Knoppix Hacks 2nd Edition

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Knoppix Hacks 2nd Edition

Tips and Tools for Using the Linux Live CD to Hack, Repair, and Enjoy Your PC

by by Kyle Rankin
ISBN 0-596-51493-X
ISBN-13 978-0-596-51493-8

Rating: 5 out of 5 penguins

Contents

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Review

Like all the O'Reilly hack books, Knoppix Hacks consists of a collection of recipes for carrying out a variety of tasks. The overwhelming majority of the recipes stand on their own, so you can use them without reading the rest of the book.

The Knoppix version 5.1.1 DVD is included with the book. Since Knoppix is a live-boot DVD, arguably the premier live-boot DVD, you don't have to modify your system's hard disk in order to try out most of the ideas in the book. This makes for a great environment for experimentation and learning. You have a sandbox in RAM where you can play with new concepts and commands without messing up your hard disk.

In this reviewer's opinion, Knoppix Hacks 2nd edition is one of the very best computer books available, and belongs in the library of every technically-inclined PC owner.

Disclaimers: The publisher, O'Reilly gives many books to Kernel-Panic Linux Users Group for review. I am a founding member of the group and am currently serving as its treasurer. The review copy of Knoppix Hacks went to another member, and I purchased my own copy. A more complete review and errata is available on my website.

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Pros

This book is well organized, well written, and has both depth and breadth. It is an excellent resource for learning Linux. Although many of the recipes cover advanced topics, they are relatively easy to follow in part because they start with the system in a known state -- booted from the included Knoppix DVD.

Knoppix covers everything from familiarizing you with the KDE desktop, to mastering your own customized Knoppix DVD. Do you want to learn the basics of Linux system administration? Read Chapter 5, "Put Knoppix in Your Toolbox". Do you want to use free software for Windows system administration -- possibly saving hundreds of dollars? Read Chapter 7, "Rescue Windows".

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Cons

The included version of Knoppix is not suitable for really old PCs that lack DVD drives. But, the text explains how you can easily download and burn your on copy of the Knoppix CD version.

On the copyright page, my copy shows a printing date of November 2007 and a copyright date of 2008 -- that seems odd.

The book contains a few terms and phrases that the editors probably should have changed. In the in forward they say some "forged new ground" instead of "broke new ground". They talk of "MD5sum" rather than "md5sum", the command, or "MD5 sum", the algorithm.

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Table of Contents

Foreword
Credits
Preface
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Chapter 1. Boot Knoppix

1. Boot Knoppix on a Desktop
2. Boot Vitualized Knoppix (New for 2nd Edition)
3. Get Knoppix
4. Use Knoppix Cheat Codes
5. Speak Different Languages
6. Free Your CD to Make Knoppix Run Faster
7. Straighten Out Your X Settings
8. Use Advanced Knoppix Cheat Codes
9. Run Knoppix on a Laptop
10. Explore Expert Mode
11. Check RAM for Errors with Memtest86+ (New for 2nd Edition)
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Chapter 2. Use Your Knoppix Desktop

12. Explore the Desktop
13. Customize the Desktop Look
14. Get Office Work Done
15. Configure Your Printer
16. Use Peripheral Devices
17. Have Fun and Play Some Games
18. Rock Out with Knoppix Multimedia
19. Connect to the Internet
20. Connect to the Internet with GPRS Bluetooth
21. Explore the Internet
22. Get Help
23. Try Other Desktop Environments (New for 2nd Edition)
24. Become Root (New for 2nd Edition)
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Chapter 3. Tweak Your Desktop

25. Use Aufs
26. Create Persistent Knoppix Settings
27. Use Your Linux Desktop Settings
28. Use Your Windows Desktop Settings
29. Make a Kiosk
30. Make a Party Arcade (New for 2nd Edition)
31. Network Boot Knoppix
32. Create a Knoppix "Thin Client" (New for 2nd Edition)
33. Develop Applications
34. Install Nvidia 3D Drivers
35. Point-and-Klik to Install Applications
36. Create Your Own Klik Recipe
37. Install Programs to the Live Disk
38. Browse the Web Anonymously (New for 2nd Edition)
39. Install Multimedia Codecs (New for 2nd Edition)
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Chapter 4. Install Linux with Knoppix

