Salix Live Xfce 13.37 alpha

[JRD]

After some months developing an alternative to LLS (ftp://ftp.slax.org/Linux-Live/) and SLS (http://slackware-live.tuxfamily.org/-Home-), the Live team is proud to present the first alpha version of Salix Live Xfce 13.37, in both 32 and 64 bits. This version is build uppon SaLT (Salix Live Technology), a new system of Live tools for Slackware-based distros: https://salix.svn.sourceforge.net/svnro ... alt/trunk/ (See the README for all the features)

This includes the same applications and packages as the regular Salix Xfce 13.37, 32 or 64 bits, with the following additions:

• isomaster, for managing ISO files;
• gparted, for managing partitions;
• grub2, for a beautiful boot menu and options;
• rdesktop, for connecting to RDP server (like Windows or VirtualBox 4+);
• salix-live-installer, for installing Salix on a hard disk;
• persistence-wizard, for creating a persistence file in order to keep changes upon reboot in the live environment.

The LiveClone tool is still under development and will be part of the beta version to come.

Some boot options are not yet been included in the grub2 boot menu. So here are the missing ones:

• ibus=on, to activate the new IBus keyboard system;
• passwd=new_password, to change the root password. Use 'ask' to be asked about the new root password;
• nosound, will mute all sound;
• identfile, to change the file looked into the live CD. Only useful for those who remaster this alpha version;
• savefile, to change the file looked for the persistence file;
• proxy=server:port, to fix a global proxy to use for Salix.

The root password is live.
You don't need a password for the regular and auto-logged in user one.

The startup guide is still being written and can be found here http://people.salixos.org/tsuren/doc/Sa ... draft3.pdf

You can download the ISOs from here:

• 32bits:
  • http://enialis.net/~jrd/salix/salixlive ... ,23:20.iso
  • http://enialis.net/~jrd/salix/salixlive ... 20.iso.md5
• 64bits:
  • http://enialis.net/~jrd/salix/salixlive ... ,18:08.iso
  • http://enialis.net/~jrd/salix/salixlive ... 08.iso.md5

There is also a way to boot the LiveCD through PXE. For this, you need a special initrd. Here it is, for 32 or 64 bits, respectively:

• http://enialis.net/~jrd/salix/salixlive ... 3.37-32.xz
• http://enialis.net/~jrd/salix/salixlive ... 3.37-64.xz

A wiki page will be created to explain how to boot from PXE. For now you can read the documentation already present in our subversion repository: https://salix.svn.sourceforge.net/svnro ... tra/README

[pwatk]

There is also a way to boot the LiveCD through PXE. For this, you need a special initrd. Here it is, for 32 or 64 bits, respectively:

http://enialis.net/~jrd/salix/salixlive ... 3.37-32.xz
http://enialis.net/~jrd/salix/salixlive ... 3.37-64.xz

A wiki page will be created to explain how to boot from PXE. For now you can read the documentation already present in our subversion repository: https://salix.svn.sourceforge.net/svnro ... tra/README

Awesome

Once I've set everything up I'll report back.

[Shador]

There are issue with autologin, locale and keyboard maps here, i.e. issues with rc.salt. I think this is caused because rc.services calls all scripts in the background (i.e. script &). A possible solution could be to change this behaviour, so rc.services waits until all childs it spawns have completed. IMHO this is cleaner than the current approach, too, as it ensures startup is really completely finished before logging in. Here's the patch to rc.services:

Code: Select all

--- /etc/rc.d/rc.services.orig	2011-06-19 00:31:19.173000029 +0200
+++ /etc/rc.d/rc.services	2011-06-19 00:31:24.297000030 +0200
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 
 import os
+from subprocess import *
 
 blacklist = [ '.conf', \
 		'.new', \
@@ -73,4 +74,11 @@
 	return scripts
 
 for i in validscripts():
-	os.system('/usr/bin/ionice -c2 -n2 sh /etc/rc.d/'+i+' start &')
+	args = [ '/usr/bin/ionice', '-c2', '-n2', 'sh',
+		'/etc/rc.d/' + i, 'start' ]
+	Popen(args)
+while True:
+	try:
+		os.wait()
+	except OSError:
+		break

I didn't test yet, whether that fixes my problems with the LiveCD as that would require remastering the modules.

Configuring synaptics through hal is not anymore supported and just doesn't work on my 13.37 desktop. But a file with this content in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d works:

Code: Select all

Section "InputClass"
      Identifier "touchpad"
      Driver "synaptics"
      MatchIsTouchpad "on"
	 Option "TapButton1" "1"
	 Option "TapButton2" "2"
	 Option "TapButton3" "3"
	 Option "VertEdgeScroll" "on"
	 Option "VertTwoFingerScroll" "on"
	 Option "HorizEdgeScroll" "on"
	 Option "HorizTwoFingerScroll" "on"
	 Option "CircularScrolling" "on"
	 Option "CircScrollTrigger" "2"
	 Option "EmulateTwoFingerMinZ" "0"
EndSection

It would be great to have an option like DISPLAYNAME in the config file for the livecd/salt. Currently for example the start entry in the bootmenu is quite cryptic.

Thanks JRD for putting so much effort in this. You really did a good job so far.

[mimosa]

Just downloaded and booted. Great to see Brazilian keyboard and locale!

Both work here - not sure how that might relate to rc.salt as mentioned by Shador.

EDIT

I realise it's hardly a priority at this stage, but gmountman doesn't work. Gvfs and gnome-mount are present. Select the item, type 'm', nothing. But it works in xfce 13.37.

[mimosa]

I can't get persistence to work - it just doesn't seem to see the file. (I know persistence only takes effect after creating the file and rebooting.) The file seems to record changes of some kind, because diff could tell the difference between a fresh persistence file and an existing one.

Then when I tried to change the boot options to tell it exactly where to look for the file, C-x and F10 both failed to boot my edited options - the only way I could boot was ESC to throw changes away.

[tsuren]

mimosa, I have just tested with the 32 bits. Both persistence and gmountman worked fine here.

[mimosa]

@ tsuren

hmm... wonder what I might be doing wrong? I suppose it might be a bad burn. I'll check that and post if it is. Everything else works fine so far, though.

EDIT Both the download and the burn are ok.

[mimosa]

Everything works fine now, including gmountman

Either I did something stupid or I have an intermittent hardware fault; the latter is actually quite likely in this steamy climate, which turns electronic equipment to rust in a trice.

[ikke]

Congratulations. And thank you again.

Have been working / playing with the LiveCD for a couple of days. Have two important questions :

1. How to create modules? Where to store them? 'dir2lzm' is no longer there nor the /salixlive/optional directory

2. Is frugal install possible? Formerly the SalixLive system was looking for a /salixlive/-directory. This seems no longer be the case.

Thank you for your attention.

[Shador]

1. How to create modules? Where to store them? 'dir2lzm' is no longer there nor the /salixlive/optional directory

Install squashfs-tools --> mksquashfs, unsquashfs
I guess dropping them into the modules directory should work.

2. Is frugal install possible? Formerly the SalixLive system was looking for a /salixlive/-directory. This seems no longer be the case.

Just explode the iso image to your stick partition whatever. Then either just install grub2 to the stick, chainload the /boot/grub/grub.cfg you exploded or load kernel and initrd as in the /boot/grub/boot.cfg file you exploded.