Freeware Linux from a CD?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Paul Woodsford
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Paul Woodsford

I would like to try Linux on my PC. I gather there are versions that will
run from a CD without disturbing your present set-up i.e.: no installation
to HD.
Has anyone any experience and/or recommendations.
I would like it to use my ADSL connection using the present USB Alcatel
modem.
Any info or links would be much appreciated.
 
"Paul Woodsford"
I would like to try Linux on my PC. I gather there are versions that will
run from a CD without disturbing your present set-up i.e.: no installation
to HD.
Has anyone any experience and/or recommendations.
I would like it to use my ADSL connection using the present USB Alcatel
modem.
Any info or links would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...


Most major distros now offer a bootable CD version, but the
longest-established is Knoppix. I think that Knoppix is probably your
best bet for completeness and ease of use. My preferred distro,
Mandrake, has just released its own CD-only version, but it's very
new, and I wouldn't bother with it yet,
 
I am a Linux newbie, and have tried 4 Live Cd distros. Knoppix is the
most popular, but may cause problems if you have a Dell. (Why, I'm not
sure.) When you exit from the cd you can't get back to windows unless
you turn off your pc, unplug it, press the power button, plug it back in
and then restart. Morphix, and Mandrake Move are ok, but my favorite
so far is PCLinuxOS. All these and more are at
http://www.distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=cd

good luck
 
Paul said:
I would like to try Linux on my PC. I gather there are versions that will
run from a CD without disturbing your present set-up i.e.: no installation
to HD.
Has anyone any experience and/or recommendations.
I would like it to use my ADSL connection using the present USB Alcatel
modem.
Any info or links would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...
I have used Knoppix and it works great. I use it to test my freeware
java apps.

I hihly recommend giving Knoppix a try
 
Subject: Re: Freeware Linux from a CD?
From: Brian Pipa (e-mail address removed)
Date: 12/12/2003 10:24 AM E. Australia Standard Time
Message-id: <[email protected]>

Paul said:
I would like to try Linux on my PC. I gather there are versions that will
run from a CD without disturbing your present set-up i.e.: no installation
to HD.
Has anyone any experience and/or recommendations.
I would like it to use my ADSL connection using the present USB Alcatel
modem.
Any info or links would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...
I have used Knoppix and it works great. I use it to test my freeware
java apps.

I hihly recommend giving Knoppix a try

--
---
MP3 Automagic CD Cover Creator
http://maccc.filenabber.com






if you dont want to download 700 megabytes try the light version, damn small
linux,just download the iso.open it with your burning software and burn it to a
cd, http://damnsmalllinux.org/
 
I would like to try Linux on my PC. I gather there are versions that will
run from a CD without disturbing your present set-up i.e.: no installation
to HD.
Has anyone any experience and/or recommendations.
I would like it to use my ADSL connection using the present USB Alcatel
modem.
Click to expand...

Supposedly according to a post I saw via Google, Mandrake 9 (.1 or .2,
I forget) apparently supports the Alcatel USB DSL modem.

Also one of the 2.4.22 kernel apparently has the driver module in it.

Go here http://linux-usb.sourceforge.net/SpeedTouch/index.html for the
sourceforge project producing the Linux driver for this modem.

It may, however, be a bear to install, I don't know - I haven't read
the docs, but a HOWTO I saw dated in 2001 indicated it took mucho work
to get it to work. The Sourceforge project has more current info,
tho, so check it out.
 
Paul said:
I would like to try Linux on my PC. I gather there are versions that will
run from a CD without disturbing your present set-up i.e.: no installation
to HD.
Has anyone any experience and/or recommendations.
I would like it to use my ADSL connection using the present USB Alcatel
modem.
Any info or links would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...
I have tried four distro knoppix, red hat, mandrake and SUSE. None of
these works out of the box with the USB Speedtouch modem I use also.

Greetings,
Jeroen
 
I have tried four distro knoppix, red hat, mandrake and SUSE. None of
these works out of the box with the USB Speedtouch modem I use also.
Click to expand...
Which distro, in your experience, works best?
I'm toying with giving Linux another bash ( last time was with
Mandrake 7 - I wasn't convinced enough ).

Regards,
 
Jeroen said:
I have tried four distro knoppix, red hat, mandrake and SUSE. None of
these works out of the box with the USB Speedtouch modem I use also.

Greetings,
Jeroen
Click to expand...

I downloaded Knoppix v3.3 .ISO today. I'll give the ftp link below as
it's the fastest. It's amazing stuff! Booted and configured in under a
minute from the burned CDR.

As for getting speedtouch 330/USB see also the links below. There's a
little bit of configuring to do.


Get Knoppix FTP Site and file (UK):

ftp.mirror.ac.uk:/sites/ftp.uni-kl.de/pub/linux/knoppix/KNOPPIX_V3.3-2003-11-19-EN.iso

Also get the .md5.

USB drivers how to:

http://david.abdelli.free.fr/speedtouch/en/

http://linux-usb.sourceforge.net/SpeedTouch/index.html

HelpingHand
 
Tried the Koppix CD. Installs OK but have yet to get the USB ADSL connection
working, despite all the helpful infomation from all of you.
Thanks anyway, I'll keep at it.

