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Knoppix

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Knoppix
Knoppix 4.0
DeveloperKlaus Knopper
OS familyLinux
Working stateCurrent
Source modelOpen source
Latest release4.0.2 / September 23, 2005
Kernel typeMonolithic kernel
LicenseGPL
Official websitewww.knopper.net

Knoppix is a Linux distribution LiveCD. Knoppix is a Debian based Linux distribution running on a CD or DVD drive without using the hard drive or installing any files onto the hard drive. Knoppix was developed by GNU/Linux consultant Klaus Knopper.

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.org, and the GIMP) and for system repair. The complete graphical environment and networking make it much more comfortable than the previous generation of boot floppies for system administrators repairing systems whose hard drives won't boot.

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 handed out to visitors at the LinuxTag convention on June 22, 2005.

Usage

Knoppix has a wide variety of free software. More than 2600 software packages are included on the DVD edition and more than 1000 are included on the CD edition. Up to 9 gigabytes can be stored on the DVD in compressed form. When a program is used, it is decompressed into a RAM drive. The decompression is transparent and on-the-fly. Knoppix recommends at least 128MB of RAM in order to accommodate this RAM drive.

Unlike standard Linux distributions, it does not require a hard drive installation; the system can boot from a single 4.7 gigabyte DVD or a 700 megabyte Compact disc. One needs a bootable CD or DVD-ROM drive to start Knoppix from the CD. In order to start the CD/DVD, it may be necessary to enter the BIOS Setup of your computer and, in the boot order, select the CD drive before the hard drive or floppy drive. Insert the CD/DVD and restart the computer. The KNOPPIX start-up script goes through hardware autodetection and brings up the graphical user interface. When starting a program it is loaded from the CD or DVD.

Knoppix can also be installed to a hard disk with an ext3 partition. Users must switch to a root console and type "knx-hdinstall" or "knoppix-installer" in version 3.8. Installing Knoppix to a hard drive allows users to save files and let Knoppix be a more permanent OS.

There are different possible uses of the Knoppix live CD:

  • an introduction to Linux, especially as a desktop operating system
  • advocacy or demonstration at conferences
  • in-store testing whether a computer system is compatible with Linux before purchasing it
  • restoring a defunct system or some of its data
  • running a firewall or router
  • bootstrapping a Debian (or other Linux) installation
  • forensic investigation on hard drives

Highlights

Making it go faster

The drawback of using KNOPPIX is that running the programs from the CDROM leads to long program loading time. There is a relatively straightforward way to accelerate work under KNOPPIX if an empty FAT32-partition is available. The KNOPPIX folder may be copied into this partition by using any operating system. When the KNOPPIX system boots, the CDROM or DVD is only used for loading an initial minimal system and then the switch over to the KNOPPIX folder on the harddisk is made for further work. This leads to straightforward upgrading of a new version of KNOPPIX. People just replace a folder on the harddisk partition.It is also possible to get the entire CD copied into RAM by using the "toram" option. However, this takes some time and requires enough RAM (1GB, CD version). In addition the CD or DVD may be removed after booting.

A other option is to install Knoppix on the hard drive, like described in the Usage section, so that the CD/DVD is never used.

But the main reason to use Knoppix is certainly not speed but to have a Linux system by just inserting a CD/DVD and perhaps a USB memory stick.

Saving changes in the environment

Prior to Knoppix 3.8.1, any documents or settings a user created would disappear upon reboot. This lack of permanence for anything a user did made it necessary to save any documents explicity to a hard drive partition or over the network. Another possibility was and is to save data to a user's home directory on a removable medium, such as a USB thumbdrive or a FAT32 partition.

What is stored there physically is a file called "persistent home" (with the name knoppix.img). The file is used to simulate a file system into which files are written for later use. This is transparent for the user. What the user perceives is that it's possible to write files to the home directory.

In the latest version of Knoppix the UnionFS filesystem even allows a user to write to the boot media (e.g., if Knoppix has been burned onto a CD-RW or DVD±RW).

If Knoppix has been burned to read-only media (such as a CD-R or DVD±R) then the UnionFS transparently puts the file into the knoppix.img file system. From the user point of view he can update any file in the file system.

This in fact means that the user can install additional software to the KNOPPIX system by using e.g. APT to update and install software. By carrying a Knoppix CD and a USB thumbdrive, a user can have the same environment, programs, settings, and data available on any computer.

Graphic cards

The graphics card device driver is very important in using this distribution as it relies on a Graphical user interface, although most expert users can make use of the command line interface. If your graphic card does not work, it may be that it is new (or exotic) and is not in the knoppix hardware database yet. New cards will usually work under Linux, but they may have to be run using a generic driver (i.e. xmodule=fbdev).


Installing additional programs

KNOPPIX comes with a predetermined set of programs. Besides the traditional installation of programs mentioned above there is an easy way to add a few more by using klik. The user has to go to a web site and can install programs just with one click. The system contains build recipes that makes KNOPPIX create a single large file which contains everything needed to run the program. The program is run by just clicking on it.

