SUSE LINUX Live Evaluation CD

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gordon Darling
  • Start date Start date
G

Gordon Darling

Useful as a rescue CD.

http://www.suse.com/us/company/press/press_releases/archive01/live_eval_73.html

"est SUSE LINUX Without Installing It!

Would you like to test and see the new functionalities and the
look-and-feel of SUSE LINUX before installing it on your computer? Now you
have the chance to do it at no cost!

You can find the ISO of the so-called SUSE "Live Filesystem" under
ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/i386/l ive-eval-7.3. Once written on a CD, it
allows you to start SUSE LINUX from the CD, nevertheless with certain
speed limitations, without changing the partitioning of your hard disk
before usage.

There is no better way to test SUSE LINUX before purchasing it! By the
way: The SUSE LINUX Live Filesystem CD also proves invaluable as a rescue
CD.

Please note:
Please do not use the SUSE LINUX Live Evaluation CD, if your first hard
disk is configured as being part of a Promise IDE RAID array.

Unfortunately the Live Eval does not work if you use the RAID
functionality that is being used by Promise IDE RAID Controllers like the
Promise FastTrak100 and can lead to data corruption - Linux does not
detect the RAID array as a single drive and attempts to store the data on
the first disk of the RAID only. This seems to confuse the RAID controller
and can lead to corrupted data!"

Regards
Gordon
 
Useful as a rescue CD.

http://www.suse.com/us/company/press/press_releases/archive01/live_eval_73.html

"est SUSE LINUX Without Installing It! [...]

You can find the ISO of the so-called SUSE "Live Filesystem" under
ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/i386/l ive-eval-7.3. Once written on a CD, it
allows you to start SUSE LINUX from the CD, nevertheless with certain
speed limitations, without changing the partitioning of your hard disk
before usage.
Click to expand...
[...]

I can't connect with my browser. Poking around with Filezlla I think I
found it here:
ftp.suse.com//pub/suse/discontinued/i386/live-eval-7.3/

Is this the one you are talking about? Just want to be sure. Thanks
 
dszady said:
Useful as a rescue CD.

http://www.suse.com/us/company/press/press_releases/archive01/live_eval_73.html

"est SUSE LINUX Without Installing It!
[...]

You can find the ISO of the so-called SUSE "Live Filesystem" under
ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/i386/l ive-eval-7.3. Once written on a CD, it
allows you to start SUSE LINUX from the CD, nevertheless with certain
speed limitations, without changing the partitioning of your hard disk
before usage.
Click to expand...

[...]

I can't connect with my browser. Poking around with Filezlla I think I
found it here:
ftp.suse.com//pub/suse/discontinued/i386/live-eval-7.3/

Is this the one you are talking about? Just want to be sure. Thanks The newest version is 9.0
ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/i386/live-eval-9.0/
Click to expand...
 
Sweet Andy Licious said:
Whoa, I thought Linux was free. ;)
Click to expand...

Suse is practically free. But you cannot download readymade ISO files for
the full install version, only the live-CD version.

From their site:
"SUSE offers the possibility to install SUSE LINUX free of charge directly
from the FTP server. The function scope of FTP versions is virtually the
same as that of the "normal" version. Merely a few program packages have
been excluded due to license reasons. The installation support is not
included either."

Download mirrors here:
http://www.suse.co.uk/uk/private/download/ftp/int_mirrors.html

When you have come to one of the mirror sites you can choose to download
the live-eval ISO file for your computer architecture, usually i386, or you
can go to the boot directory for your architecture, download the boot.iso
file, burn it to a CD, and start the installation from it.
That boot CD, or floppy disk file, is very small, so the rest of the files
are downloaded during the installation.

The live-eval ISO is a full 700MB CD and the latest version, 9.0, is very
good as a standalone Linux version.
Only Knoppix live CD is comparable in easy of use and hardware detection.

The best Linux versions from my experience are:
Knoppix, best live-CD, but there is no other "full" version.
Suse, also very good live-CD, and possibililty of full installation via
ftp. (Full version with ready-made CD:s is payware)

Mandrake, live CD Mandrake Move, not as good as Knoppix and Suse, but not
far behind, could be an alternative. Full version, Mandrake 10 CE, 3 CD:s
which can be downloaded and burned.

