Billix README
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What is Billix?
Billix is a USB-key-based or CDROM-based mini Linux distribution. You can either boot it off a USB key or CD. It will fit on a 256MB USB key - which can be found for as little as $10 nowadays (my current favorite vendor for USB keys is Surplus Computers - http://www.surpluscomputers.com).
What can Billix do for me?
Billix will let you boot Damn Small Linux (either natively or from within a Windows or Linux session via QEMU). You can boot Puppy Linux as well, or you can activate any of the Linux distro installers. Currently included installers are Ubuntu 6.06 LTS (Dapper), Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy), Ubuntu 8.04 LTS (Hardy), Debian Etch and Sarge, Centos 5.1, Centos 4.6, and Fedora 8. All the installers are of the "netinstall" type, meaning they boot a mini-OS and require a functional internet connection to grab and install the rest of the OS. Also included with Billix is the "memtest" memory checking program, and a Windows "password eliminator" (a mini OS that will mount and edit the registry on Windows boxes to null out any of the passwords on the box).
Why did you make Billix?
I built this as a tool for myself, a sysadmin. It's always nice to have a rescue disk handy, and Damn Small Linux makes a heck of a rescue OS. Pair that with the ability to test a system's RAM, install my favorite distros, and hack the odd Windows box in a pinch and you can see why Billix is what it is.
Why did you call it Billix?
Cause I had about four beers in me when I registered the Sourceforge project. This follows in the grand tradition of Linux, Knoppix, and other "*ixs" for naming the distro after yourself.
How do I "install" Billix?
Now here comes the fun part. Billix can be either burned to a CD (just grab the .iso version and burn it, then boot it), or you can install it to a USB key. I recommend putting it on the USB key, assuming your hardware supports USB booting.
Installation to USB key is rather simple, but it does require the use of syslinux for installation. I currently don't include syslinux, but it's easily apt-gettable if you're on a Debian-based distro, and there are readily available RPMs for RPM-based distros. There's even a Win32 version available (http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/). Depending on your key, you may need the "mbr" package (specifically the install-mbr utility) as well.
To install to USB key:
0) BACKUP THE STUFF on your key. This shouldn't hurt anything on there, but "stuff happens".
1) Ensure your key is formatted with a FAT filesystem.
2) Untar the tarball to the root of your key.
3) run "syslinux -s /dev/xxxn" (where xxx is the device of your key and n is the number of the partition, ie, /dev/sda1).
That should make your key bootable. MAKE SURE the device is NOT your machine's hard disk!
If it your USB key is not bootable, run "install-mbr -p1 /dev/xxx" (/dev/sda, for example - not /sda1 - we want the device, not the partition, in this case), then run the syslinux command over again. The install-mbr command will write a MBR to the key and make the first partition the bootable one.
How do I use Billix?
Simple. Boot your key or CD. To run Damn Small Linux, simply hit enter. Otherwise; here are some of the boot cheatcodes:
dsl Run Damn Small Linux (Default)
dapper Install Ubuntu Dapper (Netboot)
dapperserver Install Ubuntu Dapper (Server)
dapperexpert Install Ubuntu Dapper (Expert)
sarge Install Debian Sarge (Netboot)
centos4 Install Centos 4.6 (Netboot)
fedora Install Fedora Core 8 (Netboot)
ntpwd Windows NT/2K/XP Pwd Crack
memtest memtest86+
To call up these cheatcodes from within the boot screen, hit F2.
Why is there a QEMU directory on the key?
That's for Damn Small Linux. I used their "embedded" distro - notice the dsl-linux.sh and dsl-windows.bat scripts? If you run either of those from within their respective OSes then a QEMU window will open and Damn Small Linux will start in that. It's great for when you are at a PC where your regular toolset isn't available, and you can't reboot or otherwise mess with that PC (cybercafe, library, etc).
Can I modify Billix?
Of course! Simply add the kernel and initrd you want the system to boot, pop an entry in the syslinux.cfg file (copy that to isolinux.cfg so you can optionally burn it to CD and have it work), and add a entry to the boot menu if you wish. Then run syslinux again to make the configuration active. I've actually built "Super-Billix" versions this way that include Knoppix or the Ubuntu LiveCDs.
NOTES and ISSUES:
Right now most SATA controllers aren't supported by Damn Small Linux. When DSL-N gets more mature I'll include that rather than the regular DSL.
The Centos and Fedora netinstalls pull from the kernel.org mirrors.
