Can't start synaptic in live CD?
 

When I attempt to start the Synaptic package manager in the live CD I'm met with a series of errors. Is that normal because it's a LiveCD or is it something I should be concerned with before I attempt to install?

So, you can start it, just not get updates. Check you repositories agaist this list:
Current MEPIS Repos

You can edit the /etc/apt/sources.list file directly or through Synaptic, but either way you'll need to be root.

Once that is up-to-date, try reloading and see if you get the same errors. There is a chance that one of the "keys" don't work, but the installation should still work from that repo. To make the key work properly, visit that site and there should be instructions.

The real Q is: Why bother?

What are you going to update on a MEPIS live CD?

I know Knoppix has way to do this, so you can have a merged file system.

Can OnTheGo do this also?

MEPIS can not install ANYTHING onto the live cd.

The why bother is that I wanted to make sure everything worked before I installed it. I've run into a couple issues that I need some help with, with mepis and pclinuxos.

here is a picture of the error

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/3...apshot13kq.png

Okay you dont get i see, let me try and explain it more clearly.

Your getting that error because it wants to lock the cache directory where it files all the downloaded packages. to lock it it must create a .lock file, however that directory is on read only media, your CD. once it is installed it will work just fine. Until then you need tojust give up on synaptic or installing packages (synaptic is for installing programs and will not EVER run properly on the liveCD.

I'm not trying to install them, I just wanted to make sure the program worked, I was hoping to see the list of available programs or something :).

Yes but the program has to prevernt other programs from accessing that directory while its doing its thing, else things get screwed up. the way it does this is by writing a file to the disk. It CANNOT write this file because that directory is on the CD. furthermore, just to get a list of packages it would have to download several archives to that directory and extract them. Not possible under the livecd.

for a list of programs on the live cd check out the simplymepis website

Now I Get it.
 

Mepis is the only linux disto I ever saw that wouldn't let you open the synaptic in livecd to see if the apps you want to install later are available. After all trouble I went through to get the network up and running. The biggest linux waste of time ever. There are 20 better linux installs out there. On my list of Do Not Install. Bye bye.