Making a Live CD

**DumberDrummer** · 03-08-2005, 10:06 PM

Okay, here's the scoop...my parents PC uses WinXP, which I can't stand, because it is constantly crashing and slowing down, etc..., whatever. Typical windows stuff.

However, it is the only computer in the house that currently has an internet connection, and there is no possibility for expansion. So what I want to do is create my own "Live CD" for when I use this computer.

I use this computer for:
administrating websites, playing RTCW: ET, Chat, Browsing, coding, homework, and some other stuff.

Which leads me to my question: Which would be the best distro to base something like this off of? Keep in note that since I use this for websites, homework, and coding, I'd need to be able to save files.

Any Ideas?

batty_professor · 03-08-2005, 10:22 PM

I don't know if it will do everything you ask, but Knoppix comes to mind. You can access the hard drive with it as I understand, and can therefore save files. You can find Knoppix and many other distributions here. http://www.linux.org/dist/list.html there are also others, based on Debian/Knoppix, that may be more suited to your needs. Hope this helps.

**DumberDrummer** · 03-08-2005, 10:49 PM

Alright, cool, I'll check that out.

The main thing I'm looking for is for it to play Wolf, but not lose FTP, Word processing, and chat. I've heard of a Gentoo cd that boots specifically for Wolf, but their site seems to be down, I'll check it out tomorrow.

After thinking it for a while, I think I might want to build my own, just for the experience.

**LoneWolf071** · 03-09-2005, 08:07 AM

Hooah on the move to linux, but linux is not for gamming, there is one cool game, which is Americas Army, but other then that, it's hard to get games for linux. you can do a dual boot system with linux and windows, but if you are looking to do a Live CD, knoppix is the way to go.

**w00t** · 03-09-2005, 02:15 PM

I use orange linux for my live boot builds. Its floppy based but it is so expandapble and open to change that I can fit it and knoppix like stuff, onto a CD.

**Fox** · 03-09-2005, 02:44 PM

I've actually gotten ET to work with Knoppix, though my settings were stored in the RAMdrive, so I had to set them again every time I played. I'm sure you could find a quick way to get around that, maybe there's a config file somewhere in the install file you could reroute to the hard drive.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you'll have to do the captive NTFS thing (unless you specifically chose to install XP with a FAT32 partition) whenever you want to access these files.

An option to think about is a USB thumbdrive this way you can do the "knoppix myconfig=search" when you start up, so you can at least have a custom resolution (can't have 1280x1024 without using kxconfig and restarting X unless you have a persistent settings directory), a custom background, and desktop stuff that actually stays there when you shut down.

A nice plus of Knoppix is that it comes with OpenOffice installed.

**DumberDrummer** · 03-09-2005, 04:36 PM

ET on linux, did you use the windows binaries, or the linux ones taken from Windows?

**Fox** · 03-09-2005, 04:41 PM

I downloaded the lin installer from http://wolfenstein.4players.de

I believe the only difference between the two versions is the installer; I believe you can get a RTCW installer for linux as well.

**DumberDrummer** · 03-09-2005, 04:47 PM

So how did you get it on knoppix? A separate CD or something?

**Fox** · 03-09-2005, 07:32 PM

No, I downloaded and ran the installer on my hard disk.

**w00t** · 03-09-2005, 11:10 PM

If I read right then Knoppix 3.8 besides having some cool features can be put on a CD-RW and have files saved to it.

03-08-2005, 10:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
DumberDrummer Cymru am byth Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Oregon Posts: 5,377 OS: Windows XP Pro SP2 My System	Making a Live CD Okay, here's the scoop...my parents PC uses WinXP, which I can't stand, because it is constantly crashing and slowing down, etc..., whatever. Typical windows stuff. However, it is the only computer in the house that currently has an internet connection, and there is no possibility for expansion. So what I want to do is create my own "Live CD" for when I use this computer. I use this computer for: administrating websites, playing RTCW: ET, Chat, Browsing, coding, homework, and some other stuff. Which leads me to my question: Which would be the best distro to base something like this off of? Keep in note that since I use this for websites, homework, and coding, I'd need to be able to save files. Any Ideas? __________________ Living with Louie dog's the only way to stay sane _____________________________________________ ... and with those words so begins my lifetime of longing for the devil's warm embrace

