Step by step user guide for STUX GNU/Linux (index)

1. Install STUX on hard disk
   
   To install STUX on hard disk:

   STUX CONTROL CENTER -> SETUP -> Live CD -> Install STUX -> Install on Hard Disk

   you will see a window like this:
   
   
   
   Select the partition where you wish to install STUX.
   
   
   Checkboxes:
   
   
   • Format device
     
     
     If checked, the selected device will be formatted.
     
     
   • Remove existing files
     
     
     This option is enabled only if the 'Format device' checkbox is unckecked.
     If you choose to not format the target Hard Disk, with this checkbox you can choose to remove the existing directories (/bin /boot /dev /etc /home /lib /opt /sbin /usr /var /root /tmp) before copy the current one. This option could be used to restore a damaged installation without loose files created in system directories.
     
     
   • Set selected Hard Disk bootable
     
     
     If checked, set the bootable flag on the selected Hard Disk.
     
     
   • Write Master Boot Record (MBR)
     
     
     If checked, GRUB boot loader will be installed in the primary partition of the boot device.
     WARNING: existing Master Boot Record will be overwritten ! You are strongly suggested to use the button 'Save MBR to file' to make a backup of your current Master Boot Record (MBR).
     Other operative systems, like Windows™, should be recognized and automatically added to GRUB boot menu. The GRUB boot menu is customizable editing file /boot/grub/menu.lst located in the primary partition of the boot device.
     
     
   • Copy system files
     
     
     If checked, files are installed. Do not check in order to only restore boot record and loader.
     
     
     
   • Create removable boot device after install
     
     
     If checked, the program that creates boot floppies/CDROM/USB is called after installation.
     
     
     
   If you need to restore a damaged boot loader, for example, select the boot device and check 'Set selected hard disk bootable', 'Write master boot record', 'Install GRUB loader on Hard Disk' and uncheck other checkboxes; invert checkboxes if you need to install STUX on selected device but you want to keep boot configuration intact.
   
   D.M.A.: You have to manually activate D.M.A. on hard disks the first time you access STUX after installation.
   
   Note: The resulting installation will be a clone of the packages and configurations currently present in the Live CD session. You can even choose to not install some packages by simply uninstalling the new packages (use 'qtswaret' or 'removepkg' to remove packages) from the Live CD session before hard disk installation. You could also add new packages to the resulting installation by installing new packages (use 'swaret', 'qtswaret' or 'installpkg' to add new packages) before hard disk installation. This approach has the advantage that you can fully configure and test the system before installing it on hard disk; for example, if you have configured the network in the Live CD session (before hard disk installation), that network configuration will be kept also in the resulting installation.
   When running from Live CD, and configuration is not saved persistently, the Knoppix hardware autodetection makes the hard work of autodetect and configure devices: when you install STUX on hard disk, the current configuration files are installed on the target device (created by Knoppix autodetection) but when you boot from hard disk (or when you boot from Live CD with a persistent configuration) the Knoppix autodetection is skipped (because devices have been already configured by Knoppix autodetection or manually).
   
   Booting:
   
   
   • Boot PC from hard disk
     
     
     • Enter BIOS, move to 'Boot', select the hard disk where STUX is installed and and set it as the first boot device.
     • Save BIOS settings
     • Reboot
     
     
   • Create a bootable floppy disk
     
     To Create a bootable floppy disk:

     STUX CONTROL CENTER -> Setup -> Live CD -> Boot removable devices

     you will see a window like this:
     
     
     
     Select the device where STUX is installed, and press button 'Create'.
     WARNING: all data on floppy disk will be lost !
     
     
2. Install STUX on a USB key
   
   
   1. Enter the proper application:

      STUX CONTROL CENTER -> Setup -> Live CD -> Install STUX -> Install on USB key

      you will see a window like this:
      
      
      
      
   2. Select the target USB device where you want to install STUX.
      WARNING: all data in selected USB key will be lost!
      
      
   3. Advanced users could be interested in copy a compressed STUX image different than the default one, that is /cdrom/STUX/STUX: if you are a normal user, leave /cdrom/STUX/STUX as 'Compressed linux iso file'.
      
