Easy to Install Version

[^thehatsrule^]

Please keep on topic.  Unrelated posts should be made in new threads (can message me if you wish to split out yours).

[lmart]

Your question appears to have 2 parts; #1 easy install, #2 remaster with apps


You may want to read the following post regarding #1:

http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php?topic=3878.msg20288#msg20288


Regarding #2, what I am trying to accomplish is to get TC running in ram exactly the way I want, then remaster the ram-TC to an iso.  If and when I get there, I will post a HowTo.

I am liking, more each day, the completely minimalistic approach of this distro.

[sluzo]

A friend of mine gave me a thumb drive with TinyCore on it. I was impressed with the size and power of this OS. Unfortunately, I have just wasted 10 hours of my day trying to find how to make a "LiveCD" as mentioned in the installation instructions. Count me as one of those who is untimately frustrated by the lack of simple instructions for creating such a disk. I guess this OS is just for you rocket scientists.

[Jason W]

It is no harder to burn an iso of Tinycore than it is to do the same for Puppy or Ubuntu.  Download the iso image:

http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/tinycorelinux/2.x/release/tinycore_2.6.1.iso

Then install the cdrtools.tcz extension, or use another distro to burn the image with.  Graphical burning programs exist to make this easier but cdrtools will do just fine.  With the empty cd in the cd tray,  If you don't know the device name of the cd burner, then use this command to show you what device to use:

# cdrecord -scanbus

That will show a number on the left of the cd burning device.   You will use this number as the device name.  If it is 1001.0.0, then open a terminal in the directory of the iso image and enter:

# cdrecord dev=1001,0,0 speed=8  tinycore_2.6.1.iso

A low speed helps prevent errors. This should produce a bootable cd.

[ShatteredDaylight]

Since TC has many uses for people who have no clue about linux it would be a good idea.
Personally I feel an installer would lessen stress somewhat for these and it really shouldn't take more than a kilobyte or two. I cite as an example: (this might require an MS installer though) Vista runs like crap, steals ~1 gig of your ram for cache(seriously?) and actually occupies a further 70+ MB. Constructing a system with TC would be better for those people (assuming they don't have CS3 or someother wine killer) but they won't because they either don't have a cd-burner or get wonderfully lost installing on USB (on this note: the windows part of the wiki could use some clarification; as well as a few other equally short entries in the installation section) or even more likely...THEY ARE AFRAID THEY WILL SCREW UP...I taught a tech class in school and I noticed immediately that the people (IN A TECH CLASS) will do one of these things:
1. ask for help immediately if something goes wrong
2. if there's no one around give up or tentatively try to do something(jiggle mouse, random clicks,etc.)
OR
3. try to do it on their own
4. go overboard and do something like fry their BIOS
(belive it or not the class was mostly girls and (not trying to stereotype) they ALL fit into 1 and 2)

Installing is for the first set that would give up, as they wouldn't even try it in the first place without a guide.
I'm suggesting that these people would benefit more from TC than a large distro because of a few factors:
1. they only have to be afraid of what they become brave enough to try, NOT the myraid of hidden features.
2. Its fast and it isn't vista.

[curaga]

For Windows users, I'm looking into making TC better supported within the two easy to use usb installers:
Linux Live USB installer, and unetbootin.

[aus9]

Guy and others

I am a TC newbie but have some experience with Linux. Warning....I have a sense of humour.

Your main point on newbie...issue....I fall into that category is correct.....but all distros suffer from a lack of good documentation/wiki/videos IRC support (where applicable) etc.

2) So the current installation guide is good enough but would scare gui users used to gparted....point noted.

3) My issue....which I hope is same for all newbies is the lack of clear documents....wiki....mainly on what is NOT linked on the install page
http://tinycorelinux.com/install.html

no link to
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.com/tiki-index.php?page=Boot+Options

4) Persistance....the main issue for newbies is not documented clear enough for people (ok me me me) to grasp even if my Dr says I can read English...heh heh

eg
persistance is mentioned on
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.com/tiki-index.php?page=Boot+Options     BUT no explanation

So you go to the explanation page
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.com/tiki-index.php?page=Boot+codes+explained
....hmm thats not exactly informative..........................IMHO its not written to explain it to a newbie

So lets try
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.com/tiki-index.php?page=Backup

This page is the most informative.....but suffers in mixing messages.......the newbie gets options but no for and against comparison and more importantly.....the why.....the reason for persisting.....and existing.....heh heh

I don't mean to sound rude....but this part of the wiki has me stumped.........

Not Backup Files and Settings
If you use persistent home and opt, and make extensions for any applications which contain personal settings (for example printer setup), you do not need to use backup at all

We have a contrapositive heading......and again we have mixed messages.....the use of persistence with personal settings.

-------

Ok so above may seem to be rude.....but I believe in being transparent....so must suffer any replies equally blunt.

I do intend to remaster a distro with some common apps and stuff like lxde...included leafpad and a filemanager, web browser,

and if its not against the rules....shall post the download link and the script to build it to prove I am not trying to be nasty but informative.

