Try out Linux without installing it!

**rallyracr420** · 06-12-2005

I've been hearing alot about Linux lately throughout the forums ever since Kutaragi said the PS3 HDD would ship with Linux on it. Most people haven't tried Linux because they don't want to install a whole other OS or bother with a dual boot configuration.

Meet Knoppix.

Knoppix is a Linux distrobution that runs off of a bootable CD. Just download the .iso image, burn it to a CD, and reboot your computer with the CD in the drive. That's all it takes.

Knoppix doesn't install ANYTHING to your hard drive...in fact you don't even need a hard drive in your computer to run Knoppix. It has an office suite and a few web browsers built in, as well as tons of other software. Give it a try...its risk free!

**Hunnter** · 06-12-2005

I was going to try Knoppix, but i choose Slax, its cool, but i may still try knoppix.
I was kind of in a hurry to get an OS installed because my hard drive just died, an i knew about Slax before that, so in it went, burned, an its great, still using it now, im thinking of keeping this running, ive had it running non-stop for, hmm nearly 3 weeks now, its amazingly stable!
Try that with Windows an it falls apart in like 5 days with the things i usually done on it.

**PeanutButterMunky** · 06-12-2005

Do you burn Knoppix as a data CD or as an ISO CD? (or something else entirely?) I burned Knoppix onto a disc, changed by BIOS settings to boot from the CD, but Knoppix doesn't start up (just Windows XP). I'm probably doing something very wrong.

**Hunnter** · 06-12-2005

When i burned Slax, i think i had it set as burn ISO image, if thats on the menus, i burned mines to DVD though so i can expand it when i want, well, DVD+RW at that.
So who knows?

**straightballin** · 06-12-2005

Do you burn Knoppix as a data CD or as an ISO CD? (or something else entirely?) I burned Knoppix onto a disc, changed by BIOS settings to boot from the CD, but Knoppix doesn't start up (just Windows XP). I'm probably doing something very wrong.

Make sure you changed it to the right boot up drive and also its most likely an ISO CD.

**hoverbike** · 06-12-2005

Yes i knew about this 1 day ago and did anyone run the emulater that runs windows?

**ishould** · 06-12-2005

Also try Ubuntu if you want. "Linux for Humans" it made my whole "First linux experience" really good because it was so easy to run. I haven't tried Knoppix yet, but I'll I've heard is good things so it can't be that bad

**Hunnter** · 06-12-2005

I have a list of popular live CDs for Linux, also theres some utilities on there as well, i think i saw firewall on it somewhere, as well as a disk repair, the Ultimate Boot CD, i might burn that later actually

http://www.frozentech.com/content/livecd.php

Ive not even been through all this list either, i found it one day when i was searching for Slax, so i kept it, well, remembered how to find it again

**phobia** · 06-12-2005

Just a suggestion everybody that tried some linux versions give your toughts please. How does it compare to windows in terms of usability if you are coming from windows to linux and compare the versions of linux you used (could edit your posts to do this please it would be handy to other interested people such as myself)

I'm going to test slax and knoppix but linspire still seems most interesting but the live cd costs 20 bucks and even if i wanted to pay to try something i wouldn't be able to on the internet.

**SessDMC** · 06-12-2005

Originally Posted by PeanutButterMunky

Do you burn Knoppix as a data CD or as an ISO CD? (or something else entirely?) I burned Knoppix onto a disc, changed by BIOS settings to boot from the CD, but Knoppix doesn't start up (just Windows XP). I'm probably doing something very wrong.

You probably need to burn it as an ISO and to set the bios so it boots from the CD first. Should work then.

**phobia** · 06-12-2005

i'm currently running slax live cd i wish i could remember my msn password so i could tell my friend lol

slax: -compared to windows hmm went al good except i have no idea how to install software(something linspire does automaticly so that would be cool)
- i used the correct msn password and wouldn't log me in....

now burning knoppix will tell how that went.

edit: knoppix was in some ways better then slax but i didn't do full testing and i am don't even know how to do some things in linux

anyway this did not have the bug

now downloading linspire

**ishould** · 06-12-2005

If someone has found a linux version, or a software for it, where there is an easier way to install software, IE not with Terminal, or knows of a better way, please inform me of this. I like the interface of linux, I currently have fedora installed on my other HDD, but if it will always be this hard to install stuff, I don't know how well a perminant switch would do for me

**phobia** · 06-12-2005

well linspire has a technology built in called cnr click and run it allows you instal/uninstal software with a click of a button that is why i'm so eager to test this linux version

**Hunnter** · 06-12-2005

@Phobia: im guessing you were using Kopete on Slax, i cant get it to work either, but im using www.e-messenger.net to go online for msn just now, theres a Linux version of MSN at www.mess.be

Im not so sure about the installing thing, its awkward to say the least.

