Knoppix or Debian?

[Xylograph]

I posted this in the tutorials section by accident, and then found this. Oops...

After trying Ubuntu 7.10 several times on my laptop it takes literally 20 minutes to boot, has no internet and runs at the speed of moss.

At the moment Im running Knoppix 5.10 happily and speedily on my Fujitsu Siemans C series (Approx 1GHZ PIII, 512mb ram) but have read doing a hd install is unsafe as it wasnt designed for that and is unsafe.

Is there any way to have the awesome hardware compatibility and useful software packages and ability to use restricted formats, but with a standard Debian install? Beware, Im a linux newby and so it has to be easy.


~Xylo

[kerry_s]

whats wrong with just going straight debian instead of using a fork?
kde version, heavy-> http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/4.0_r2/i386/iso-cd/debian-40r2-i386-kde-CD-1.iso
xfce4 version, fairly light-> http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/4.0_r2/i386/iso-cd/debian-40r2-i386-xfce-CD-1.iso
net installer, a straight install will give you gnome, but the net installer can be used to do custom installs and build the system to your needs-> http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/4.0_r2/i386/iso-cd/debian-40r2-i386-businesscard.iso

if you want to, you can try, different off shoots and see if any agree with you-> http://distrowatch.com/search.php?category=All&origin=All&basedon=Debian&desktop=All&architecture=ix86&status=Active

[Xylograph]

Aye, I could.

But then Id have to download all the packages and useful stuff knoppix ships with. Annnnd would I have the same amazing hardware detection?

[Xylograph]

In fact, is it possible to do a Frugal Install (like I have with DSL) which gives me the speed and compactness of the live cd, but... well... without a cd?

[kerry_s]

try the xfce4 version then. if dsl works than debian will to, dsl is built on debian old stable. ya just got to get in there and get your hands dirty. if you don't feel like installing go live.->
site-> http://debian-live.alioth.debian.org/
download-> http://live.debian.net/cdimage/release/4.0_r0-rc1/i386/iso-cd/

you might even think about branching out, there's more than debian based.-> http://distrowatch.com/
just work your way down the top 100 on the right.

just grab yourself a pack of cdr's, download, burn at 4X, it's a sinch.

[markharding557]

whats wrong with just going straight debian instead of using a fork?
kde version, heavy-> http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/4.0_r2/i386/iso-cd/debian-40r2-i386-kde-CD-1.iso
xfce4 version, fairly light-> http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/4.0_r2/i386/iso-cd/debian-40r2-i386-xfce-CD-1.iso
net installer, a straight install will give you gnome, but the net installer can be used to do custom installs and build the system to your needs-> http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/4.0_r2/i386/iso-cd/debian-40r2-i386-businesscard.iso

if you want to, you can try, different off shoots and see if any agree with you-> http://distrowatch.com/search.php?category=All&origin=All&basedon=Debian&desktop=All&architecture=ix86&status=Active

i think kantonix based on knoppix should fit your bill