LIVE CD V0.6 for Gentoo Linux by the TelemetryBox

Click here for a list of all installed Software

Congratulations. The Live CD was successfully booted otherwise this text would not be visible. This is a CD with lots of software that can be run directly off the CD. An attempt was made to have hardware detected and drivers loaded without any special configuration. If that has worked then network, sound, mouse and graphics will be available now. If something did not work then manual intervention is necessary. The CD allows an easy installation of Gentoo Linux with a comfortable tool set. The binaries on this CD were build for Pentium CPUs or better. The binaries are therefore not optimized for your system. Portions of the system can be rebuild as desired after installing the software on the harddisk. Building a full Gentoo system from scratch can take days. Using the binaries off this CD can save a lot of time and takes the hassle out of installing a Gentoo/Linux system.

This software was brought to you by the TelemetryBox Corporation. The TelemetryBox provides support and consulting service for Open Source Software on all computer platforms (Yes, we do Open Source Software on Microsoft Platforms!). Additions and enhancements to the Gentoo/Linux system by TelemetryBox are released under the Gnu Public License. Updates to the software are available from the Gentoo/LiveCD Project Homepage hosted by the TelemetryBox.

Moving from console to console

Seven consoles are available and active. The active console that displays this page is console (or tty) number 1. Consoles 2 to 6 are available for use with a Linux shell. Console 7 will have the X windows output if activated. To switch consoles hold down ALT and then press the Fx key of the console desired. ALT-F1 will return to this browser. If X is running then the ALT-Fx will not work to switch away from the X Windows display. Use CRTL-ALT-Fx instead.

The Browser running on console 1

The browser running on console #1 is links. It is a very simple browser running on a framebuffer. The framebuffer was initialized using the BIOS. All current video cards should work that way without any special Linux drivers. Should the framebuffer device not work then a textmode version will be run. No pictures will be displayed but the instructions will still be readable. If the network is up (autodetection might have done that) then the browser can be used to access information on the net. Try searching Google for example.

Important Keys

Getting help via IRC

The CD contains an IRC client called IRSSI. To use it switch to another console, login as root and then run the "irssi" command. A connection to the OpenProjects Chat Network will be established and the channels #gentoo and #tbox will be joined with the nick tgentoo. Ask politely for help on the channel. The author of this text (nick o-o) will ask you if you need help if he is online and if he sees the tgentoo nick.

Testing Music using mp3blaster

On bootup the sound capabilities are autodetected. If that has worked then audio output is probably available. To test switch to another console, login and run the "music" command. MP3Blaster will start playing some freely distributable mp3s.

Running X

Switch to another console. login and run the "runx" command. Runx will attempt and autodetection of your video card and then start a windows manager called "xfce". When X is available then the mozilla webbrowser and the xchat (IRC client) might be started.

Installing Gentoo on a Harddisk

There is the hard way and the easy way. The easy way is to switch to another console, login and run the "deploy" command. The deploy script is a menu based installation suitable for newbies but only allowing limited flexibility . The hard way is the true path to happiness for all Gentoo users. Switch to another console, log in and follow the installation instructions on Gentoo.org.

Configuration Menu

A configuration menu for static IP configuration, time zone configuration etc is available by logging in as root and running the "console" command.

Remote Access

One might remotely do the installation or access web content remotely from the system. To allow remote access via secure shell run the "/etc/init.d/ssh start" command. This will shart the SSH daemon that will accept connections. The CD also contains a webserver called Boa. Boa is configured by default to only allow local accesses. Edit /etc/boa/boa.conf to allow outside access and then restart boa.

Installed Software and contents of the Gentoo Live CD by the TelemetryBox Corporation

Here is an overview of the software installed and the features of this CD:

Minimum Requirements for Installation

Recommendations

References:

  1. The TelemetryBox Project
  2. The Gentoo Project
  3. The TelemetryBox Corporation
  4. Lameter International Corporation
Have fun.... Christoph

(C) 2002 The TelemetryBox Corporation Christoph Lameter