Up2date: applies to Grml releases version 2011.12
+Up2date: applies to Grml version 2024.02
@@ -36,11 +35,13 @@Grml is a bootable CD (Live-CD) based +
Grml is a bootable live system (Live-CD) based on Debian. It is not necessary to install anything to a harddisk. Grml includes a collection of GNU/Linux software especially for system administrators. It specializes on administrative tasks like installation, deployment and system rescue.
-Unless you've a good reason to really choose the 32bit flavour we - strongly encourage you to use either the grml64 or the grml96 - flavour.
+Unless you've a good reason to really choose the 32bit flavour we + strongly encourage you to use either the grml64 or the grml96 + flavour.
-Please notice that this schema was introduced starting with the - downsized Grml release 2011.12. Until then grml96 didn't exist and - grml32 was known as just 'grml'.
+grml-small provides a reduced set of available software compared to + grml-full. It provides the same Linux kernel image as grml-full and is + fully binary compatible. Choose the grml-small flavour if size - for + whatever reason - really matters to you.
Codename of Grml 2011.12 is "Knecht Rootrecht". It's a wordplay on - Knecht - Ruprecht, which translates as Farmhand Ruprecht or Servant - Ruprecht.
+Codename of Grml 2024.02 is "Glumpad". + This is an austrian word for odds and ends, bits and pieces, useless stuff. + Related words in Austrian are "Klumpert" and "Krimskrams", though the 'glum' and 'pad' might make the pronunciation more interesting.
The Grml kernel includes support for speakup. For software, - brltty and espeakup are included.
+The Grml kernel includes support for speakup. For software, + brltty and espeakup are included.
-Check out the grml-cheatcodes file (also available via grml.org/cheatcodes/). Of course kernel-parameters.txt + href="https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.html">the command-line parameters of the Linux kernel applies to Grml as well.
+The switch from file-rc to systemd happened for various reasons. + Grml used file-rc for many years, mainly because it provided a better + way to control startup behavior via its /etc/runlevel.conf configuration + than with using sysvinit. Though for us Grml developers this also meant + that whenever there have been any changes in Debian's startup + configuration we had to compare our /etc/runlevel.conf setup with what a + normal Debian system would give us. Users who wanted to remaster Grml + with a custom startup procedure as well had to practically fork + maintenance of the /etc/runlevel.conf file. This didn't only mean + tracking new features/services, but also solve any possible issues + around it - duplicating efforts and wasting developers time + unnecessarily. Lately we also started to see problems that no one else + seemed to have (or cared about enough), for example with multiple network + cards we ran into race-conditions with resolvconf. Problems like that + turned out to be release stoppers for us.
+ +systemd on the other hand provides great documentation, service + supervision, takes care of parallel service startup and is the default + init system on most Linux distributions nowadays. This means more users, + better testing and integration. Logging, startup time investigation (to + get a fast boot procedure) and identifying failed service startups with + sysvinit/file-rc was always hard, unreliable or even impossible under + certain conditions. bootlogd was unreliable (while `journalctl -b` is + available out-of-the-box with systemd), bootchart was not nicely integrated + (while systemd-analyze blame/critical-chain works out-of-the-box) and we + aren't aware of any equivalence for e.g. + `systemctl --failed`.
+ +It also turned out that it gives users who want to remaster Grml (or + build their very own ISOs from scratch using grml-live) more flexibility + and control + over the startup process. systemd's override.conf mechanism and preset + feature provides the flexibility to overwrite unwanted behavior, without + losing the option to use existing defaults.
+ +We think it's good that systemd is actively + maintained and receives attention. The sysvinit/file-rc ecosystem was + stagnating/non-existent for too many years. Grml used its own initrd + implementation in its very beginnings, until a more broadly available + initramfs-tools / live-boot solution appeared, broadening the user base, + sharing goals amongst different (live) distributions. Back in the days + Grml - like many other live distributions - had to implement hardware + recognition on its own. While udev received lots of complaints back + then, its integration actually solved all the hardware recognition + problems for the good. systemd's vision of stateless systems is + something which helps building live systems like Grml.
+ +While we don't claim that systemd is perfect and doesn't have its + issues and drawbacks (like any software), we're happy about its + existence and more than happy about development and support by Debian's + systemd folks.
+Check - out grml2usb - at the - usb webpage in the - grml-wiki.