--
Paul Woodsford
Remove ****NOSPAMPLEASE**** to Reply
:
:
: Jeroen Roeterd wrote:
: >
: > Paul Woodsford wrote:
: > > I would like to try Linux on my PC. I gather there are versions that
will
: > > run from a CD without disturbing your present set-up i.e.: no
installation
: > > to HD.
: > > Has anyone any experience and/or recommendations.
: > > I would like it to use my ADSL connection using the present USB
Alcatel
: > > modem.
: > > Any info or links would be much appreciated.
: > >
: > I have tried four distro knoppix, red hat, mandrake and SUSE. None of
: > these works out of the box with the USB Speedtouch modem I use also.
: >
: > Greetings,
: > Jeroen
:
: I downloaded Knoppix v3.3 .ISO today. I'll give the ftp link below as
: it's the fastest. It's amazing stuff! Booted and configured in under a
: minute from the burned CDR.
:
: As for getting speedtouch 330/USB see also the links below. There's a
: little bit of configuring to do.
:
:
: Get Knoppix FTP Site and file (UK):
:
:
ftp.mirror.ac.uk:/sites/ftp.uni-kl.de/pub/linux/knoppix/KNOPPIX_V3.3-2003-11
-19-EN.iso
:
: Also get the .md5.
:
: USB drivers how to:
:
: http://david.abdelli.free.fr/speedtouch/en/
:
: http://linux-usb.sourceforge.net/SpeedTouch/index.html
:
: HelpingHand
: --
: Do yourself a favor. Listen to Mozart's music.
 
(e-mail address removed) ( Steve H) wrote in
Which distro, in your experience, works best?
I'm toying with giving Linux another bash ( last time was with
Mandrake 7 - I wasn't convinced enough ).

Regards,
Click to expand...

In the few months, I have installed and tried the following:
Mandrake Linux 9.2
BLAG 9001
Fedora Core 1
Knoppix 3.3 (installed to HDD)
RedHat Linux 9
I have had success installing all of them. I have settled on Mandrake
because of the ease of switching desttops and its general versatility.
BLAG is very nice but appears to be limited to the Gnome destop. BLAG
(www.blagblagblag.org) and Fedora Core 1 are really variations on Red Hat
Linux.

I have had great difficulty installing Suse, Geetoo nd Debian. See this
site http://www.distrowatch.com/ for a more infromed evaluation than mine.
Good Luck!
 
In the few months, I have installed and tried the following:
Mandrake Linux 9.2
BLAG 9001
Fedora Core 1
Knoppix 3.3 (installed to HDD)
RedHat Linux 9
I have had success installing all of them. I have settled on Mandrake
because of the ease of switching desttops and its general versatility.
BLAG is very nice but appears to be limited to the Gnome destop. BLAG
(www.blagblagblag.org) and Fedora Core 1 are really variations on Red Hat
Linux.

I have had great difficulty installing Suse, Geetoo nd Debian. See this
site http://www.distrowatch.com/ for a more infromed evaluation than mine.
Good Luck!
Click to expand...

Many thanks - I'm tempted with Mandrake 9.2, but apparently V10 is due
out in spring, so I might use a cover mag installation until then.

Regards,
 
Linux is a pain in the ass with USB modems, I got a Gnet BB0029 modem
and it won't work with any Linux distro (the link light won't link if
there is no proper driver)

If you want another freebie linux try Mepis Linux


The Software Corner
http://www.thesoftwarecorner.com
Enhance your computing experience!
 
Many thanks - I'm tempted with Mandrake 9.2, but apparently V10 is due
out in spring, so I might use a cover mag installation until then.
Click to expand...

Mandrake 9.2 currently available on the Linux Format Magazine DVD.
4-CD distro on the DVD. (Plus the usual other stuff - 5GB of software
total!)
 
I am a Linux newbie, and have tried 4 Live Cd distros. Knoppix is the
most popular, but may cause problems if you have a Dell. (Why, I'm not
sure.) When you exit from the cd you can't get back to windows unless
you turn off your pc, unplug it, press the power button, plug it back
in and then restart. Morphix, and Mandrake Move are ok, but my
favorite so far is PCLinuxOS. All these and more are at
http://www.distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=cd

good luck
Click to expand...

I have been downloading and trying various live CD's but PClinuxOS is
giving me problems. I downloaded the ISO and burned it to CD (like all
the others I tried) but it will not boot I get the Debian start then it
goes directing into Windows, something that none of the other distro's do.

What did you differently that me?

--
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
El Gee

Did you hear the one about the dyslexic, agnostic, insomniac?
He would stay up late every night and wonder if there was a dog.


Remove yourhat to reply ... but it may take a while.
Best to go to www.mistergeek.com and reply from there.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
El said:
I have been downloading and trying various live CD's but PClinuxOS is
giving me problems. I downloaded the ISO and burned it to CD (like all
the others I tried) but it will not boot I get the Debian start then it
goes directing into Windows, something that none of the other distro's do.

What did you differently that me?
Click to expand...
Maybe you just got a bad download. Did you use the MD5 checksum to make
sure the download was error free? I just downloaded it and burned it
with Nero using default settings. Good Luck
 
Mandrake 9.2 currently available on the Linux Format Magazine DVD.
4-CD distro on the DVD. (Plus the usual other stuff - 5GB of software
total!)
Click to expand...

I saw that... got no DVD player tho' :(

Regards,
 
Maybe you just got a bad download. Did you use the MD5 checksum to
make sure the download was error free? I just downloaded it and
burned it with Nero using default settings. Good Luck
Click to expand...

I know this may sound dumb, but how do you use the checksum? I have
down loaded it as well as the .iso file.

--
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
El Gee

Did you hear the one about the dyslexic, agnostic, insomniac?
He would stay up late every night and wonder if there was a dog.


Remove yourhat to reply ... but it may take a while.
Best to go to www.mistergeek.com and reply from there.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
On Sat, 13 Dec 2003 21:37:51 GMT, Richard Steven Hack


I saw that... got no DVD player tho' :(
Click to expand...

If you can find somebody with one and a CD-RW, they have the four CD
images on the DVD that you can burn - so you don't need a DVD drive to
install it.
 
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