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 * [[http://live.debian.net/project/derivatives/|Debian Live derivatives]]

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(!) ?/Discussion


  • A Debian LiveCD is Debian distro (that contains as much software as possible) stored on a bootable CDROM that can be executed from it, without installation on a hard drive. Nothing is installed, and the system returns to its previous OS once you pop the LiveCD out.

One can use a ready CD or burn an ?ISOImage downloaded from the internet. Because of the large size of the image files many people use a download manager and, more actually, jigdo,for this.

Some LiveCDs come with an installation utility launchable from a desktop icon that can optionally install the system on a hard drive or USB ?keydrive. Most LiveCDs can access too the information on internal and/or external harddrives, diskettes and USB Flash memories (i.e. to store data home directory or to be used like rescue systems).

For example, in Dynebolic the nest file is called dynebol.nst and it keeps all your home and settings inside (/home, /etc, /var, /tmp). The available space for your nest is found by dyne:bolic thru your partitions on harddisk or usb storage devices (like usb pens, smartcards or even photo cameras). This approach doesn't requires any change in the data structure of the partitions: just one file is created (dynebol.nst).

Generating Debian LiveCDs

Projects and tools for creating a Debian Live CD from standard Debian packages:

Related software:

  • jigdo 1 2

  • mkinitrd-cd
  • cdbackup
  • Syslinux where the majority of the LiveCDs are based on.

Mini-LiveCDs

A Mini-LiveCD is a bootable business card Linux distribution, this is, small enough to fit on a CD-ROM that has been cut, pressed, or molded to the size and shape of a business card (designed to fit in your wallet or pocket).

Mini-LiveCds are able to hold about 50 MB. See DamnSmallLinux

LiveMove

LiveMove is the set comprised of a LiveCD and a bootfloppy or USB key, i.e. MandrakeMove was a MandrakeSoft product that included a Mandrake Linux LiveCD and a USB key that automatically stored bootloader and hardware configuration as well as personal data. The latest version of this product does away with the disk entirely, presumably due to the size of the latest USB keys.

MoveKey

A MoveKey is a linux mini-distribution in a USB keydrive, like ?Flonix

Virtualization

With ?Qemu or Xen, you can try a LiveCD without burning it to a CD or re-booting the computer.

List of Debian based LiveCDs

  • Knoppix the mother of all LiveCDs:

    • Damn Small Linux for a mini-CD.

    • MINIMIX minimal LiveCD based on Debian 3.1

    • ?Flonix fits on a USB keydrive too.

    • clusterKnoppix has openMosix support
    • Quantian extends clusterKnoppix and Knoppix by adding several gigabytes of quantitative, scientific and numerical applications.

    • Morphix.
    • Linux-EduCD is a KANOTIX and Debian-SID based live CD. New version (0.3 and 0.4) has configurated LTSP (Linux Terminal Server Project) and Moodle (e-learning system).
    • Oralux, a Knoppix-based GNU/Linux distribution for blind or visually impaired people. Its user interface is based on Emacspeak, an audio desktop.
    • Mepis: user-friendly Debian for newbies.
    • Kanotix: A live-CD ... that can also be used to install Debian Testing (someone said that way is easier than the "standard" install CD to install Debian Testing).

  • ?sidux sidux is a live cd of balanced sid snapshots together with easy and fast installation options to your harddrive,

    • with a properly patched version of the most recent kernels, improved hardware detection, ready to go drivers, helpful scripts and much more - but it will always remain a 100% Debian sid compatible system which stays up-to-date with debian update system.

      Best ready-to-go debian sid solution for your PC. Visit: http://www.sidux.com

  • ?GNUSTEP a ?GNUstep live CD, http://livecd.gnustep.org/

  • ?Gnobian versions:

    • Gnoppix
    • ?LinEx

  • CryptoNAS is a fileserver (network attached storage) live-cd with harddisk encryption, fully configurable via web interface.

  • ?ZenLinux A LiveCD that can do a 100% Debian install and has easy remastering. Version 1.2.3 DVD iso only.

  • ?DebianEdu/SkoleLiveCd based on a DebianEdu (Skolelinux Main- and Terminalserver) with ldap, moodle, ?DebianEdu/CipUX, moinmoin wiki and educational software

  • Voyage, Live CD for x86 embedded system and serves as PXE-install server.

List of other LiveCDs