What can I do with a "Live CD" of Linux Mint? I don't get it.

Pen guin · 10-30-2019, 02:44 PM

Hi everyone.

I'm confused. as to how far you can use a Live CD of LM. Can you install programs, install programs, or just "kick the tires?" Or to put it another way, if you were house or apartment shopping, meander from room to room, and see how you like it.

All of which is well and good, but it doesn't (in my opinion,) answer the question, "How will my programs run on Linux?" or through WINE. or will they run via the WINE/Crossover "interface" for lack of a better word.

My "Live CD" of LM is on a 32GB USB Flash Drive (I think with a 1/4 of the space reserved for persistence memory.

Thanks in advance,
Pen guin

captain_sensible · 10-30-2019, 02:58 PM

Generally live versions of distros enable you to have a look of desktop xfce, kde and get a general feel for the distro and see what core programs are;if you feel you like it then you install it to your HD

If it does have persistence then its more useful. For instance if you have clamav you can run update manually #freshclam or via its gui clamtk .

That means you have an up to date with virus sigs on a usb stick. You can use that to scan files or dirs on the PC you booted from.

You should be able to install a program or two if there is space.

BW-userx · 10-30-2019, 03:21 PM

kick the tires, and it makes for a good ooops I got a fix something boot a live distro and go in the backdoor to fix it.

slackware got a script for itself to create a live w/persistence you can take with you with all of your fav apps.

yancek · 10-30-2019, 03:45 PM

A 'live' Linux system is designed basically to test and to use to install the OS. With persistence, you can install software. You could use it in the same manner as an installed system as long as you don't reboot. Not many will do that. With 32GB, you could do a full install.

Pen guin · 10-30-2019, 03:46 PM

So then, I gather it's like house/apt. hunting. You walk from room to room and see if you like the layout of the place enough to make a commitment to it. i.e. rent or buy. (as they case may be.)

In the case of a Live CD, you can customize,the distro with KDE etc,etc, etc, but really, that's about it. At this point, you are seeing if you are a good match, i.e. if you like the OS; and the OS likes you.

Then, once you do install the distro that you like, only then will you be able to ascertain which programs run in WINE/Crossover, or to what extent.

Would that be about right?

BW-userx · 10-30-2019, 03:52 PM

kind of sort of yes, I just install them and get the feel of them then get rid of them then try another one, just using them as the installer .. its called disro hopping until you actually find one or two you like.

I usually keep at least one on had so I can backdoor if I need to.

Pen guin · 10-30-2019, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yancek

A 'live' Linux system is designed basically to test and to use to install the OS. With persistence, you can install software. You could use it in the same manner as an installed system as long as you don't reboot. Not many will do that. With 32GB, you could do a full install.

So then, wouldn't **everything** have to fit within those 32GB? i.e. including program files, and data files I create, fit on a 32GB USB flash drive? In Windows 10, all space used on C: (just Installed programs and stuff the OS needs, like WinUpdates, and drivers, and who knows what else.) All told, it comes to 144GB of used space.

So, I'm wondering how to make all that work on a 32GB USB 3.0 FD. Wouldn't it be fair to expect a Linux system to use just as much space?

Thanks

rokytnji · 10-30-2019, 04:08 PM

Hmmm. How do I make this chromebook work then

Code:

harry@biker:~
$ df -h
Filesystem      Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
udev            1.9G     0  1.9G   0% /dev
tmpfs           390M  460K  389M   1% /run
/dev/sda1        15G  4.7G  9.3G  34% /
tmpfs           5.0M  4.0K  5.0M   1% /run/lock
tmpfs           779M   32M  747M   5% /dev/shm
tmpfs           2.0G     0  2.0G   0% /sys/fs/cgroup
tmpfs           390M  4.0K  390M   1% /run/user/1000

let alone. Run a complete bootable linux operating system on this sd card

https://forums.solydxk.com/viewtopic.php?t=1858

144 gig ? Let's party! 32 gig. I wish my chromebook ssd drive was that big.

Screenshot off that card
http://postmyimage.com/img2/997_128MBSD.jpg

BW-userx · 10-30-2019, 04:13 PM

the largest I've ever had a linux install up to was ~50GB.
if you are going to cart around a bunch of movies and suck get a external hdd you can plug in next to it in another usb port.

rokytnji · 10-30-2019, 04:19 PM

The house analogy is one I mentally use myself.

/home is where the kids are allowed
/ is adult supervision.

files are rooms. Inse ide folders are contents of room. Mom and Dad have ownership rights over anything in / rooms.
Hence the permission denied routines.

uteck · 10-30-2019, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rokytnji

Hmmm. How do I make this chromebook work then

If you want to just test Linux on it, you can use crouton to run Linux inside Chrome. Trying a live image will take at least modifying the firmware to enable USB booting.

There is a nice chromebook script at chrx.org that will modify the firmware to boot from USB, let you install Linux on the internal disk or an SD card, even dual boot with Chrome it wanted. I have / on the internal disk and /home on the SD card, but I had to tweak fstab myself, the install script is not that smart.

rokytnji · 10-30-2019, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uteck

If you want to just test Linux on it, you can use crouton to run Linux inside Chrome. Trying a live image will take at least modifying the firmware to enable USB booting.

There is a nice chromebook script at chrx.org that will modify the firmware to boot from USB, let you install Linux on the internal disk or an SD card, even dual boot with Chrome it wanted. I have / on the internal disk and /home on the SD card, but I had to tweak fstab myself, the install script is not that smart.

Thanks.

frankbell · 10-30-2019, 09:05 PM

It looks to me that no one mentioned this use of a Live CD--if I overlooked it, I apologize:

To troubleshooting existing installs. You can boot to the Live CD, then look at the installed system on the machine and fix problems. There are several distros especially designed for this, such as Knoppix.

I've been lucky--I've only had to do that once, when a Slackware update went awry (mumble) years ago because I tried to "upgrade-all" before I "installed-new."

scasey · 10-30-2019, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BW-userx

the largest I've ever had a linux install up to was ~50GB.
if you are going to cart around a bunch of movies and such get a external hdd you can plug in next to it in another usb port.

I’ve run a production web/email/ftp server on a P2 processor and a 40GB hard drive with space to spare...probably that was early RedHat back in the day.

Current server shows 47GB used. CentOS 7.7. Several users using IMAP mail are consuming ~7GB of that. We’re hosting ~70 domains.

The OP should be able to do most any evaluation on a 32GB stick. IMO

jefro · 10-30-2019, 10:18 PM

About the only few advantages of a live to usb with persistence is that the original image tends to be secure. There is some speed improvement since the data moved over usb usually is compressed.

It is best to just create a real install to a usb. Modern linux doesn't know the difference between a usb and internal hard drive usually.

You can't properly update a live install.

However you can usually add some programs to a live DVD running if there is enough ram.