ll save your bacon. Be slightly more patient then normal with your computer.

During Boot Up Sequence.

Once Knoppix is loaded completely, your screen will look like this below.

After Complete Boot

It has a familiar look to Windows, from the “start” button being on the bottom left to other oversized icons across the bottom of your screen, much like a Quick Launch toolbar.

The icons in the desktop are slightly different. Normally, from top to bottom it is:

• cd-ROM
• Floppy
• hda1
• hda(next)…..hda(last) – depends on the number of partitions you have now
• sda(n) if you happen to have SCSI drives or USB devices hooked up
  
• Knoppix folder – much like a “My Computer” folder in Windows

If you have more then 1 partition, you’ll need to iterate through your hda lists to find your Windows partition.

First, right click on the hda1 icon and select “mount”. This will make that drive (or partition) active and able to be seen & read by Knoppix.

Left-click once on the hda1 icon to open up Konqueror (equivalent to Windows Explorer) to see your data and files. If you double click as you normally do in Windows, you’ll generate 2 instances of Konqueror. The icons and should be just like Windows – Documents and Setting, Program Files, Windows and whatever other files you have on your c:\ drive.

To save your precious BrettRocks.jpg file, you have a couple of choices. First, copy it to a floppy and you’re done. Secondly, use some type of USB storage device to save your data. I’ve used a camera, a music player and a USB hard drive in the past – one note, hook up the USB device prior to booting and you’ll save yourself time trying to mount the equipment yourself. Last option is to use K3B which is the Knoppix cd burning application. Very straight forward and IMHO very Nero-like. However, this only works with a cd-burner in your system of course.

Once your precious picture of me is saved, then you can either reboot – the last step Knoppix will do when it reboots is eject the cd and tell you to hit return to repower the system. Then you can tackle your other problem.

Viola’! You’ve just saved the file and it couldn’t have been easier. Make the Knoppix cd, give it a test run and hold onto it for a rainy day.

Brett

Ps/ This Knoppix tutorial is to be used for good, not to break into anyone’s computer to upload and copy off files that they are unaware of you doing it.

Fire It Up!

I’m not a huge fan of bumper stickers. But I’ll steal from one now:

Sit Down, Buckle Up and Hold On!

Taking the dip into Linux can range from dipping your little toe into the shallow end of the kiddy pool to a full blown dive into the pool that is Linux. It’s a matter of choice, preferences and general interests. To some extent, it’s also about how turn-key you’d like your system.

Choice #1

To begin with, I'm going to go slow, as it'll be more geared towards documenting things that my friends, family could use to save their own bacon when their computer crashes. Then we'll get into the "real" stuff - hey, it's all real, just more real if that's possible.

Choice #2

It's about choices. Okay then, let’s go!