For the more technically interested, Gentoo Linux, an open source freeware
community of voluntary developers worldwide, a special software
administration system called Portage which makes it easy to create your own
version of linux.
www.gentoo.org gives a lot of information, and no hassle about joining the
club, registering or login.

Gentoo linux is more complicated to download and install, but well worth
the effort for people who want to know what they are doing, have control
over the inner workings of their operative system, and who want to join a
global group of enthusiasts who help each other develop a totally free and
very advanced version of Linux.

Many specialty versions, like the Linux rescue CD, are based on Gentoo,
because it detects hardware very well, and is easy to configure for
personal or specialty versions.
 
Roger said:
Suse is practically free. But you cannot download readymade ISO files
for the full install version, only the live-CD version.

From their site:
"SUSE offers the possibility to install SUSE LINUX free of charge
directly from the FTP server. The function scope of FTP versions is
virtually the same as that of the "normal" version. Merely a few
program packages have been excluded due to license reasons. The
installation support is not included either."

Download mirrors here:
http://www.suse.co.uk/uk/private/download/ftp/int_mirrors.html

When you have come to one of the mirror sites you can choose to
download the live-eval ISO file for your computer architecture,
usually i386, or you can go to the boot directory for your
architecture, download the boot.iso file, burn it to a CD, and start
the installation from it.
That boot CD, or floppy disk file, is very small, so the rest of the
files are downloaded during the installation.

The live-eval ISO is a full 700MB CD and the latest version, 9.0, is
very good as a standalone Linux version.
Only Knoppix live CD is comparable in easy of use and hardware
detection.

The best Linux versions from my experience are:
Knoppix, best live-CD, but there is no other "full" version.
Suse, also very good live-CD, and possibililty of full installation
via ftp. (Full version with ready-made CD:s is payware)

Mandrake, live CD Mandrake Move, not as good as Knoppix and Suse, but
not far behind, could be an alternative. Full version, Mandrake 10
CE, 3 CD:s which can be downloaded and burned.

For the more technically interested, Gentoo Linux, an open source
freeware community of voluntary developers worldwide, a special
software administration system called Portage which makes it easy to
create your own version of linux.
www.gentoo.org gives a lot of information, and no hassle about
joining the club, registering or login.

Gentoo linux is more complicated to download and install, but well
worth the effort for people who want to know what they are doing,
have control over the inner workings of their operative system, and
who want to join a global group of enthusiasts who help each other
develop a totally free and very advanced version of Linux.

Many specialty versions, like the Linux rescue CD, are based on
Gentoo, because it detects hardware very well, and is easy to
configure for personal or specialty versions.
Click to expand...

I think you will find that most of the speciality Linux LiveCD and other
Linux distributions are based on either Gentoo or Debian. (e.g. Knoppix is
based on Debian).

Both are great Linux distributions but require some patience to install.
Neither come with a nice graphical Install Shield type program. Pity...

Both are FREE.. No hidden annual fees or other fees to worry about. Both
will upgrade itself to the latest version. No need to uninstall a version
and install a new version. (unlike some of the payware Linux distros).

But if you have a slow computer, I would stay away from Gentoo. Gentoo's
design centres around Portage software management system. With Portage you
compile the source code. For large programs, this could take DAYS if you
are using a slow computer! But once you are done, the software will be
optimized to run as fast as possible on your PC.

(Yes, there are some precompiled binaries that you can install off the 2nd
Packages CD. But eventually you will want to install software (or upgrade
software) that will require you to do some compiling).

Debian use the dpkg / APT-Get package management system. With dpkg /
Apt-get you generally download and install pre-compiled binaries. Very
Fast. Recommended for slow computers. With one command, dpkg will update
your system. The apt-get system is VERY powerful. (IMHO, it is more
powerful than Gentoo's Portage system or Redhats RPM system).

dkpg / apt-get will also warn you if you try to uninstall software that is
still being used as a dependency for another software package. The gentoo
Portage system does NOT warn you when uninstalling software packages that
are being used by other software. You could break you system.

IMHO, Debian is a little safer to use. You can also set up Debian so that
it will ONLY install FREE software.

I like BOTH Gentoo and Debian. (But don't install Gentoo on a slow
computer!).