03-08-2005, 10:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
batty_professor Asst. Manager, Alternative Computing Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hooterville Il 45 mi. east of St. Louis mo Posts: 2,609 OS: Fedora Core 5 for now	I don't know if it will do everything you ask, but Knoppix comes to mind. You can access the hard drive with it as I understand, and can therefore save files. You can find Knoppix and many other distributions here. http://www.linux.org/dist/list.html there are also others, based on Debian/Knoppix, that may be more suited to your needs. Hope this helps. __________________ It's better to know me and not need me than to need me and not know me. B. While users are never under any obligation, if you feel the urge please feel free to visit our donation page. Every little bit helps. And we thank you for your support. Microsoft free Registered Linux user 397458

03-08-2005, 10:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
DumberDrummer Cymru am byth Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Oregon Posts: 5,377 OS: Windows XP Pro SP2 My System	Alright, cool, I'll check that out. The main thing I'm looking for is for it to play Wolf, but not lose FTP, Word processing, and chat. I've heard of a Gentoo cd that boots specifically for Wolf, but their site seems to be down, I'll check it out tomorrow. After thinking it for a while, I think I might want to build my own, just for the experience. __________________ Living with Louie dog's the only way to stay sane _____________________________________________ ... and with those words so begins my lifetime of longing for the devil's warm embrace

03-09-2005, 02:15 PM	#5 (permalink)
w00t Chex mix and Cream soda! Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Oahu Posts: 596 OS: Slackware 11.1, Fedora Core 3, K12LTSP, Suse ES 9, Windows 2000sp4, Mac OSX, Knoppix, Mephis	I use orange linux for my live boot builds. Its floppy based but it is so expandapble and open to change that I can fit it and knoppix like stuff, onto a CD. __________________ Elvis didn't die he just went open source w00tb0t, because you can't make tea with potatoes

03-09-2005, 04:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
DumberDrummer Cymru am byth Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Oregon Posts: 5,377 OS: Windows XP Pro SP2 My System	ET on linux, did you use the windows binaries, or the linux ones taken from Windows? __________________ Living with Louie dog's the only way to stay sane _____________________________________________ ... and with those words so begins my lifetime of longing for the devil's warm embrace

03-09-2005, 08:07 AM	#4 (permalink)
LoneWolf071 Be Free Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 834 OS: Windows XP, Linux	Hooah on the move to linux, but linux is not for gamming, there is one cool game, which is Americas Army, but other then that, it's hard to get games for linux. you can do a dual boot system with linux and windows, but if you are looking to do a Live CD, knoppix is the way to go.

03-09-2005, 02:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
Fox TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: NJ Posts: 7,752 OS: XP Pro, CentOS My System	I've actually gotten ET to work with Knoppix, though my settings were stored in the RAMdrive, so I had to set them again every time I played. I'm sure you could find a quick way to get around that, maybe there's a config file somewhere in the install file you could reroute to the hard drive. Another thing to keep in mind is that you'll have to do the captive NTFS thing (unless you specifically chose to install XP with a FAT32 partition) whenever you want to access these files. An option to think about is a USB thumbdrive this way you can do the "knoppix myconfig=search" when you start up, so you can at least have a custom resolution (can't have 1280x1024 without using kxconfig and restarting X unless you have a persistent settings directory), a custom background, and desktop stuff that actually stays there when you shut down. A nice plus of Knoppix is that it comes with OpenOffice installed.

03-09-2005, 04:41 PM	#8 (permalink)
Fox TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: NJ Posts: 7,752 OS: XP Pro, CentOS My System	I downloaded the lin installer from http://wolfenstein.4players.de I believe the only difference between the two versions is the installer; I believe you can get a RTCW installer for linux as well.

03-09-2005, 04:47 PM	#9 (permalink)
DumberDrummer Cymru am byth Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Oregon Posts: 5,377 OS: Windows XP Pro SP2 My System	So how did you get it on knoppix? A separate CD or something? __________________ Living with Louie dog's the only way to stay sane _____________________________________________ ... and with those words so begins my lifetime of longing for the devil's warm embrace

03-09-2005, 07:32 PM	#10 (permalink)
Fox TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: NJ Posts: 7,752 OS: XP Pro, CentOS My System	No, I downloaded and ran the installer on my hard disk.

03-09-2005, 11:10 PM	#11 (permalink)
w00t Chex mix and Cream soda! Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Oahu Posts: 596 OS: Slackware 11.1, Fedora Core 3, K12LTSP, Suse ES 9, Windows 2000sp4, Mac OSX, Knoppix, Mephis	If I read right then Knoppix 3.8 besides having some cool features can be put on a CD-RW and have files saved to it. __________________ Elvis didn't die he just went open source w00tb0t, because you can't make tea with potatoes