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+
+ <h1 align="center">FAQ for grml</h1>
+
+ <p><strong>Up2date:</strong> applies to Grml releases version 2012.05</p>
+
+ <p><a name="toc"></a><strong>Index:</strong></p>
+
+ <p class="toc"><a href="#general">General:</a></p>
+ <ol>
+ <li><a href="#whatis">What is Grml?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#flavours">What are grml32 / grml64 and grml96?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#grmlsmall">What is the difference between grml-full and grml-small?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#get">Where do I get Grml?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#whatmeans">What does Grml mean?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#releasename">What about the release name?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#requirements">Requirements for running Grml</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#bootoptions">Which bootoptions does Grml support?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#known_issues">Are there any known issues with this release? How about reporting bugs?</a></li>
+ </ol>
+
+ <p class="toc"><a href="#features">Features</a>:</p>
+ <ol>
+ <li><a href="#usbboot">How do I boot Grml from a USB stick?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#persistency">Is it possible to store my settings?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#password">What are the passwords of users on Grml?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#version">How do I find out the version of Grml</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#language">How do I change the language/keyboard settings?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#wms">Which window managers can I use?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#lvm">Where are my LVM devices?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#swraid">Where are my Software-RAID devices?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#booting">Which ways exist to boot Grml?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#timezone">How do I configure timezone on my Grml system?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#hdinstall">Is it possible to install Grml to harddisk?</a></li>
+ </ol>
+
+ <p class="toc"><a href="#software">Software:</a></p>
+ <ol>
+ <li><a href="#sw_version">Which package(s) and which version is available?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#zsh">Why is Zsh the default shell?</a></li>
+ </ol>
+ </ol>
+
+ <p class="toc"><a href="#stuff">Support / Unanswered stuff:</a></p>
+ <ol>
+ <li><a href="#questions">Further questions?</a></li>
+ <li><a href="#support">Commercial Support</a></li>
+ </ol>
+
+ <h2><a name="general"></a><a href="#toc">General</a></h2>
+
+ <h3><a name="whatis"></a><a href="#toc">What is Grml?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>Grml is a bootable live system (Live-CD) based
+ on <a href="http://www.debian.org/">Debian</a>. 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.</p>
+
+ <h3><a name="flavours"></a><a href="#toc">What are grml32 / grml64 and grml96?</a></h3>
+
+ <ul>
+ <li>grml32-full: 32bit version (kernel and userspace), ~350MB</li>
+ <li>grml64-full: 64bit version (kernel and userspace), ~350MB</li>
+ <li>grml96-full: multi boot version (featuring the grml32-full and grml64-full ISOs combined on one ISO), ~700MB</li>
+ </ul>
+
+ <p>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.</p>
+
+ <p>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'.</p>
+
+ <h3><a name="grmlsmall"></a><a href="#toc">What is the difference between grml-full and grml-small?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>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.</p>
+
+ <h3><a name="get"></a><a href="#toc">Where do I get Grml?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>Grml is open source, you can download it from the mirrors
+ listed at <a href="/download">grml.org/download/</a>.</p>
+
+ <h3><a name="whatmeans"></a><a href="#toc">What does Grml mean?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>Grml comes close to 'argl' or 'grrr' in English. People use
+ this when they want to express their dissatisfaction with
+ software (amongst other things).</p>
+
+ <h3><a name="releasename"></a><a href="#toc">What about the release name?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>Codename of Grml 2012.05 is "Ponyhof", AKA "Life Ain't No Pony Farm".</p>
