Xterm -query auto boot from a Live CD

Here is what we did to answer my own question:

1. We copied the latest knoppix.iso image to an Ubuntu machine which had
cloop already built as a Kernel module, because we had some trouble building
the module for Fedora Core and we couldn't find a pre-built rpm for it.

2. We mounted the iso image:

mkdir /mnt/knoppix
mount -o loop /root/knoppix.iso /mnt/knoppix

3. We created a copy of the iso image files in /root/knoppix

mkdir /root/knoppix
cd /root/knoppix
(cd /mnt/knoppix; tar cf - .) | tar xvf -

4. We then mounted the compressed loop file inside the iso image:

insmod cloop file=/root/knoppix/KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX
mknod /dev/cloop b 240 0
mkdir /mnt/KNOPPIX; mount -o ro -t whatever /dev/cloop /mnt/KNOPPIX

5. We then copied all the data to another directory where we could change it:

mkdir /root/KNOPPIX
cd /root/KNOPPIX
(cd /mnt/KNOPPIX; tar cf - .) | tar xvf -

6. We then changed the /root/KNOPPIX/etc/inittab file:

#x5:5:wait:/etc/init.d/xsession start - removed a line and added a line
x5:5:wait:/etc/X11/X -broadcast

7. We deleted openoffice becuase we had some trouble getting the cloop
file compressed enough to fit back on a 700M CD, and it would be faster
anyway not to have to compress 345M of stuff we aren't using:

rm -rf /root/KNOPPIX/opt/*

7. We then created a new cloop file to put into place:

cd /root
mkisofs -r KNOPPIX | create_compressed_fs - 65536 > /tmp/KNOPPIX

8. We then moved the new cloop image in place of the one in our iso copy:

mv /tmp/KNOPPIX /root/knoppix/KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX

9. We then created a new CD iso image:

cd /root/knoppix
mkisofs -pad -l -r -J -v -V "KNOPPIX-XTERM" -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 \
-boot-info-table -b boot/isolinux/isolinux.bin -c boot/isolinux/boot.cat \
-hide-rr-moved -o /root/knoppix-xterm.iso /root/knoppix

10. We then burned a new knoppix disk with the tweak in /etc/inittab
which automatically tries to use DHCP and a broadcast X-Query.

Now, essentially we can make a copy of this disk for any employee who has
a laptop or other machine which can boot from CD and turn his PC into an
X-terminal into our main system without having to setup LTSP or tftpboot
and we just have to make sure we have DHCP setup and running.

Actually the other option is just burn a SLAX 5.1.8.1 iso and then just
boot up, login as "root" with password "toor" and then type "xconf" then
type X -broadcast or X -query . I think this route is best.

Cheers,
Dave Brown

hey guys...

i saw the Live CD posts and thought i would mention this...

it may be useful to some of you...

http://reconstructor.aperantis.com