First-off; this took months and is alot of work; a Slackware T-Shirt in size XX would be a fair trade at least-Hook me up!
The DSL book would be cool too.
It would seem the Dawn of the Self-Contained-Symbiant-Operating-System is here!
Portable-Slackware-12.2 runs off a qemu-created raw vhd capable of running JUST like an installed-to-HD Linux distro; that is, all settings are saved, etc.
You can add apps, themes, etc whatever and it'll be there when you reboot!
Pros?
It runs off USB(4GB or larger), on any partition type (FAT32/EXT3,etc) and runs on both Windows and Linux.
Meaning it is fully portable and compatible with any Windows/Linux Box.
No reboot needed, it runs off the "Host" system; just insert USB, invoke script and play!
Don't need to partition USB, set boot flag, or install syslinux/grub.
Files/apps/updates, etc are in real-time and saved back to the vhd.
Allowed Memory can be adjusted thru the scripts ( -m 280 ), edit as required, default is 128 by qemu.
Symbiant can access Host system, or any system, thru Internet if enabled.
Symbiant can "anonymously" access the internet thru the Host system; to do evil no doubt; (example-watching porn on firefox on Portable-Slack from your friends(enemies?) Office cube. The evidence "might" be on his computer but not in his firefox history!Who did it?!)
Can be used to hide secret files, the vhd is inaccessible from the outside.
The vhd can be compressed/ decompressed without hurting it.
The vhd can be copied- So, after you get the system working good; make a copy of the vhd and put the original somewhere safe. Now, use the copy to do experimental stuff; if anything goes wrong, delete it and go back to the original. make another copy, etc.
Useful for doing "test" installs of new pkgs on the go or as an intro for inexperienced Slacker's so they can learn Slack by trial and "break".
Lots more potential too-
Slack, feather, dsl2hd, and a couple others are the only ones I've gotten to work and KDE is a no-no (errors,etc)
XFCE4/Fluxbox run flawlessly.
Any slack-based distro should work this way...Debian/Ubuntu have issues.
OK-although a rather simple operation, this post will be lengthy...
Ingredients;
1) Slackware DVD.iso 11/12/12.2,etc name it (SlackDVD.iso) or
change the name in the install scripts.
2) Portable-Qemu, Windows .bat, and Linux .sh scripts here-
(
http://multidistro.com/downloads/dsl...le-Qemu.tar.gz )
(1.2MB)
3) 4GB or larger USB
Instructions;
Note-this how-to assumes you have downloaded Portable-Qemu and have made a folder named "slack" either on your desktop or in your /home directory. In the slack folder is the Slack DVD.iso, the qemu folder and the (slk) install and run .bat/.sh scripts.
YOU DO NOT NEED QEMU INSTALLED TO DO THIS!
1) Make a folder named "slack" in /home or on your desktop.
2) Untar the Portable-Qemu to the "slack" folder.
The contents should be-
slk_install.bat
slk_install.sh
slk_run.bat
slk_run.sh
qemu folder-
..../bios.bin
..../(hda) put it here too
..../fmod.dll
..../libusb0.dll
..../linux_boot.bin
..../qemu
..../qemu.exe
..../qemu-img
..../qemu-img.exe
..../sdl.dll
..../mke_vhd.bat
..../mke_vhd.sh
3) Put the slack DVD.iso in the slack/Portable-Qemu folder.
4) Alright, ready to go...make sure the install and run scripts are executable.
5) Using "mke_vhd.bat" for Windows or "mke_vhd.sh" for Linux, make a VHD of whatever size you want. Note-edit the script before using to set the desired vhd size (M/G).
Double-click mke_vhd.bat in windows and in Linux either double-click or "cd" into the slack folder and
"chmod +x mke_vhd.sh" to make executable and "./mke_vhd.sh"
to invoke.
5a) You can also do it thru the terminal or command prompt(windows)
In Linux; "cd" into slack/qemu folder and
"qemu-img create harddisk ??M/G" where "??M/G" is size 32M/128M/2G, etc
In Windows; thru the command-prompt, cd into the slack/qemu folder and
"qemu-img.exe create harddisk ??M/G" as above.
It should make either in the qemu folder you cd'd into to.
6) rename the "harddisk" to "hda".
7) Use and invoke either "slk_install.bat" or "slk_install.sh"
Qemu should pop up, press enter to boot or choose a kernel.
I chose "huges.smp"
8) From here on, it's a basic Slack install-
Login as "root" and "cfdisk /dev/hda"
cfdisk pops up; choose "new", then "primary", then "bootable", then "type"; choose "83" (linux).
Choose "write" and "yes". Choose "quit" when it's done.
9) At the prompt type "setup"
Choose "Target", (/dev/hda1), then "format with no bad block checking".
10) Choose "install from CD/DVD" and "auto find CD"
11) Start installing packages.
12) At prompt to install Lilo; choose "expert" lilo setup.
Start Lilo header with new config,etc
choose "/dev/hda", should already be there...
choose/input "/dev/hda1"
install lilo.
13) Choose mouse, network config, etc.
14) At setup exit; DO NOT REBOOT!
Instead, at the command line; enter "halt" and wait for shutdown
if qemu doesn't stop, click the X to kill it, as long as the system halted.
15) Use the "slk_run.sh/.bat" and invoke, boot and login!
16) Uncomment a slackware mirror "nano /etc/slackpkg/mirrors"
To uncomment; delete the "#" in front of any mirror where it says "http/ftp"
#Utah university
#http so and so (wrong)
#Utah university
http so and so (right)
To save changes in nano- cntrl-o
To exit- cntrl-x
17) "slackpkg update", and then "slackpkg upgrade-all"
18) Now, setup xorg.conf for 800x600 with 3-button mouse...
"nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf"
edit the mouse input to read-
Code:
Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "Device" "/dev/ttyS0"
Option "Device" "/dev/ttyS1"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5 6 7"
Edit the screen section for 24 color or what you want-
Code:
Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "800x600"
cntrl-o to save
cntrl-x to exit.
after upgrading; configuring-"startx" Baby!
Suggestions- Install sbopkg and Use Dillo from SlackBuilds.org in place of firefox.
Any mistakes/errors in this please post!
05/13/09
Screenshot is 3.5GBvhd XFCE4 Portable-Slack running from 4GB Kingston USB.