StarDestroyer.Net BBS

I've finally made the leap I have put off for years: I converted to Linux.

Not entirely, to be truthful. I got Knoppix 4.0 on DVD a week or two ago and found that interesting, but since I wanted an installed version for a dual-boot and since Knoppix installs with the grace of a thrown brick, I felt I'd go with Mandriva 2005 Limited Edition (because it came with a magazine).

I have it installed and am setting it up and getting used to it, but I rather liked the several gigs of apps on the Knoppix DVD and I have dial-up, so getting them on Mandriva separately is a bitch. Is there any way to extract these programs onto my HDD without installing Knoppix fully and, potentially, buggering my disk up?

You could, but it's somewhat of a pain (mount the compressed disk image (is it even compressed on the DVD version), copy the various files (assuming you know what they are- problem is that Linux programs aren't all contained in a single folder) then you have to hope the library versions match up and it works. The problem is that the Knoppix programs are already "installed" on the DVD, and hence copying them over and expecting them to work properly is iffy (same does apply to Windows BTW).

This is even less graceful than just installing Knoppix to a hard drive (ask DarthDavid for details- I haven't done this).

Perhaps you can get someone else on this board who lives in the UK to mail you the full Mandriva disks?

Pu-239 wrote:Perhaps you can get someone else on this board who lives in the UK to mail you the full Mandriva disks?

I'm happy to do that if Valdamar wants.

Pu-239 wrote:You could, but it's somewhat of a pain (mount the compressed disk image (is it even compressed on the DVD version), copy the various files (assuming you know what they are- problem is that Linux programs aren't all contained in a single folder) then you have to hope the library versions match up and it works. The problem is that the Knoppix programs are already "installed" on the DVD, and hence copying them over and expecting them to work properly is iffy (same does apply to Windows BTW).

This is even less graceful than just installing Knoppix to a hard drive (ask DarthDavid for details- I haven't done this).

Perhaps you can get someone else on this board who lives in the UK to mail you the full Mandriva disks?

Well I did it a couple of months ago. It's not my current install, and I'd prefer not to relive it (it was painful). There is an install script though, and it may have improved since I did it though .

I have the full Mandriva package (it's 4 CD-ROMs here if that's right). But the package comes with less software than Knoppix which was always known for packing all sorts on one disc. The thing is, I'd love all that variety on the PC running under Mandriva rather than as a LiveCD distro. I've looked into installing Knoppix, but have found it is risky and not really intended for such a purpose anyway (hence my getting Mandriva).

Ah well, if there's no easy way I can make do for now. A lot of the stuff is likely useless to me right now, but it'd be nice to have it there if I should find I need some obscure program (without having to download).