+
+ <h3><a name="requirements"></a><a href="#toc">Requirements for running Grml</a></h3>
+
+ <ul>
+
+ <li>Intel-compatible CPU (i586 or later, preferably Pentium class or higher)</li>
+
+ <li>>=256MB of RAM (>=512MB recommended)</p>
+
+ <li>either a bootable CD-/DVD-ROM drive,
+ a <a href="#usbboot">USB-boot capable system</a> or a
+ network card for booting via network/PXE (check
+ out <a href="#terminalserver">grml-terminalserver</a>)</li>
+
+ </ul>
+
+ <h3><a name="accessibility"></a><a href="#toc">What does accessibility at Grml mean?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>The Grml kernel includes support for speakup. For software,
+ brltty and espeakup are included.</p>
+
+ <h3><a name="bootoptions"></a><a href="#toc">Which bootoptions does Grml support?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>Check out the <a
+ href="http://git.grml.org/?p=grml-live.git;a=blob_plain;f=templates/GRML/grml-cheatcodes.txt;hb=HEAD">grml-cheatcodes
+ file</a> (also available via <a href="http://grml.org/cheatcodes/">grml.org/cheatcodes/</a>). Of
+ course <a
+ href="http://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt">kernel-parameters.txt</a>
+ of the Linux kernel applies to Grml as well.</p>
+
+ <a name="release"></a> <!-- old anchor -->
+ <a name="bugreport"></a> <!-- old anchor -->
+ <h3><a name="known_issues"></a><a href="#toc">Are there any known issues? How about reporting bugs?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>Please visit the <a href="/bugs/">bug webpage</a>.</p>
+
+ <h2><a name="features"></a><a href="#toc">Features</a></h2>
+
+ <!-- TODO: needs to be improved! -->
+ <h3><a name="usbboot"></a><a href="#toc">How do I boot Grml from a USB stick?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>Check
+ out <a href="http://wiki.grml.org/doku.php?id=usb#grml2usb">grml2usb</a>
+ at the
+ <a href="http://wiki.grml.org/doku.php?id=usb">usb webpage in the
+ grml-wiki.</a></p>
+
+ <h3><a name="store"></a><a name="persistency"></a><a href="#toc">Is it possible to store my settings?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>Yes, using the
+ a <a href="http://wiki.grml.org/doku.php?id=persistency">persistency
+ feature</a>.</p>
+
+ <h3><a name="password"></a><a href="#toc">What are the passwords of users on Grml?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>There are no default passwords - all accounts are locked by
+ default for security reasons. Even local logins are not
+ possible (unless you set a password or create new user
+ accounts as root). You can create valid passwords using "sudo
+ passwd [username]" from the shell individually. To set a password
+ for the Grml user and enable SSH login you can use the 'ssh'
+ boot option, like 'ssh=yourpassword'.</p>
+
+ <h3><a name="version"></a><a href="#toc">How do I find out the version of Grml</a></h3>
+
+ <p>Run 'grml-version' or use the following command:</p>
+
+<pre class="rahmen">
+$ cat /etc/grml_version</pre>
+
+ <h3><a name="language"></a><a href="#toc">How do I change the language/keyboard settings?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>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:</p>
+
+<pre class="rahmen">
+grml lang=de # enter this at the bootprompt and you will get
+ # german keyboard layout and german $LANG, $LC_ALL,
+ # $LANGUAGE...
+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
+</pre>
+
+ <p>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.</p>
+
+
+ <h3><a name="wms"></a><a href="#toc">Which window managers can I use?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>Starting with the 2011.12 release Grml provides <a
+ href="http://www.fluxbox.org/">Fluxbox</a> as window manager.</p>
+
+ <h3><a name="lvm"></a><a href="#toc">Where are my LVM devices?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>LVM (Logival Volumes) is <strong>not</strong> started by default to
+ avoid any possible damage to your data. To get access to present LVM
+ devices just execute:</p>
+
+<pre class="rahmen">
+# /etc/init.d/lvm2 start
+</pre>
+
+ <p>If you want to enable LVM by default just boot using the 'lvm'
+ bootoption which automatically enables LVM.</p>
+
+ <h3><a name="swraid"></a><a href="#toc">Where are my Software-RAID devices?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>Software-RAID (usually known as the mdadm stuff) is
