How Does Knoppix Work?

[Dark Ninja]

So, I'm working on installing Gentoo on my friend's laptop. But, it has been difficult so far. So, I decided to throw in Knoppix and it detected almost everything except the wireless network card.

So, I checked out the kernel generated by Knoppix. My question is -- is the kernel that is generated by Knoppix specific to the system, or is it very general and that's how it catches everything?

Just curious, 'cause this could make my life A LOT easier. Thanks.

[CoffeeMan]

I don't know about the Knoppix kernel, but I have installed Gentoo with Knoppix before, because the Gentoo live installer disc didn't see my ethernet port. But Knoppix did. Go Debian!

[Dark Ninja]

Wait...you can install Gentoo WITH Knoppix?

How does that work?

[DimGR]

Originally posted by Dark Ninja
Wait...you can install Gentoo WITH Knoppix?

How does that work?

yes you can boot up with a KNoppix CD and then set up Gentoo.

There is a tutorial on gentoo.org :)

[Dark Ninja]

Okay, I'm confused about one thing.

I figured the reason to use Knoppix to help me with the install is so I could check out the autogenerated kernel that is made by Knoppix. However, I cannot seem to find the 2.6 kernel anywhere in the system (even though I booted up onto that in Knoppix).

Am I just going about this the wrong way?


Thanks

[saikee]

Knoppix 3.4 made a claim that its Live CD can work as bootable disk in Linux and I suspect that is how other distros are making use of this property.

I also found Knoppix's hardware detecting capability to be the best in the business.

Its kernel location may be in memory only unless Knoppix has been installed into the hard drive.

[cybertron]

But the kernel still has to be on the CD somewhere so it can get loaded into memory.

You've piqued my interest and now I'm going to have to look around my Knoppix CD:)

[capaci]

i'm not exactly sure how it works, but i'd assume the kernel is just a very general one and the hardware detection just detects what modules it needs to load. maybe if you check which modules were loaded that can give you a clue as to how to build your friends kernel? just an idea, i don't really know how it works, but i don't think the kernel would be rebuilt each time, right?