Boot Options

Boot options are also known as cheat codes. Automatic hardware detection may fail, or the user may want to use something other than the default settings. For example, the user may want to boot into xfce, or boot a plain console, or proceed without SCSI support. For this, Knoppix allows the user to enter one or more cheat codes at the prompt before booting. If the user doesn't enter a cheat code, or if no key is pressed before the timeout, Knoppix will boot with its default options. Cheat codes are entered in the format "kernel options". Cheat codes affect many auto-detection and hardware options. Many cheat codes also affect the gui. The list of cheat codes is available on the Knoppix mirrors, and can be seen at boot time by pressing F1.

Languages

To set a language other than the default (CDs are available with either German or English as the default language), type your language abbreviation at the boot prompt. For US English, one would type:

knoppix lang=us

Linux (Kernel) 2.6.X

Knoppix has offered the Linux 2.6 kernel as an option since version 3.4; since version 3.8 it has been standard. Older versions of Knoppix default to a version of the 2.4 kernel.

Drawbacks of Knoppix

Knoppix has two important drawbacks:

  • Knoppix works on a fairly high number of PCs or laptops but not on all as the automatic hardware detection cannot cope with all hardware. Sometimes the drivers used will not be optimal. Knoppix being a LiveCD cannot be upgraded with driver upgrades easily. Knoppix has difficulty recognizing cards made before 1998, or motherboards with a BIOS made before 2002.
  • Memory usage: Knoppix requires memory of at least 128 MB to run the KDE environment, and even then Knoppix has long loading times when running from the CD or DVD (see accelerating the speed above). The need for large amounts of memory is a shortcoming that KNOPPIX shares with LiveCDs in general.

Sources: http://code.campware.org/projects/livesupport/ticket/934 http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=5589 http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=5589&page=2 http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Bugs/3.6-2004-08-16

Downloading Knoppix

The DVD is only available via rsync, using the command 

rsync -avv rsync://ftp.gwdg.de/pub/linux/knoppix/dvd/KNOPPIX_V4.0.2DVD-2005-09-23-EN.iso

Versions

Screenshot desktop Knoppix 3.9
Knoppix version Release date
3.1 19 January 2003
3.2 26 July 2003
3.3 16 February 2004
3.4 17 May 2004
3.6 16 August 2004
3.7 9 December 2004
3.8.2 12 May 2005
3.9 1 June 2005
4.0 22 June 2005
4.0 updated 16 August 2005
4.0.2 23 September 2005
4.1 ? 2006

Variations

  • Auditor Security Collection is commonly used to test the security of networks. Auditor gives one root privileges.
  • BioKnoppix targeted for the molecular biologist, intended for demonstrations, molecular biology students, workshops, etc.
  • ClusterKnoppix is a distribution based on Knoppix using the Linux Terminal Server Project and openMosix. It is a convenient way to try out clustering.
  • Damn Small Linux, Feather Linux and Flonix are Linux LiveCDs that are very small, mostly under 50MB in size, but fairly robust and desktop-oriented nonetheless.
  • eduKnoppix is an Italian Knoppix variation, aimed at primary schools. It focuses on children aged between 8-15, and thus contains a lot of educational software for kids. The other language supported is English.
  • Games Knoppix is a Live CD with a lot of free games based on KNOPPIX with accelerated 3D support for ATI and Nvidia graphic cards.
  • The Gnoppix project uses a modified form of Knoppix with GNOME as the default desktop environment.
  • Hispalinux has an ongoing project, Metadistros, to enable the easy creation of customized Knoppix-like Linux live CDs with an easy installation on the hard disk.
  • Kanotix Linux LiveCD is based on KNOPPIX, but mostly based on Debian Sid. The current version of Kanotix is 2005-04.
  • Knoppix STD (security tools distribution) is a customized distribution of Knoppix that focuses on computer security tools. It includes GPL licensed tools in the following categories: authentication, password cracking, encryption, forensics, firewalls, honeypots, intrusion detection system, network utilities, Penetration, Packet sniffers, Assemblers, vulnerability assessment and Wireless networking.
  • Kurumin is a Brazilian distribution based on Knoppix (with support for the English language) that fits on a Mini-cd. It includes standard desktop applications, documentation and an e-book that introduces users to Linux.
  • ParallelKnoppix is a Knoppix-based LiveCD with support for netbooting (via PXE) an MPI (Message Passing Interface) cluster off a single master node.
  • Quantian is a Knoppix-like DVD geared towards sciencific, numerical and statistical tools, based on clusterKnoppix and offering openMosix clustering (as well as MPI/PVM clusters) out of the box or via PXE netbooting.
  • Formerly WHoppiX, whose name was a combination of Whitehat and Knoppix, was another Knoppix based distribution designed for security tasks. Since version 3.0 of "WHoppiX" the liveCD was renamed to WHAX, because the distribution is based on SLAX from that version on.
  • VigyaanCD Vigyaan is an electronic workbench for bioinformatics, computational biology and computational chemistry. Based on Knoppix, it has been designed to meet the needs of both beginners and experts.

Further reading

The Wikibook [[wikibooks:|]] has a page on the topic of: Knowing Knoppix

See also

News articles

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