(For newbie's, try Mandrake or Fedora first. It is a lot easier to install
with its graphical install shield)

Rob
 
Rob said:
Debian use the dpkg / APT-Get package management system. With dpkg /
Apt-get you generally download and install pre-compiled binaries. Very
Fast. Recommended for slow computers. With one command, dpkg will update
your system. The apt-get system is VERY powerful. (IMHO, it is more
powerful than Gentoo's Portage system or Redhats RPM system).

dkpg / apt-get will also warn you if you try to uninstall software that is
still being used as a dependency for another software package. The gentoo
Portage system does NOT warn you when uninstalling software packages that
are being used by other software. You could break you system.
Click to expand...


Thanks, you saved me several days of research on Debian with your
explanation on its dkpg / apt-get system and its advantages.

I tried installing Mandrake 10 CE on my computer and found that it caused a
lot of problems when I tried to put it on the same hard disk as my windows
installation. I have decided to use separate hard disks for Linux and
Windows in the future, and disconnect the hard disk(s) I do not use at the
moment, to protect it from interference.

Knoppix is so well-behaved that it can keep its settings files and swap
file on my Windows hard disk, and I keep running it from the live-CD.

Other Linuxes will get other hard disks to play with.
Most Linux distros are not made to co-exist with Windows in the same
computer, on the same physical hard disk, they often expect an empty hard
disk which they can partition and use alone.
 
Whoa, I thought Linux was free. ;)
Click to expand...

Linux is free.

Distributution though are not. You pay for packaging, manuals, some support
and the fact that things are nicely setup for you to install.

There are ways you can go get all the bits you need and build from scratch
but I don't really have THAT much inclination.
 
Roger said:
I tried installing Mandrake 10 CE on my computer and found that it
caused a lot of problems when I tried to put it on the same hard disk
as my windows installation. I have decided to use separate hard disks
for Linux and Windows in the future, and disconnect the hard disk(s)
I do not use at the moment, to protect it from interference.
Click to expand...

Mandrake 10 is still beta. I would stay away from it until it is officially
released in a few months. Mandrake 9.2 is very stable.

Setting up partitions and selection of the OS at boot up has NOTHING to do
with either Windows or Linux. The boot manager typically resides in the
Master Boot Record of the hard disk and is OS independent.

However, during the installation of many Linux OS's, it typically offers you
the option to resize an existing Windows (FAT32 or NTFS) partition. There
is always a risk of data loss during resizing. I have never experienced it
but I follow the following steps:

1. Back up important data files (like Favourites folder and My Documents)
just in case!
2. Perform a scandisk on the Windows partition
3. DEFRAG the Windows partition -- THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. It will help
ensure that no data is near the end of the partition. So when you resize
the likelihood of data loss.
4. shutdown the computer -- IMPORTANT -- make sure you shut down the
computer right after you finish the defrag. Do nothing else.

Then boot off the Linux installation disk(s)..... OR DO THE FOLLOWING:

My Preference --- Before I use the Linux installation disks, I boot off the
SystemRescueCD (www.sysresccd.org ) and use qtparted to resize the Windows
partition, create new partitions for Linux and then format these partitions.
(I typically create a 64 MB /boot partition using ext2 a swap partition that
is twice my RAM using the swap format and the rest of the system using
reiserfs. If you are new to Linux just create a /boot partition, a swap
partition and a / partition (or root partition)).

qtparted is a Partition Magic clone. It is very easy to use with its
graphical user interface.

Then I boot off the Linux installation disks. I have NEVER experienced any
data loss using this approach....

I have found that most Linux newbies have problems with partitioning. Use
CDSystemRescue. It makes life easier IMHO.
Knoppix is so well-behaved that it can keep its settings files and
swap file on my Windows hard disk, and I keep running it from the
live-CD.

Other Linuxes will get other hard disks to play with.
Most Linux distros are not made to co-exist with Windows in the same
computer, on the same physical hard disk, they often expect an empty
hard disk which they can partition and use alone.
Click to expand...

Most Linux distro are designed to co-exist with Windows. That is part of
the design of Linux.
But some installation programs for new Linux distros are not very user
friendly. Some assume that you have already resized the Windows partition.
Some might even assume that you have created partitions for Linux. Use
SystemRescueCD as noted above and you will have NO problems installing ANY
Linux distro alongside Windows..