40. Explore the Knoppix Installer
41. Install Knoppix as a Single-Boot System
42. Install Knoppix on a Multiboot System
43. Convert Knoppix to Debian Unstable
44. Install Gentoo with Knoppix
45. Update a Knoppix Install from the CD (New for 2nd Edition)
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Chapter 5. Put Knoppix in Your Toolbox

46. Run Remote Desktops
47. Run X Remotely with FreeNX
48. Browse Windows Shares
49. Create an Emergency Router
50. Create an Emergency File Server
51. Create an Emergency Web Server
52. Make an Emergency Mail Relay (New for 2nd Edition)
53. Run Other Emergency Services
54. Wardrive with Knoppix
55. Audit Network Security
56. Check for Root Kits
57. Collect Forensics Data
58. Clone Hard Drives
59. Wipe a Hard Drive
60. Test Hardware Compatibility
61. Copy Settings to Other Distributions
62. Add Knoppix to Your PXE Boot Environment (New for 2nd Edition)
63. Set up a Webcam Server is a Snap (New for 2nd Edition)
64. Create a Weekend Wiki (New for 2nd Edition)
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Chapter 6. Repair Linux

65. Repair Lilo
66. Repair Grub
67. Kill and Resurrect the Master Boot Record
68. Find Lost Partitions
69. Resize Linux Partitions
70. Repair Damaged Filesystems
71. Recover Deleted Files
72. Rescue Files from Damaged Hard Drives
73. Backup and Restore
74. Migrate to a New Hard Drive
75. Mount Linux Software RAID (New for 2nd Edition)
76. Create Linux Software RAID
77. Migrate to Software RAID
78. Migrate Software RAID 1 to RAID 5 Array
79. Add an Extra Drive to a Software RAID 5 Array
80. Mount LVM Partitions (New for 2nd Edition)
81. Reset Linux Passwords
82. Fix Broken Init Services
83. Repair Debian Packages
84. Repair RPM Packages
85. Copy a Working Kernel
86. Turn a Physical Machine into a VMware Virtual Machine (New for 2nd Edition)
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Chapter 7. Rescue Windows

87. Fix the Windows Boot Selector
88. Back Up Files and Settings
89. Resize Windows Partitions
90. Reset Lost NT Passwords
91. Edit the Windows Registry
92. Restore Corrupted System Files
93. Scan for Viruses
94. Download Windows Patches Securely
95. Knoppix on Intel Macs (New for 2nd Edition)
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Chapter 8. Knoppix Reloaded

96. Master Morphix
97. Educate Yourself with Freeduc
98. Damn Small Linux
99. INSERT Security Here
100. Download Local Area Security
101. Full Protection with Knoppix-STD
102. Distribute Compiles with distccKNOPPIX
103. Distribute the Load with ClusterKnoppix
104. Analyze Quantian
105. Find GIS Knoppix on the Map
106. TiVo Your Computer
107. Compose Musix (New for 2nd Edition)
108. Contribute to Knoppix
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Chapter 9. Knoppix Remastered

109. Create a Customized Knoppix
110. Trim the Fat
111. Personalize Knoppix
112. Keep Your Custom Disc Up to Date
113. Automate Knoppix Remastering
114. Morph Morphix
115. Auto-Build Morphix Modules MapLab tutorial map
116. Change the Default Language on an ISO Image (New for 2nd Edition)
117. Remaster Knoppix Without Remastering (New for 2nd Edition)
118. Change Boot Defaults Without Remastering (New for 2nd Edition)
119. Tweak the initrd Without Remastering (New for 2nd Edition)
120. Put Knoppix on a USB Drive (New for 2nd Edition)
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Index

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see also

CSI
Knoppix
Knoppix/HDInstall
Knoppix grub repair howto
Knoppix Hacks by Kyle Rankin
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