https://mail.knoppix.net/wiki3/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=David+syer 2026-09-18T21:08:39Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.23.3 https://mail.knoppix.net/wiki/Configuration_Howto 2005-04-14T14:03:51Z

<p>David syer: Simple guide to configuration without re-mastering</p> <hr /> <div>==Quickstart==<br /> Two options<br /> <br /> * From the command line use &quot;saveconfig&quot;.<br /> <br /> * From KDE use the knoppix menu and find the &quot;save configuration&quot; item.<br /> <br /> The system prompts you for what to save, and where to save it (choose from all the local disks and removable media that the system knows about). When you restart knoppix just add a boot parameter (see also [[Cheat Codes]] for more options). E.g.:<br /> <br /> boot: knoppix myconfig=/mnt/sda1<br /> <br /> Or, to scan all local disks:<br /> <br /> boot: knoppix myconfig=scan<br /> <br /> ==Examples==<br /> ===Change default runlevel===<br /> Just edit the initdefault line in /etc/inittab:<br /> <br /> # The default runlevel<br /> id:4:initdefault:<br /> <br /> Then saveconfig.<br /> <br /> Useful if you want to suppress the auto-start of the xsession.<br /> <br /> ===Start ssh on startup=== <br /> <br /> If you haven't used ssh yet, then start it up, to initialise the keys:<br /> <br /> $ /etc/init.d/ssh start<br /> <br /> Then add a line to /etc/inittab with the desired runlevels in the<br /> second column:<br /> <br /> # Start ssh on startup<br /> ss:4:wait:/etc/init.d/ssh start<br /> <br /> Then saveconfig.<br /> <br /> Nice for people who want to use knoppix as a server and connect with<br /> remote clients. Also for VMWare users where knoppix is the guest OS.<br /> <br /> This is admittedly a bit of a hack, since the normal /etc/rc mechanism<br /> would work, but would not be saved in the persistent configuration.<br /> In this case we would simply add a symlink to rc4.d linking to<br /> /etc/init.d/ssh.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Add user accounts===<br /> <br /> Just use /usr/sbin/useradd as normal, and then save the config.<br /> <br /> ===Mount user's home directories===<br /> <br /> If you add user accounts then the new users will prefer to be able to<br /> have a persistent home directory. This can be achieved by mounting<br /> and linking during init. Create a script in /etc/init.d<br /> (e.g. /etc/init.d/setup-homes) that mounts a local drive or image, and<br /> links a directory there to /home/&lt;uname&gt;. Then run this script<br /> automatically at start up by adding a line to /etc/inittab<br /> <br /> # Mount user homes<br /> uh:4:wait:/etc/init.d/setup-homes<br /> <br /> Then saveconfig.<br /> <br /> ===Add more software===<br /> <br /> Similar to the user home directory example, just install the software<br /> on a local drive, and create a script to mount it on startup (and if<br /> desired link it into standard path locations like /bin, /usr/bin). Then saveconfig.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Pitfalls and problems==<br /> ===Symlinks are not saved===<br /> <br /> The saved configuration only consists of true files, not symlinks,<br /> hence the problem with /etc/rc mentioned above. (This is true at knoppix 3.6, please edit this page if things have changed.)<br /> <br /> ===Overwriting auto-generated files===<br /> <br /> Certain files (e.g. /etc/fstab) are auto-generated by knoppix on<br /> startup (mostly in /etc/init.d/knoppix-autoconfig), and then<br /> overwritten from the saved configuration.<br /> <br /> ===Boot parameters===<br /> <br /> You can't set boot parameters (a.k.a. [[Cheat Codes]]) except by<br /> typing them at boot time. It is, however, probably the most trivial<br /> re-mastering to change boot parameters.<br /> <br /> ===Language preferences===<br /> <br /> Language preferences are always overridden at startup according to the<br /> boot parameter lang= (see also [[Cheat Codes]]). Changes to<br /> /etc/sysconfig/keyboard will go into the saved configuration, but are<br /> always ignored.<br /> <br /> ===Don't use knoppix.sh===<br /> <br /> Many forum posts are from users who have hacked knoppix.sh to change startup behaviour. This script is auto-generated by saveconfig every time you save the<br /> configuration, so manual changes will be overwritten. Use init<br /> instead.<br /> <br /> ==Behind the scenes==<br /> The save config script actually saves all true files from /etc that<br /> are missing or different from the distribution (at /KNOPPIX/etc).</div>

David syer https://mail.knoppix.net/wiki/Customizing_FAQ 2005-04-14T12:31:55Z

<p>David syer: Add link to a configuration howto (seemed to be missing)</p> <hr /> <div>== Overview ==<br /> <br /> There are (at least) two ways to customise Knoppix and make it behave differently when it boots.<br /> <br /> * Configuration - Easy, cheap and non-invasive. Make changes to local configuration in /etc and load on boot with myconfig= switch.<br /> <br /> Many common customisations can be carried out without re-mastering. Consider using saveconfig to store local modifications before learning about re-mastering. See this page for more information: [[Configuration Howto]]<br /> <br /> * Re-mastering - More complex and expensive. Change the contents of the distribution and burn a new CD.<br /> <br /> General howto information is available here: [[Knoppix Remastering Howto]] / [[Knoppix Remastering Howto Deutsch]]</div>

David syer