Have fun with Linux.

Rob
 
Most Linux distro are designed to co-exist with Windows. That is part of
the design of Linux.
But some installation programs for new Linux distros are not very user
friendly. Some assume that you have already resized the Windows partition.
Some might even assume that you have created partitions for Linux. Use
SystemRescueCD as noted above and you will have NO problems installing ANY
Linux distro alongside Windows..
Click to expand...

I had already created four partitions on my hard disk as I installed a new
computer. I then installed windows in the first of four primary partitions.

The second partition I used for storage and programs.

Two weeks later I tried installing mandrake into the two empty partitions.
It all went fairly well until mandrake wanted me to set up a boot manager.
I wanted it to use a floppy disk, but it ignored my choice and installed
it, LILO, somewhere on the C:\ partition.

After that nothing worked in my computer, neither linux nor windows.

It took me 4-5 hours to get the computer back into working order.
I tried twice using ranish to reset the mbr record installing a standard
boot loader, I restored the C partition twice from partition saving images.

It kept complaining it couldn't read sector on the hard disk.
I tried using several programs on a windows rescue floppy, chkdsk, fdisk,
scandisk, etc..

Finally I found out that there was something wrong with the format type of
the C partition. Mandrake had changed it from vfat32LBA to vfat32.

I used ranish to change it back to vfat32lba and could get into windows
again and the computer worked as before.

A friend told me that it is better to install linux first, and then
windows, if I wanted them to share a hard disk.

Anyway, it all made me decide to keep windows and linux installations on
separate hard disk in the future.

I don't doubt that it can go well, as it obviously has done for you, to
install linux after windows, I just want to warn people that it can go very
wrong too. And I am no beginner with computers, I tried my best to get
mandrake installed as well as possible.

If I hadn't had all these help tools available and had known how to use
them I would probably have had to delete everything on the hard disk, and
start over from scratch, losing all valuable data in my windows
installation.
 
Tweetie said:
Linux is free.

Distributution though are not. You pay for packaging, manuals, some
support and the fact that things are nicely setup for you to install.

There are ways you can go get all the bits you need and build from
scratch but I don't really have THAT much inclination.
Click to expand...

Well some distros are also free. These free distros offer not only the
software for free but also manuals etc. (But you must pay for the cost to
print them off on your own printer). As far as support is concerned, there
are great newsgroups and forums.

Two examples of great FREE Linux distros are Mandrake and Redhat Fedora.
Both are also easy to setup for Linux newbies with their GUI based install
shield programs. (Just as easy or hard as installing Windows for the first
time).

There are other FREE linux distros like Debian and Gentoo but I would NOT
recommend them for Linux newbies since their installation programs are NOT
very user friendly nor pretty! Without some computer expertise, you will be
very frustrated.

I agree with you that if you want telephone support or a nice pre-printed
manual, then BUY the payware versions. I would recommend that most newbies
to Linux (especially newbies that do NOT have much computer expertise) BUY a
Linux disto that offers great support.

Installing an OS takes more expertise and patience than installing a
software package like a Word Pro Package. I suspect that many folks would
also have similar problems and frustration installing Windows for the first
time on a custom build computer!

Rob
 
Roger said:
I had already created four partitions on my hard disk as I installed
a new computer. I then installed windows in the first of four primary
partitions.

The second partition I used for storage and programs.

Two weeks later I tried installing mandrake into the two empty
partitions.
It all went fairly well until mandrake wanted me to set up a boot
manager.
I wanted it to use a floppy disk, but it ignored my choice and
installed
it, LILO, somewhere on the C:\ partition.
Click to expand...

I never went this route trying to use a floppy. I prefer installing a boot
manager on the hard disk so that at startup I can choose between WIndows and
Linux. Lilo is okay but I prefer GRUB as the boot manager. There is no
reason why you could not install a boot manager onto a floppy....

