My journey with the Linux Operating System

Michael_Larsen · 01-18-2021, 09:32 PM

I have a desktop that I just installed Knoppix on. Does anyone still use it or has everyone moved on to all the shiny new stuff? The distro has a ton of stuff with it but I don't see the distro discussed much.

I have multiple computers that I use (I own a computer business) and so I am running Mint, Kali, and Ubuntu on three other systems. Thus far, Mint has been the smoothest and most trouble-free for me. I plan on trying other distros to see which one(s) I like best

.

Happy new year!

Mike

frankbell · 01-18-2021, 10:17 PM

So far as I know, it's alive and well, but it is designed for use as a Live CD/USB, not for install to bare metal. The latest version is based on Debian Buster.

Misty Water-Colored Memories: Knoppix was the first Linux distro that I booted to [mumble] years ago (at the time it booted into KDE). I took one look and said to myself, "I want more of this."

HappyTux · 01-18-2021, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael_Larsen

I have a desktop that I just installed Knoppix on. Does anyone still use it or has everyone moved on to all the shiny new stuff? The distro has a ton of stuff with it but I don't see the distro discussed much.

I have multiple computers that I use (I own a computer business) and so I am running Mint, Kali, and Ubuntu on three other systems. Thus far, Mint has been the smoothest and most trouble-free for me. I plan on trying other distros to see which one(s) I like best

.

Happy new year!

Mike

If by dead you mean no releases since October 2019 on the 14th, then yeah I think so I would think an update a year would be in order and seems to be so with the other files listed in the downloads of the torrents linked from the main site. So it looks like Klaus has given it up, I was moderator on the forum once upon a time and managed to give him a hint that helped with it once too. Ah happy memories thanks for triggering them, that is twice today this has happened.

http://torrent.unix-ag.uni-kl.de/
https://www.knopper.net/knoppix/knoppix861-en.html

hazel · 01-19-2021, 03:51 AM

I have a soft spot for Knoppix. It was what I used to get my first Red Hat system to boot after a thoroughly screwed-up installation. It blew my mind that you could actually do that.

jamison20000e · 01-19-2021, 04:00 AM

Anytime I've run it (live) at lest if online: update && upgrade... obviously.

fatmac · 01-19-2021, 04:06 AM

AntiX, MX, Tiny Core, & SliTaz are good on old, as well as low resource computers, could be worth your while taking a look at them too.

verndog · 01-19-2021, 11:37 AM

I was just thinking the same thing today, and noticed its last update was over a year old.
SliTaz or maybe Bodhi. I was looking for a live only distro to use to fix any errant grub issues.

HappyTux · 01-19-2021, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by verndog

I was just thinking the same thing today, and noticed its last update was over a year old.
SliTaz or maybe Bodhi. I was looking for a live only distro to use to fix any errant grub issues.

Just about any install medium I have seen offers up the Rescue mode, commands entered into a command line do not work differently, they are all entered and acted upon. Unless of course the binaries on the rescue are incompatible for some reason, I do not think a BSD is going to work to rescue a Linux install..

jefro · 01-19-2021, 05:26 PM

I used to view Knoppix as the original king of live media. Basically a one man wrecking crew built it.

So many tricks there, still usable, still a fantastic resource.

Version 9
https://www.knopper.net/knoppix/knoppix900-en.html

ViableAlternative · 02-05-2021, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyTux

So it looks like Klaus has given it up, I was moderator on the forum once upon a time and managed to give him a hint that helped with it once too.

I actually just did a google for "Is Knoppix Dead?" because I was wondering the same thing (due to their forum non-responsiveness) and got a link to this thread, so that's why I am here.

I downloaded 8.6.1....got it burnt to DVD just fine.....remastered it to a usb flashdrive .....experienced some frustration...got it working, and have been using it for a year now...

BUT

I have posted questions to their user forum 3 times over the past year....and you have to have a moderator approve your first post....and have yet to have any of my questions actually make it to their forum. From what I've been able to see, I don't believe there are any moderators active over there. Just a small handful of very old users posting sporadically, mostly banter between friends type stuff. So I have to wonder why they are like a ghost town over there? You'd think that a moderator would be happy to have someone actually post questions, just to assure their future. Made be wonder if the covid bug has laid them up over there?

Is anyone still active in the knoppix camp? And/Or is there anyone here who might be able to lend insight regarding issues I had with their "overlay" option on install to USB? My installs to USB work just fine so long as I select "read only" (making the install like a DVD), but anytime I try to install the overlays, the resulting system is so slow and sluggish as to be unusable.

Thanks in advance

jamison20000e · 02-06-2021, 06:41 AM

I forgot to say (above) if security is applicable make sure to update it.

