# Knowing Knoppix/Finding permanence

# Finding permanence

*"The box said that I needed to have Windows 98 or better... so I
installed Linux." \-- LinuxNewbie.org*

## Overview

Knoppix lets you store personalised settings, document files and system
settings on a disk. This saves you from having to set up Knoppix from
scratch every time you run it.

**Important:** The functionality described in this article is available
only until and including Knoppix 5.1.1 (CD release) and 5.3.1 (DVD
release), as all versions of Knoppix since 6.0 don\'t have it anymore.

Knoppix 6.x releases require saving *all* of the CD or DVD contents to
non-optical media (hard disk, flash drive, memory card), from which to
boot the system up. Note that some computers are not configured or able
to run operating systems off USB-connected drives or memory cards; some
other systems won\'t boot from very large external storage items. The
boot order is configured from the BIOS, access to which may be
restricted in some situations (typically computers at and supplied by
workplaces).

## Creating a persistent Home directory

Personalisation is what makes your computer yours. Personalised settings
include *application preferences*, for example, your favourite KDE
background wallpaper. *Documents* are the files that you create using
*Knoppix* applications, such as graphics and word processed document
files. Personalised settings and documents are stored in a special place
called your *Home directory*.

Knoppix lets you keep your Home directory on another disk. This is
called creating a *persistent Knoppix home directory*. It allows you to
use a personalised Knoppix account everywhere you go. For example, you
can sit down at one computer, do some work, go to another computer, and
carry on working.

This works best with a USB hard drive stick, also known as a USB flash
drive. These marvellous little gadgets give you hundreds of megabytes of
storage, in a space no bigger than a key fob. A USB flash drive is the
ideal companion to a Knoppix CD. To create a persistent Home directory
on a USB flash drive:

1.  Insert your USB flash drive.
2.  Wait for a moment while the drive is detected.
3.  A new hard disk partition icon will appear on the Desktop.
4.  Note the name of the new icon. For example, if there are no other
    SCSI drives in the computer, it will be labelled "Hard disk
    partition \[sda1\]".
5.  Right-click on the USB flash drive icon.
6.  Click "Mount".
7.  Right-click on the USB flash drive icon again.
8.  Click "Change read/write mode".
9.  It will ask if you want to make the partition writeable.
10. Click "Yes".
11. Click the Knoppix menu in the Panel.
12. Point to "Configure".
13. Click "Create persistent KNOPPIX home directory".
14. Click "Yes".
15. Choose the partition that corresponds to your flash drive. In this
    example, /dev/sda1 represents the flash drive.
16. You will be asked if you want to encrypt the file that will be
    created on the flash drive. This is optional, so click "No".
17. Enter how big in megabytes you would like your Knoppix home
    directory to be. For example, enter "100" for 100 megabytes. Imagine
    you have a 256 Mb flash drive. This will create a 100 megabyte file
    on the flash drive, leaving 156 Mb free for other files.
18. Click OK.
19. Wait while Knoppix prepares the flash drive. If the flash drive has
    an activity light, you will see it working for a few moments.
20. You will be asked if you want to use the entire partition. Click
    "No". This will leave existing files on the flash drive alone.
21. Wait while Knoppix completes the setup process.
22. Knoppix will tell you what you need to type at the boot prompt to
    use the persistent Knoppix home directory on your flash drive. Make
    a note of what it says, then click OK.

You must reboot for the change to take effect. Shut down Knoppix and
restart. At the boot prompt, type the following command, replacing
"sda1" as appropriate:

`knoppix home=/mnt/sda1`

During startup you should see a message like this:

`Mounting /mnt/sda1/knoppix.img as /home/knoppix...`\
`/home/knoppix mounted OK.`

This means it worked. The USB flash drive will now be used for the home
directory of the "knoppix" user.

**`Important`**\
`With a persistent home directory on a flash drive, the flash drive will be in use all the time.`\
`Do not take the flash drive out until you have shut down Knoppix.`

## Saving system settings

Saving system settings is called making a *Knoppix configuration
archive*. This stores settings that are saved in the system-wide
configuration directory, not in the home directory. For example, it
allows you to save your printer setup, so you don\'t have to do it again
next time. To save the system settings:

1.  Click the Knoppix menu on the Panel.
2.  Point to "Configure".
3.  Click "Save KNOPPIX configuration".\
    ```{=html}
    <div align="center">
    ```
    ![](Knowing_Knoppix_(Saving_system_settings_1).png "Knowing_Knoppix_(Saving_system_settings_1).png")

    ```{=html}
    </div>
    ```
4.  Select the system settings that you would like to store.\
    ```{=html}
    <div align="center">
    ```
    ![](Knowing_Knoppix_(Saving_system_settings_1-2).png "Knowing_Knoppix_(Saving_system_settings_1-2).png")

    ```{=html}
    </div>
    ```

**Personal configuration.** If you have a persistent Knoppix home
directory, you do not need this. If you do not have a persistent Knoppix
home directory, this option covers the personalised settings you have
made in programs like the KDE Control Center, and your personalised
settings in applications such as AbiWord. It does not include document
files, such as saved word processor files. It also does not include
cache files from web browsing.\
\
**All files on the Desktop.** If you have a persistent Knoppix home
directory, you do not need this. If you do not have a persistent Knoppix
home directory, select this option to save the new disk icons or program
icons that you may have created on the Desktop.\
\
**Network settings.** If you have a persistent Knoppix home directory,
and all you are doing is using the KPPP dialler to connect to the
Internet via a modem, you do not need this. KPPP configuration is saved
as part of your Knoppix home directory.\
\
The network settings saved by this option include Local Area Network
(LAN), manually configured dial-up networking (modem), Integrated
Services Digital Network (ISDN) and Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line
(ADSL) settings. For example, if you have set up your network card
manually, select this option to save the configuration for next time.\
\
**Graphics subsystem settings.** This saves settings for the "X Window
System" (the graphics display). For example, if you specified a certain
screen resolution when you started Knoppix, this option will save that
setting.\
\
**Other system configuration.** This option saves the printer setup and
all other system-wide settings.

1.  Click OK.
2.  Select the device that you would like to save onto. For example,
    assuming you have a USB flash drive, and there are no other SCSI
    drives in the system, choose /mnt/sda1.\
    ```{=html}
    <div align="center">
    ```
    ![](Knowing_Knoppix_(Saving_system_settings_2).png "Knowing_Knoppix_(Saving_system_settings_2).png")

    ```{=html}
    </div>
    ```
3.  Click OK.
4.  Wait while the archive is created.\
    ```{=html}
    <div align="center">
    ```
    ![](Knowing_Knoppix_(Saving_system_settings_3).png "Knowing_Knoppix_(Saving_system_settings_3).png")

    ```{=html}
    </div>
    ```
5.  If it worked, it will say, "Creation of the KNOPPIX configuration
    archive was successful". It will tell you the command to use at the
    boot prompt to load the saved settings.\
    ```{=html}
    <div align="center">
    ```
    ![](Knowing_Knoppix_(Saving_system_settings_4).png "Knowing_Knoppix_(Saving_system_settings_4).png")

    ```{=html}
    </div>
    ```
6.  Click OK to exit.

To load the saved settings next time you start Knoppix, use the
"*myconfig*" parameter at the boot prompt. For example, assuming you
saved the archive to "/mnt/sda1", at the boot prompt enter:

`knoppix myconfig=/mnt/sda1`

If it works you will see something like this near the end of the startup
messages (Ctrl+Alt+F1):

`Checking /mnt/sda1 for KNOPPIX configuration file...`\
`Found, now executing /mnt/sda1/knoppix.sh`