      
   4. Press the button 'Ok' to start installation:
      
      
   
   Booting:
   
   
   • Boot PC from USB key
     
     To boot PC from USB device, the BIOS motherboard must support USB devices and booting from them.
     
     
     • Boot an installed compressed STUX image from USB key:
       
       If your motherboard BIOS boot manager configures USB key as "USB ZIP/FLASH", you can install STUX compressed image on USB keys: key must be large enough to contain the compressed system (733 MB for default STUX).
       
       
       1. Enter BIOS, move to 'Boot' -> 'Boot order', select "USB ZIP/FLASH" as first boot device.
          
          
       2. Insert the key in USB port
          
          
       3. Reboot PC.
          
          To create a bootable USB Key, see Make a bootable USB key.
       
       
     • Boot STUX installed on USB key:
       
       If your motherboard BIOS boot manager configures USB key as normal Hard Disks, you can install STUX on an USB key; key must be large enough to contain the system (2.2 GB for default STUX, but you can try to uninstall packages to make the system smaller).
       
       
       1. Enter BIOS, move to 'Boot' -> 'Boot order', select the USB key as first boot device.
          
          
       2. Insert the key in USB port
          
          
       3. Reboot PC.
          
          
   • Create 2 bootable floppy disks
     
     
     Cause of increased kernel size that does no more fit on floppy disk , this option has been disabled.
     
     
   • Create a bootable CD R/RW disk
     
     
     1. Enter the proper application:

        STUX CONTROL CENTER -> Setup -> Live CD ->  Boot removable devices

     2. Select tab labeled 'STUX Live CD'
        
        you will see a window like this:
        
        
        
        
     3. Select 'CD/DVD R/RW'
        
        
     4. Click the button labeled 'Create'.
        This will create a small bootable ISO file and then will open CD burning tool K3B: keep ready a writable CD. Note that K3B will show a warning message about growisofs: ignore it to start burning ISO on cdrom.
        
        Note: this program does not ask the location where STUX compressed image is installed because the boot scripts will locate and load the first occurrence of file /STUX/STUX searched in the root folder of any available device.
     
     
     
3. Install STUX compressed image
   
   
   This installation mode does not require to re-partition or re-format hard disk.
   
   A FAT, EXT2 or REISER filesystem is required.
   
   This installation type will work with internal/external hard disks and USB keys.
   
   With this installation mode, CD/DVD drive will be available for other purposes, like CD mastering, DVD watching, etc....
   I/O performances are better than when running from CD ROM.
   Running this installation mode, is the same thing than running from Live CD: the only difference is that compressed image file is located on hard disk instead on CD ROM.
   System can be booted from floppy disks, CD ROM or USB key.
   
   
   1. Enter the proper application:

      STUX CONTROL CENTER -> Setup -> Live CD -> Install STUX -> Install compressed image

      You will see a window like this:
      
      
      
      
   2. Select the device where you want to install STUX compressed image.
      Selected partition must be large enough to contain STUX compressed image file (located in /STUX/STUX).
      File /STUX/STUX will be copied on selected partition.
      
      
   3. Create a bootable device to boot the installed compressed image:
      if you need to create a CD/DVD you will note that CD/DVD drive is locked because is currently in use by STUX Live CD; leaving the STUX Live CD in drive, reboot computer using the boot option fromhd: this will boot the installed compressed image keeping the CD/DVD drive free for remaster a bootable CD to be used to boot the installed compressed image without use the boot options.
      
      Note: you can get the same installation result using the boot option tohd.
      
   
   Booting:
   
   
   A STUX compressed image can be booted from floppy, CDROM or USB key.
   1. Create 2 bootable floppy disks
   2. Create a bootable CD R/RW disk
   3. Make a bootable USB key
      
      
      To create a bootable USB key to boot a STUX Live CD compressed image:

      STUX CONTROL CENTER -> Setup -> Live CD ->  Boot removable devices

      and select tab labeled 'STUX Live CD'
      
      you will see a window like this:
      
      
      
      Select 'USB key' and click the button labeled 'Create', a window like this will appear:
      
      
      
      choose the target USB key and press Ok.
      
      Note: this program does not ask the location where STUX compressed image is installed because the boot scripts will locate and load the first occurrence of file /STUX/STUX searched in the root folder of any available device.