Quote:

KNOPPIX
Last Update: 2019-12-03 23:52 UTC

KNOPPIX
OS Type: Linux
Based on: Debian
Origin: Germany
Architecture: i686, x86_64
Desktop: GNOME, KDE, LXDE, Openbox
Category: Assistive, Desktop, From RAM, Live Medium
Status: Active
Popularity: 71 (181 hits per day)

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=Knoppix

As far as a live operating systems (needs) go, (again if no security is needed,) I'll grab a disc lying around my house from ten years ago to use.

ViableAlternative · 02-06-2021, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankbell

So far as I know, it's alive and well, but it is designed for use as a Live CD/USB, not for install to bare metal.

Just to provide an update, once you have the system up and running on a DVD, they have a "Flash<<Knoppix" utility to allow you to install to a USB flash drive...which as part of that process also gives you a selectable option of installing to a fixed hard disk.

I guess from an emergency recovery aspect, that might make sense for some people?

Gemu · 02-06-2021, 08:44 AM

I loved the Knoppix 5.1 and 5.3 distros and still to this day miss some of the features they had.
I've been wanting to boot them up and remanise a few minutes.
I'm pretty sure they came with testdisk, photorec, lshw, net-tools and a few other tools that didn't need to be installed. Knoppix 8.6 may have some of those but I haven't checked. I liked how knoppix use to would build the persistent image (what was it knoppix.img?) with the system up and running.

I have a used dd to place a knoppix-data.img inside the KNOPPIX 8.6 folder on usb on a non booted system and it works but if I use it it slows the machine down to an intolerable level.
I have a 10g partition up front on sdc1 Fat32 so windows can access it and a 4.6G partition on sdc2 for the KNOPPIX folder formatted NTFS so windows can access it and NTFS will handle the larger than 4G file size of KNOPPIX that fat32 can't. Its a pain not to be able to access my linux stuff while in Windows 10 so I've just started doing this.

I had Knoppix 5.1 installed a long time ago as a linux newby until I finally wrecked it with updates and trying different things not having a clue. Never installed Knoppix again but have always kept a poor mans install of the latest Knoppix booting on a flash drive and my PC on a partition, again not installed but copied over to the HD (what they use to call a poor mans install) then edit grub.cfg to boot it. Did it that way with grub legacy as well. It was hard for me to turn loose of grub legacy but I finally had to to boot iso images.

I'm trying now to boot the Knoppix 8.6 iso on my windows 10 2TB HD on /dev/sdb position. linux on sda.
That's the most trouble free way I've found to run linux and windows on the same PC, two separate HD's with linux in the zero slot controlling all the boot loading and windows on the 1 slot.
Ubuntu controls my bootloader on /dev/sda2 and loads anything on Windows 10 /dev/sdb.
So I almost had the iso booting last night. The Knoppix page loaded but froze with an error.

I have Knoppix 8.6 also on a usb that is supposed to boot from Bios or EFI64 or EFI32.
Also I can boot syslinux with it because I used dd to create an syslinux.boot image of the syslinux boot loader while I had it installed for a few minutes. Then I put grub2 back on. Syslinux boots to a blank grub command so still learning about syslinux. I just have learned that trick about booting a syslinux.boot image created by dd without even having syslinux installed any longer.

Just recently I've noticed that you don't just copy a file off windows anymore because of permissions with any Linux. Nor do you easily change permissions on files and folders even linux files and folders.

wpeckham · 02-06-2021, 08:55 AM

Latest updates to KNOPPIX are from 2020-03-11 with the download hidden pending testing. The magazine release is the only place to directly download the ISO images. (See link in post from jefro) Germany is under some serious lockdown restrictions, and travel may be part of the issue. Considering the activity on the forums, I would not suspect it is dead.

One thing to remember is that a live-cd/live-dvd only distribution does not HAVE to stay current or update often. Look at DSL (Damn Small Linux). DSL is still useful, and rock solid despite having no updates for YEARS. (2008? It has been THAT long?) It purposefully runs an older kernel that is far smaller than the current ones, and very small apps. For many uses it has been replaced by Tinycore or Puppy, which are somewhat more current but very different LIVE load distributions, but DSL still gets use on some hardware.

Perhaps we should ask, "what are you looking for with the question?"! Do you need a more current live-dvd image, or are you just curious?

KNOPPIX was never intended to be installed, just run live. The pages include directions for running from media, for burning to a USB device to run live from there, and it has been run successfully form E2B and Ventoy (soo signature below for links).

There are better options for an install to internal storage (rotational HD or SSD), and many here who could help with suggestions.

Will await your thoughts and response.