-----

Note to myself....stop talking ....no-one listens....sign of disrespect

ok joking aside.....for TC to be my host ....my real system....ok I know its virtual....in RAM etc.....TC needs improving. I do not claim I am a developer or a programmer etc.....but if you can hear what a TC newbie is saying......a larger download with more apps.....is APPRECIATED

regards

gordy aka aus9

[gerald_clark]

It's a wiki. If you don't like it, you get to fix it.

[keithclark]

Guy and others

3) My issue....which I hope is same for all newbies is the lack of clear documents....wiki....mainly on what is NOT linked on the install page
http://tinycorelinux.com/install.html

no link to
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.com/tiki-index.php?page=Boot+Options

4) Persistance....the main issue for newbies is not documented clear enough for people (ok me me me) to grasp even if my Dr says I can read English...heh heh

eg
persistance is mentioned on
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.com/tiki-index.php?page=Boot+Options     BUT no explanation

So you go to the explanation page
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.com/tiki-index.php?page=Boot+codes+explained
....hmm thats not exactly informative..........................IMHO its not written to explain it to a newbie

So lets try
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.com/tiki-index.php?page=Backup

I have to agree here.  I'm also new and I cannot figure out this whole persistance thing.  I don't think a simple installation version is required, just Easy to Install instructions for Non-Experts.  The kind of user that really wants to learn something more about Linux and this kind of light distro, but come from Ubuntu type backgrounds.

[Guy]

I'm also new and I cannot figure out this whole persistance thing.

It is difficult to know what you have done and what you have not done, or what you understand and what you don't understand.

If you installed on a hard drive, you probably included tce=sda1 (or another partition) in the boot options. Also include home=sda1 and opt=sda1 (use the correct partition).

There is also additional information here. You don't need to use this method, but read the additional information.
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.com/tiki-index.php?page=Installing+TC+-+Alternate+Offline+Guide

If you are still not able to make it work, start another page in this forum, explain what you have done, and what you can't get working. People will help.

[Gajita]

I'm new to TinyCore, relatively new to Linux (have been using for last 2 years as main OS), and using the wiki and these forums i pretty much had no trouble. Managed to get a TC installation complete with wireless, sound, all the apps i usually use, security, the works - only took me an evening.

It's a bit more difficult that installing something like Ubuntu, sure, but thats half the fun. My installation is exactly how i want it, runs lightning fast even on this piece of crap laptop, and i learnt so much about linux and grub through the install process it was worth the hassle just for that experience.

I get annoyed with some distros including a tonne of stuff i dont want and will never use that only bloats and slows down my system. I like that TC was different, if a little more work.

Don't know what the point of this post is really, just wanted a place to say thanks to whoever has contributed to the wiki, and obviously the maker/makers of TC, and put in my $0.02.

[ejames82]

i respectfully disagree with the original poster.  the reason why tiny core is so special is that it is so small, yet it works great.  fortunately there are knowledgeable and generous members here that go the distance with a newbie and fix them up.  i know this first hand.


one change i would make to the installation tutorial is this:
when editing the menu.lst file with vi, everything is fine except this is needed:

Once you've finished editing, hitting the <esc> key and typing ":wq" (without the "quotes" as in :=command mode, w=write, q=quit) and then hitting the <enter> key will save the file and exit vi.

a newbie is not going to know to do this, if it is written there somewhere and i overlooked it, my fault.  otherwise, this change would be helpful.  i recall being extremely frustrated at that time.  screenshot(s) would be icing on the cake.

here is the thread and the relevant info.

http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php?topic=6228.30

replies #39 and #40

[^thehatsrule^]

ejames82: it uses :x (which is equivalent to :wq)

[tinypoodle]

BTW, tc works under FAT or NTFS partitions as well? So it could use windows partitions...

If TC works on a FAT partition, you'd probably find you'd have trouble with file permissions on persisten home, opt, and tce dirs.

NTFS wouldn't work without some monkey magic.

TC works perfectly well though on a FAT partition with all files necessary to boot + PPR (extensions) + backup (mydata.tgz)
In fact it is more easy to boot TC from a FAT partition than e.g. from a reiserfs partition, as most file systems (with exception of ext* and FAT*) depend on filesystems-*-tinycore.tcz being already loaded first.

[ejames82]

^thehatsrule^

"it uses :x"
you must mean vi.
i did try ":x", it wouldn't work (i tried several times), but ":wq" did (first time).  i can't remember specifically what happened, but i think "x" is supposed to leave vi, and it didn't.  where "wq" did. 
perhaps my problem was an isolated and rare occurance, or i did something wrong, but to add in "if :x doesn't work, try :wq instead" may help a newbie.  it would have helped me.

i think the programs that the original poster suggests are probably great programs.  during that first "rocky" installation, i used gparted to partition and leafpad during the installation which i installed leafpad myself.  i remember wishing i had a gui file manager at least a couple of times.  i'll bet Xfe is a great one (i'll have to check it out), but i still got by thanks to the help i received.

i'm just giving my own opinion that i think this distro is heading in the right direction already.