If you really don't want a boot manager installed on the hard disk, try not
to install one at all! (some distros like mandrake probably won't let you do
this. Others like Gentoo will). Then install GRUB and tell GRUB to ONLY
create a boot floppy. This will let you boot into Linux off a floppy and
you will not have to install a boot manager on the MBR. For a great
tutorial on GRUB see the FREE IBM developerworks tutorials)
After that nothing worked in my computer, neither linux nor windows.

It took me 4-5 hours to get the computer back into working order.
I tried twice using ranish to reset the mbr record installing a
standard
boot loader, I restored the C partition twice from partition saving
images.
Click to expand...

I am glad you were able too do this. Most people after experiencing
problems with a corrupted MBR, give up an reinstall Windows!)
It kept complaining it couldn't read sector on the hard disk.
I tried using several programs on a windows rescue floppy, chkdsk,
fdisk, scandisk, etc..

Finally I found out that there was something wrong with the format
type of the C partition. Mandrake had changed it from vfat32LBA to
vfat32.

I used ranish to change it back to vfat32lba and could get into
windows
again and the computer worked as before.

A friend told me that it is better to install linux first, and then
windows, if I wanted them to share a hard disk.
Click to expand...

The problem with installing Windows last is that Windows does NOT like Linux
(or even check for its existence). It is more likely that a Wiindows
installation will mess up the Linux installation..
Anyway, it all made me decide to keep windows and linux installations
on separate hard disk in the future.
Click to expand...

There is nothing wrong with this approach but it probably would not have
prevented the problems you experienced and listed above. You still have to
create or use some sort of boot manager so you an boot either Windows or
Linux.
 
Rob said:
There is nothing wrong with this approach but it probably would not have
prevented the problems you experienced and listed above. You still have to
create or use some sort of boot manager so you an boot either Windows or
Linux.
Click to expand...

Not if I change the hard disk. Then the computer will see only windows, or
linux, when it starts, there can be no conflict with a hard disk which is
not connected at all.

I simply change the hard disk when I want to run linux, and change back
when I want to run windows again.
If I have the hard disks standing beside the computer this changing is
fairly easy to do.

It is enough to pull the power plug on the hard disk I do not want to use
at the moment, the IDE contacts can remain in place, if I only use two hard
disks.
My friend has 6 hard disks standing beside his computer and moves the
cables to the ones he wants to use at the moment, and that works well.

But the boot floppy disk is also a good way to solve the problem, if you
need to have the hard disk(s) connected all the time.
 
Knoppix is so well-behaved that it can keep its settings files and swap
file on my Windows hard disk, and I keep running it from the live-CD.
Click to expand...

I wish it were so well-behaved on my system. I find that it doesn't
save the Desktop as advertised, and worse, it has a tendency to shut
itself down without any input from me. Sometimes it shuts down
immediately after loading KDE, other times it initiates shutdown while
I'm moving the mouse pointer across the desktop.

I've had these problems with two versions of 3.3, and am hoping for
better performance from 3.4 when it comes out.



Achim



axethetax
 
I wish it were so well-behaved on my system. I find that it doesn't
save the Desktop as advertised, and worse, it has a tendency to shut
itself down without any input from me. Sometimes it shuts down
immediately after loading KDE, other times it initiates shutdown while
I'm moving the mouse pointer across the desktop.
Click to expand...

But it does not endanger your windows installation in any way, it just has
its own problems.
That is the important point.
 
Useful as a rescue CD.

http://www.suse.com/us/company/press/press_releases/archive01/live_eval_73.html

"est SUSE LINUX Without Installing It!

Would you like to test and see the new functionalities and the
look-and-feel of SUSE LINUX before installing it on your computer? Now you
have the chance to do it at no cost!

You can find the ISO of the so-called SUSE "Live Filesystem" under
ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/i386/l ive-eval-7.3. Once written on a CD, it
Click to expand...
Snip------------

I found thw SuSe 9.0 CD included with my December Linux Format
magazine. Email me if you can't get a copy of the ISO or files.

By the way, SLAX is a very nice mini-CD live disk distro based on
Slackware. I tried it on a laptop with no OS installed yet last
night. This lightweight NEC has all the peripheral hanging off it
rather than installed inside, and everything was detected, including
my network/DSL connection. Not as application-rich as Knoppix, but it
has at least one app in the various categories. You can boot to a
shell, X-Windows, or the KDE environment. About 160 MB ISO.
 
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