Edit:
I think you need to pay for that function in linspire last time i checked, why i never really went for it.
Also i couldnt find the permalink for where MSN Linux is saved, if there is one...

**phobia** · 06-12-2005

I think u just need to pay for linspire wich turns me down as well. Where do I learn linux such as installing software?

**Hunnter** · 06-12-2005

Well i learnt about installing through a readme in one of the files i downloaded, i cant remember where it was again, i think it was in the msn linux file about how you install it.

I think you open up the terminal, then type in (if the files in tar.gz) gzip -d [location of file], then type tar xvf [location of file, if you done the previous command, use the file that was uncompressed, it will be something like amsn.tar instead of amsn.tar.gz]

This is how you install the msn for linux from mess.be site

Installation guide:
Download the amsn-x_xx.tar.gz file. Untar it with the command:
gzip -d amsn-x_xx.tar.gz
tar xvf amsn-x_xx.tar
Where X is numbers

Hope this helps...

**phobia** · 06-12-2005

linspire is very pretty and well it's very pretty. I think i'll just get a free linux and learn how to use that!

**ishould** · 06-12-2005

I really cannot see the average consumer who is going to buy the PS3 doing that. Most people I know have a hard enough time understanding anything technologically related

**rallyracr420** · 06-12-2005

Originally Posted by PeanutButterMunky

Do you burn Knoppix as a data CD or as an ISO CD? (or something else entirely?) I burned Knoppix onto a disc, changed by BIOS settings to boot from the CD, but Knoppix doesn't start up (just Windows XP). I'm probably doing something very wrong.

You're going to need to find the 'burn cd from image' option in Nero, the 'burn image' option in EZCDCreator, or the 'Image Burning Wizard' in Alcohol120%. If you just burn the .iso fail to the CD as a file, it won't work.

**phobia** · 06-12-2005

Yeah an iso is an 'image' of the cd kinda like a rar it contains alot of files so cd's are easily downloadable. However it is not the iso itself that the computer needs at startup but the files that will be burned to the cd if you burn that 'image' to your cd.

**The Chocobo Kid** · 06-12-2005

so this is all free to try out. if you like the OS where can you buy it. do I have to got to sony office website to get it.

**ishould** · 06-12-2005

Originally Posted by The Chocobo Kid

so this is all free to try out. if you like the OS where can you buy it. do I have to got to sony office website to get it.

These are all free. They are Live Cd's so you don't have to install it to your HDD if you don't want. They all make install versions as well so if you do like it, you can put it on your HDD and it reduced the loading time. I'd say about 90% of linux distro's are free. The more professially produced distro's may cost some money, I've seen one that was like $169.99 every YEAR. Don't buy any though, try them all out and see which one you like best.

If you have a spare HDD laying around, put it in and put all the linux's you want to install on it to test out

**PeanutButterMunky** · 06-13-2005

Originally Posted by rallyracr420

Originally Posted by PeanutButterMunky

Do you burn Knoppix as a data CD or as an ISO CD? (or something else entirely?) I burned Knoppix onto a disc, changed by BIOS settings to boot from the CD, but Knoppix doesn't start up (just Windows XP). I'm probably doing something very wrong.

You're going to need to find the 'burn cd from image' option in Nero, the 'burn image' option in EZCDCreator, or the 'Image Burning Wizard' in Alcohol120%. If you just burn the .iso fail to the CD as a file, it won't work.

I have Nero and I'll do just that. Thanks.

**Fallout Boy** · 06-13-2005

if you want to learn i Linuxt, download eLearnix, its a slackware based distro that boots off a CD like Knoppix, but its got packages in it designed to teach you how to configure & use linux, its really good.