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KNoppix posts

Filed under: OS Updates, Linux

Knoppix 6.0 Linux LiveCD replaces KDE with LXDE

Knoppix 6.0
Knoppix is a Linux distribution that's been popular for years among folks looking for a full featured operating system that can be booted from a LiveCD (meaning you can run the operating system without installing it to your hard drive - you just can't save any changes). You can also install Knoppix to your hard drive, but it's strength has always lied in the speed with which it boots and runs from an optical disc drive or USB flash drive.

Lat month Knoppix 6.0 was released, and it's even faster and prettier than earlier versions. But it's still designed to run well on older and slower computers. Among the changes in version 6.0 is the switch from the KDE desktop environment to the LXDE graphical environment. LXDE is light weight and loads quickly, but it's capable of offering all sorts of visual candy including Compiz desktop effects.

Knoppix 6.0 also boots twice as fast as Knoppix 5, and comes with fewer applications preloaded, which helps keep the size down. While the main disk image weighs in at 645MB, it can be remastered to use 256MB or less.

You can also now save your settings after shutting down the system by creatng a persisent boot image.

[via Linux Magazine]

Filed under: Utilities

10 free system recovery tools

KnoppixLifehacker has put together a handy list of 10 free PC recovery tools. There's 2 Mac specific options, boot CD maker DasBoot and boot drive maker SuperDuper! The rest of the tools are for PC users, with a mix of Windows diagnostic tools and Linux LiveCDs and utilities.

Of course, a good Linux LiveCD like Knoppix isn't just about being able to carry a portable workstation around with you. It includes all sorts of tools that you can use to recover lost data files or repartition hard drives.

A few other favorites are on the list as well, like Magic Jelly Bean, which can extract Windows XP or Vista product activation keys, or the Ultimate Boot CD, which includes diagnostic tools to repaid damaged hard drives and file systems.

Filed under: OS Updates, Linux, Novell, Red Hat

The best Linux distro ever: the results

UbuntuWow, I am pretty blown away. Almost unanimously everyone said that Ubuntu is the best Linux distro for almost everything you would want to do. I am already a Ubuntu fan, and I thought there would be a huge list of distros because there are so many out there. Ubuntu is the distro I used at work to recover old PC data, and fix PCs when even windows was trashed. It is definitely a killer build and deserves all the recognition it gets. If anyone out there is wondering which Linux distro is good for your uses, this should be proof enough. Other distros that made the list, but were all soundly spanked by Ubuntu are:
Thanks to everyone for your comments and thoughts on your favorite Linux flavor. I will be awarding stars as soon as I can, but I believe that feature is down at the moment.

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Linux, Microsoft, Open Source

Linux as a Windows system recovery option

ubuntu - humanity for othersI have had the problem a thousand times, where one of the sales reps I support comes to me and says that that they can't access Windows or that they get the blue screen repeatedly, or their computer implodes in some other such fashion. They are usually quite distraught until I introduce them to their new best friend. I hold up a live CD containing none other than a Linux distribution. Ubuntu is my favorite, but I also enjoy working with Knoppix, DSL (Damn Small Linux), or PClinuxOS. Any of these Linux distros can be a great recovery tool for Windows users. Each has it's strengths over the others, so you'll have to decide which is your favorite. You boot from the Live CD, then you can run anything from the CD (coupled with a RAMdrive) and copy Windows files to a USB hard disk or burn them to CD. I have found that doing this is often faster and easier than trying to tell what went horribly wrong in Windows and using the recovery console. In the corporate world I can save files, then simply wipe out the hard disk and start over. Talk about making my life easier, not to mention my user gets to retain their vast library of email and presentations for future use. It is a quick and dirty way to recover from a Windows installation gone bad.

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The World's Hardest Game 2.0 - Time Waster

So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do. Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game. The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...

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