ViableAlternative · 02-06-2021, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gemu

I loved the Knoppix 5.1 and 5.3 distros and still to this day miss some of the features they had.
I've been wanting to boot them up and remanise a few minutes.
I'm pretty sure they came with testdisk, photorec, lshw, net-tools and a few other tools that didn't need to be installed. Knoppix 8.6 may have some of those but I haven't checked. I liked how knoppix use to would build the persistent image (what was it knoppix.img?) with the system up and running.

I have a used dd to place a knoppix-data.img inside the KNOPPIX 8.6 folder on usb on a non booted system and it works but if I use it it slows the machine down to an intolerable level.

It sounds like you and I have been covering similar ground....I don't want to hijack this thread with my specific trouble shooting needs, so now that I am approved for duty here, I'll start a dedicated thread titled "knoppix overlay questions" And I hope you'll chime in with your thoughts. Give me a couple hours to run some errands and think about how I want to pose my questions, then I'll post.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gemu

Just recently I've noticed that you don't just copy a file off windows anymore because of permissions with any Linux. Nor do you easily change permissions on files and folders even linux files and folders.

Running into the same issues, I've become fond of the "sudo" prefix at the command line, often accompanied with the -i switch on the copy command.

The main thing that I've found appealing about Knoppix is no longer having to worry about bad actors, as far as ransomware, or other malware. I'm disciplined to where I don't do any on-line banking or other personal activities of a sensitive nature while using Knoppix, because very little is offered in the way of protection. But for general internet browsing, Knoppix has become like a "burner" cell phone for me.

01-18-2021, 09:32 PM	#1
Michael_Larsen LQ Newbie Registered: Jan 2021 Location: Southern California Distribution: Mint, Knoppix, Ubuntu, and Kali Posts: 28 Rep:	Is Knoppix dead??? [Log in to get rid of this advertisement] I have a desktop that I just installed Knoppix on. Does anyone still use it or has everyone moved on to all the shiny new stuff? The distro has a ton of stuff with it but I don't see the distro discussed much. I have multiple computers that I use (I own a computer business) and so I am running Mint, Kali, and Ubuntu on three other systems. Thus far, Mint has been the smoothest and most trouble-free for me. I plan on trying other distros to see which one(s) I like best. Happy new year! Mike

01-18-2021, 10:17 PM	#2
frankbell LQ Guru Contributing Member Registered: Jan 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Distribution: Slackware, Ubuntu MATE, Mageia, and whatever VMs I happen to be playing with Posts: 18,706 Blog Entries: 28 Rep:	So far as I know, it's alive and well, but it is designed for use as a Live CD/USB, not for install to bare metal. The latest version is based on Debian Buster. Misty Water-Colored Memories: Knoppix was the first Linux distro that I booted to [mumble] years ago (at the time it booted into KDE). I took one look and said to myself, "I want more of this." Last edited by frankbell; 01-18-2021 at 10:20 PM.

01-19-2021, 03:51 AM	#4
hazel LQ Guru Registered: Mar 2016 Location: Harrow, UK Distribution: LFS, AntiX, Slackware Posts: 6,842 Blog Entries: 17 Rep:	I have a soft spot for Knoppix. It was what I used to get my first Red Hat system to boot after a thoroughly screwed-up installation. It blew my mind that you could actually do that.
	1 members found this post helpful.

01-19-2021, 04:06 AM	#6
fatmac Senior Member Registered: Sep 2011 Location: Upper Hale, Surrey/Hants Border, UK Distribution: Mainly Devuan with some Tiny Core, Fatdog, Haiku, & BSD thrown in. Posts: 4,978 Rep:	AntiX, MX, Tiny Core, & SliTaz are good on old, as well as low resource computers, could be worth your while taking a look at them too.
	1 members found this post helpful.

01-19-2021, 11:37 AM	#7
verndog Member Registered: Oct 2007 Posts: 273 Rep:	I was just thinking the same thing today, and noticed its last update was over a year old. SliTaz or maybe Bodhi. I was looking for a live only distro to use to fix any errant grub issues.
	1 members found this post helpful.

My journey with the Linux Operating System

Friday 28 April 2023

Is Linux Operating System KNOPPIX dead or alive ?

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01-19-2021, 04:00 AM	#5
jamison20000e Senior Member Registered: Nov 2005 Location: ...uncanny valley... infinity\1975; (randomly born:) Milwaukee, WI, US( + travel,) Earth&Mars (I wish,) END BORDER$!◣◢┌∩┐ Fe26-E,e... Distribution: any GPL that works well on freest; has been KDE, CLI, Novena but open... http://goo.gl/NqgqJx &c ;-) Posts: 4,689 Blog Entries: 2 Rep:	Anytime I've run it (live) at lest if online: update && upgrade... obviously.

