Your favorite Linux Live CD? |
One of my favorite things about Linux is the Live CD option where you can test the OS without the need to change your existing OS or setup and install. For commercial Linux offerings see this post: SuSE Linux installed in dual boot, plays nicer with Windows than Red Hat? The more unique hardware you have, the more difficult it can be to get some flavors of Linux running.
Chris Pirillo pointed to Kororaa recently that has a nice package showing off XGL. I burned the ISO using Deepburner and gave this a try and first time out it discovered my NVidia graphics card and the wider LCD monitor resolution. It didn’t however start the DHCP so I needed to type the following code at terminal to get internet working:
I then tried the newest version of Ubuntu. That had internet working out of the gate but the monitor resolution was way off and couldn’t be corrected through the Monitor Resolution settings.
There are lots of different Linux Live CDs out there. What is your favorite and why? Feel free to link it up below so myself and others can burn the ISO and give it a try.
Update 9/12/2006 4:27pm PST: A long list of Linux Live CDs, complete with name, ISO size (min and max), primary function and download links.
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Kororaa is probably the most interesting livecd. I personally have a copy of knoppix always on hand somewhere since it’s probably one of the best Windows saver cds that I can carry. That and a Debian netinstall cd. I’d probably carry a gparted one too for partitioning.
Don’t particularly care for livecds, but Kororaa definitely was an eye candy teaser. Got bored with it after 5 minutes.
Comment by darkmoon — September 11, 2006 @ 3:00 pm PST
ahh yes, Knoppix, a good selection.
Comment by TDavid — September 11, 2006 @ 5:17 pm PST
Try Mandriva’s 2007 RC1 (Gnome). Very, very impressive… though I couldn’t get the USB copy to work.
Comment by Chris Pirillo — September 11, 2006 @ 10:22 pm PST
RH and Mandriva have always seemed to be bloated linux distributions. Although, I suppose anything with XGL is pretty sweet. For a while at least.
I’m more for Debian + fluxbox install. Short and sweet and good on memory.
Couple guys at the local linux user group swear by SUSE. I haven’t used it in a while, but that might be a good one too. If you have an old Mac, YellowDog is great. Really just depends on what you’re looking to do.
It’s a lot easier to actually have someone describe what they want, and then tell them what distribution would be right for that. LiveCDs are only good for Windows recovery and testing linux without dual boot. I actually prefer not to dual boot.
ACTUALLY…. now that I think about it, this is a good one: Cooperative Linux. Run linux within Windows. Boo-yah.
Comment by darkmoon — September 11, 2006 @ 10:37 pm PST
If you like trying out different Distro’s, take a look at Distro of the Month. http://www.distroofthemonth.com
I run it with three other partners, October will be our one year anniversary and we just keep on growing. We ship a new Distro each month along with email newsletter that “briefs” you on the distro that we shipped.
Comment by thatedeguy — September 12, 2006 @ 4:41 pm PST
$3/month seems like a fair price for those who want to be physically mailed the disc, good idea there. However, I don’t mind downloading, labeling and burning the ISOs. Do you guys publish a list of all the distros you’ve mailed out (for non-subscribers), thatedeguy?
Comment by TDavid — September 12, 2006 @ 6:31 pm PST
Exactly, TDavid. The idea is that there are those that either don’t have the bandwidth to download their own or don’t want the hassle. There are also some that like to try a new distro every once in a while and rather than doing research to find a new and interesting distro, we take care of it for them.
The last 5 months worth of history of distro’s we’ve mailed out is on our blog here: http://www.distroofthemonth.com/blog/category/this-months-distro/
The first 6 months was listed on our main page at one time, but we found it took too much room up and removed it. At some point we really should add it to the blog though. Each month, we add a new post about a week or so after the subscribers get their disc’s that lists the new distro of the month.
Comment by thatedeguy — September 12, 2006 @ 9:17 pm PST
For a lightweight distribution designed to serve well on old hardware,
you are invited to check out my SLAX variant LiveCD called SimpleSlax!
Xfce and Fluxbox as window manager options with basic desktop utility.
117MB ISO file, screenshot, and support notes can be found at:
scattershot.wickedtribe.org
Comment by Scattershot — December 28, 2006 @ 12:28 am PST
After using Knoppix, Ubuntu, Xubuntu and Mandriva my favorite thus far is SimplyMepis, I started using the live cd a couple weeks ago and have been using it almost exclusivly since, keeping my desktop and files on a 2 gig USB drive. Everything worked out of the box, and it quickly gives me access to hard drives when I need to grab something from a Widnwos partition. I’m running a Pentium 4 - 2ghz., 1.5 gb of ram, nVidia graphics and a wired network.
For diagnostics, older system or Windows repair I still heavily rely on Knoppix only because it seems faster for slower processors. I plan to install Mepis on a hard drive eventually, but for now the system runs nice and smooth and boot-up is not slow.
Comment by NIghthawk — October 4, 2007 @ 9:20 am PST