You Can Install Knoppix on Your Hard Drive
Knoppix is best known as a complete distribution best suited for repair of non-functioning PCs. Since Knoppix is also a complete Linux distribution on a DVD-ROM, you can install the distribution on a blank hard drive (or a hard drive with sufficient empty space).
Passwordless Root Access is Needed Here
Knoppix allows you to administer the distribution without the use of a password. The easiest way to do this from the DVD-ROM is to click on the Penguin logo (which should be next to the K on the KDE panel), and then select Root Terminal. This opens a terminal window with root access.
Ordinarily, root access to a Linux or any UNIX machine is a very dangerous practice. Since this is a DVD-ROM, the worst you can do is delete all unsaved changes you make while running Knoppix.
Once the terminal is opened, type knoppix-installer and watch the installer program open.
Run Partition Your Disk
More likely than not, you will need to create free space on your hard drive. Knoppix requires exactly two partitions to install, one for the swap space, and one for Knoppix itself. Be sure to have at least 10GB for Knoppix, and sufficient space for your data as all of the installation will go to one partition. I recommend allocating at least 20GB of hard drive space to be sure that Knoppix will run on your PC.
You may allocate more partitions for Knoppix use, but if you want to use these partitions for user accounts, you will have to edit /etc/fstab accordingly. On my Gateway, I have a 20GB partition allocated for storage of virtual disks to be used by QEMU, VirtualBox, and other emulators.
If you are new to Knoppix, I recommend placing all the distribution and data into one partition.
Note about older machines: Though you can make your partitions as large as you want, you want to be sure that your partition sizes fit into the space that is recognizable by your machine's BIOS. On my Gateway, the Knoppix installation must fit in the first 137MB of the hard drive. Keep this in mind when allocating space for your installation.
Next Configure Your Installation
After you have partitioned your disk, you will need to select Configure the Installation.
Knoppix gives you the option of installing the system and configuring the hard disk installation to function similar to the DVD-ROM option. This option gives you passwordless system administration. I do not recommend this option unless you do not plan to connect your machine to the Internet.
I recommend using the Debian-Like installation, which will give you what is essentially a Debian Etch (4.0) system with up-to-date software packages.
You will be asked for your real name, a user name (with the installer program giving you a suggestion), administrator password, a regular account password, the name of your machine, and where to install the bootloader.
About Passwords
Ubuntu distributions allow you to use your regular account password for system administration. If you are used to this type of distribution, then you may use the same password for both the administrator password and the regular user password.
However, it is a better idea to have separate passwords for the administrator and for the regular user account.
Where to Place the Bootloader
If you are planning to use Knoppix as the only operating system on your hard drive, or you plan to dual-boot with Windows, you may place the bootloader (Grub) on the Master Boot Record.
However, if you are running another operating system that depends upon its own bootloader to start, you will want to place the bootloader in the partition that you have installed Knoppix on, but then you will need to configure that bootloader to start Knoppix.
Get Yourself a Snack, Watch a Movie, Go Shopping, etc while Knoppix is Installing.
When Knoppix starts the installation process, it will take approximately an hour or two depending on the speed of your computer, the speed of the DVD-ROM drive, and the speed of your target hard drive.
Floppies are Recommended Here
After Knoppix has finished installing, it will (at your choosing) install the bootloader on a floppy diskette in addition to where the bootloader has been installed. This is a good idea in case Knoppix fails to boot from the hard drive.
Restart Your System
After the floppy has been created, you should close the terminal window and restart your PC. Just before the actual reboot takes place, Knoppix will eject itself from the DVD-ROM drive and give you two minutes to remove the DVD-ROM and close the drive.