01-19-2021, 05:26 PM	#9
jefro Moderator Registered: Mar 2008 Posts: 21,669 Rep:	I used to view Knoppix as the original king of live media. Basically a one man wrecking crew built it. So many tricks there, still usable, still a fantastic resource. Version 9 https://www.knopper.net/knoppix/knoppix900-en.html Last edited by jefro; 01-19-2021 at 05:31 PM.
	1 members found this post helpful.

02-06-2021, 08:44 AM	#13
Gemu Member Registered: Nov 2017 Posts: 37 Rep:	I loved the Knoppix 5.1 and 5.3 distros and still to this day miss some of the features they had. I've been wanting to boot them up and remanise a few minutes. I'm pretty sure they came with testdisk, photorec, lshw, net-tools and a few other tools that didn't need to be installed. Knoppix 8.6 may have some of those but I haven't checked. I liked how knoppix use to would build the persistent image (what was it knoppix.img?) with the system up and running. I have a used dd to place a knoppix-data.img inside the KNOPPIX 8.6 folder on usb on a non booted system and it works but if I use it it slows the machine down to an intolerable level. I have a 10g partition up front on sdc1 Fat32 so windows can access it and a 4.6G partition on sdc2 for the KNOPPIX folder formatted NTFS so windows can access it and NTFS will handle the larger than 4G file size of KNOPPIX that fat32 can't. Its a pain not to be able to access my linux stuff while in Windows 10 so I've just started doing this. I had Knoppix 5.1 installed a long time ago as a linux newby until I finally wrecked it with updates and trying different things not having a clue. Never installed Knoppix again but have always kept a poor mans install of the latest Knoppix booting on a flash drive and my PC on a partition, again not installed but copied over to the HD (what they use to call a poor mans install) then edit grub.cfg to boot it. Did it that way with grub legacy as well. It was hard for me to turn loose of grub legacy but I finally had to to boot iso images. I'm trying now to boot the Knoppix 8.6 iso on my windows 10 2TB HD on /dev/sdb position. linux on sda. That's the most trouble free way I've found to run linux and windows on the same PC, two separate HD's with linux in the zero slot controlling all the boot loading and windows on the 1 slot. Ubuntu controls my bootloader on /dev/sda2 and loads anything on Windows 10 /dev/sdb. So I almost had the iso booting last night. The Knoppix page loaded but froze with an error. I have Knoppix 8.6 also on a usb that is supposed to boot from Bios or EFI64 or EFI32. Also I can boot syslinux with it because I used dd to create an syslinux.boot image of the syslinux boot loader while I had it installed for a few minutes. Then I put grub2 back on. Syslinux boots to a blank grub command so still learning about syslinux. I just have learned that trick about booting a syslinux.boot image created by dd without even having syslinux installed any longer. Just recently I've noticed that you don't just copy a file off windows anymore because of permissions with any Linux. Nor do you easily change permissions on files and folders even linux files and folders. Last edited by Gemu; 02-06-2021 at 08:49 AM.
	1 members found this post helpful.

02-06-2021, 08:55 AM	#14
wpeckham Senior Member Registered: Apr 2010 Location: Continental USA Distribution: Debian, Ubuntu, RedHat, DSL, Puppy, CentOS, Knoppix, Mint-DE, Sparky, VSIDO, tinycore, Q4OS,Manjaro Posts: 4,867 Rep:	Latest updates to KNOPPIX are from 2020-03-11 with the download hidden pending testing. The magazine release is the only place to directly download the ISO images. (See link in post from jefro) Germany is under some serious lockdown restrictions, and travel may be part of the issue. Considering the activity on the forums, I would not suspect it is dead. One thing to remember is that a live-cd/live-dvd only distribution does not HAVE to stay current or update often. Look at DSL (Damn Small Linux). DSL is still useful, and rock solid despite having no updates for YEARS. (2008? It has been THAT long?) It purposefully runs an older kernel that is far smaller than the current ones, and very small apps. For many uses it has been replaced by Tinycore or Puppy, which are somewhat more current but very different LIVE load distributions, but DSL still gets use on some hardware. Perhaps we should ask, "what are you looking for with the question?"! Do you need a more current live-dvd image, or are you just curious? KNOPPIX was never intended to be installed, just run live. The pages include directions for running from media, for burning to a USB device to run live from there, and it has been run successfully form E2B and Ventoy (soo signature below for links). There are better options for an install to internal storage (rotational HD or SSD), and many here who could help with suggestions. Will await your thoughts and response. Last edited by wpeckham; 02-06-2021 at 08:57 AM.