+Check out the grml2usb manpage + and the grml-wiki page + "Boot Grml from usb-stick/firewire-device".
Yes, using the - a persistency + persistency feature.
$ cat /etc/grml_version-
The default language of the Grml system is English (en_US.UTF-8). + All other locales are removed by default. + But it is possible to change the keyboard layout via either using 'grml-quickconfig', + the boot option(s) 'lang', 'keyboard' and 'xkeyboard' + or via executing grml-lang when Grml is already running.
-By default Grml uses english settings. But it is possible to - change the settings via using either the bootparam(s) lang, - keyboard and xkeyboard or via executing grml-lang when Grml is - already running. Usage examples:
+Boot option examples:
grml lang=de # enter this at the bootprompt and you will get
@@ -200,32 +258,39 @@ grml lang=de # enter this at the bootprompt and you will get
grml keyboard=de xkeyboard=de lang=at # enter this at the bootprompt
# and you will get german keyboard and austrian
# language variables
-% grml-lang de # enter this in the shell to switch keyboard layout
- # and $LANG settings in a running Grml system
- Note: run grml-setlang to get a dialog based frontend for - /etc/default/locale. Run grml-setkeyboard to get a dialog - based frontend for /etc/sysconfig/keyboard.
+'grml-lang' example:
++% grml-lang de # enter this in the shell to switch keyboard layout ++ +
Note: Run 'grml-setlang' to get a dialog based frontend for '/etc/default/locale'.
Starting with the 2011.12 release Grml provides Fluxbox as window manager.
+Starting with the 2011.12 release Grml provides Fluxbox as window manager.
LVM (Logival Volumes) is not started by default to - avoid any possible damage to your data. To get access to present LVM - devices just execute:
+ avoid any possible damage to your data. To activate present LVM + devices execute (replace "$name" with the name of the PV): + ++# Start lvm2-pvscan@$name ++ +
or if you don't know its name and to enable all present ones, use:
-# /etc/init.d/lvm2 start +# vgchange -ay
If you want to enable LVM by default just boot using the 'lvm' - bootoption which automatically enables LVM.
+ boot option which automatically enables LVM.-# /etc/init.d/mdadm-raid start +# mdadm --asssemble --scan
If you want to enable SW-RAID by default just boot using - the 'swraid' bootoption which enables automatic assembling of + the 'swraid' boot option which enables automatic assembling of software raid arrays.
@@ -277,14 +342,13 @@ grml keyboard=de xkeyboard=de lang=at # enter this at the bootpromptAvailable bootoptions relevant in live-cd mode:
+Availabe boot options:
-+grml utc # set UTC, if your system/hardware clock is set to UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) +grml localtime # Hardware Clock is set to local time (LOCAL), this is the default +grml tz=$option # set timezone to corresponding $option, usage example: tz=Europe/Vienna, defaults to UTC if unset +
Further information: manpages hwclock(8), tzselect(1) and tzconfig(8); Debian
@@ -294,17 +358,9 @@ grml keyboard=de xkeyboard=de lang=at # enter this at the bootprompt
Short anwer: No. If you want to get a plain Debian system take a look at grml-debootstrap. Long(er) answer: yes it's possible to install Grml. But it's not
- supported and you'll be on your own. That's why we decided to make it
- not-so-obvious. If you really know what you're doing you'll find out on
- your own. Reminder: use grml-debootstrap or Debian Installer instead. No. If you want to get a Debian system take a look at grml-debootstrap (or use the Debian Installer instead). Short answer: because Zsh rocks, really! Long(er) answer: If you don't know Zsh take a look the Grml Zsh reference card. Long(er) answer: If you don't know Zsh take a look the Grml Zsh reference card. If you are a Bash user and don't know Zsh yet, don't be
afraid. Bash is largely a subset of Zsh and you don't have to
@@ -344,8 +400,8 @@ grml keyboard=de xkeyboard=de lang=at # enter this at the bootprompt
You want to deploy Grml in your data center, use it as part of your
business or have an emergency case? You're happy with Grml but would
- like to get your very own live cd (providing your favourite software
- selection, special configuration, setup and your bootsplash)?
+ like to get your very own live system (providing your favourite software
+ selection, special configuration, setup and a custom bootsplash)?
Please get in touch with us.Is it possible to install Grml to harddisk?
- Software
@@ -320,8 +376,8 @@ grml keyboard=de xkeyboard=de lang=at # enter this at the bootprompt