+ <strong>not</strong> started by default to avoid any possible damage to
+ your data. To get access to present SW-RAID devices just execute:</p>
+
+<pre class="rahmen">
+# /etc/init.d/mdadm-raid start
+</pre>
+
+ <p>If you want to enable SW-RAID by default just boot using
+ the 'swraid' bootoption which enables automatic assembling of
+ software raid arrays.</p>
+
+ <a name="terminalserver"></a>
+ <h3><a name="booting"></a><a href="#toc">Which ways exist to boot Grml?</a></h3>
+
+ <!-- TODO: needs rework -->
+
+ <p>Of course running from CD/DVD is a common way to boot
+ Grml. But Grml provides many more ways to boot:</p>
+
+ <p>It is possible to boot Grml via USB (e.g. USB stick or
+ harddisk), firewire, or running from a Compact Flash disk. It
+ works out of the box; you don't need to modify anything. Check
+ out <a href="http://wiki.grml.org/doku.php?id=usb">the usb
+ webpage in the grml-wiki</a> for more details.</p>
+
+ <p>Your computer can not boot from CD-ROM but provides a
+ floppy disk? Take a look
+ at <a href="http://btmgr.sourceforge.net/">btmgr</a>, <a href="http://ubcd4win.com/faq.htm#floppy">ubcd4win</a>
+ or <a href="http://linux.simple.be/tools/sbm">sbm</a>. They
+ provide support for booting from CD-ROM via a special floppy
+ disk.</p>
+
+ <p>grml-terminalserver makes it possible to boot your system
+ via network
+ using <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preboot_Execution_Environment">PXE</a>
+ (Preboot Execution Environment). If your network card does not
+ provide support for booting via PXE you can still boot it
+ either using the provided grub image by grml-terminalserver
+ (for example via floppy drive) or
+ using <a href="http://etherboot.org/wiki/index.php">gPXE</a>.
+ For more information, refer to
+ the <a href="/terminalserver/">grml-terminalserver
+ webpage</a>.</p>
+
+ <h3><a name="timezone"></a><a href="#toc">How do I configure
+ timezone on my Grml system?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>Available bootoptions relevant in live-cd mode:</p>
+
+ <ul>
+ <li>utc: set UTC, if your system clock is set to UTC (GMT)
+ <li>gmt: set UTC, if your system clock is set to UTC (GMT) [like bootoption utc]
+ <li>tz=$option: set timezone to corresponding $option, usage example:
+ tz=Europe/Vienna
+ </ul>
+
+ <p>Further information: manpages hwclock(8), tzselect(1) and tzconfig(8); <a
+ href="http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/system-administrator/ch-sysadmin-time.html">Debian
+ GNU/Linux System Administrator's Manual Chapter 16 - Time</a> and <a
+ href="http://wiki.debian.org/TimeZoneChanges">TimeZoneChanges in the
+ Debian-Wiki</a>.</p>
+
+ <h3><a name="hdinstall"></a><a href="#toc">Is it possible to install Grml to harddisk?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>Short anwer: No.</p>
+
+ <p>If you want to get a plain Debian system take a look at <a
+ href="/grml-debootstrap/">grml-debootstrap</a>.</p>
+
+ <p>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 <a
+ href="/grml-debootstrap/">grml-debootstrap</a> or <a
+ href="http://www.debian.org/">Debian Installer</a> instead.</p>
+
+ <h2><a name="software"></a><a href="#toc">Software</a></h2>
+
+ <h3><a name="sw_version"></a><a href="#toc">Which package(s) and which
+ version is available?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>If you want to get details about the provided packages and the
+ package versions without booting the Grml ISO check out the dpkg_...
+ files in the <a href="/files/#debian">Debian-Information section on
+ grml.org/files/</a>.</p>
+
+ <h3><a name="zsh"></a><a href="#toc">Why is Zsh the default shell?</a></h3>
+
+ <p>Short answer: because <a href="/zsh/">Zsh rocks</a>, really!</p>
+
+ <p>Long(er) answer: If you don't know Zsh take a look the <a
+ href="/zsh/">Grml Zsh reference card</a>.</p>
+
+ <p>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
+ throw away your knowledge about shell stuff.</p>
+
+ <h2><a name="stuff"></a><a href="#toc">Support / Unanswered stuff</a></h2>
+
+ <h3><a name="questions"></a><a href="#toc">Further questions</a></h3>
+
+ <p>Do you have a question which is not answered in the FAQ or
+ in the provided <a href="/docs/">documentation</a> (execute
+ "grml-info" on your Grml system for offline
+ documentation)? Also check out 'grml-tips $KEYWORD' on your
+ Grml system. Take a look at
+ <a href="/">the Grml website</a> and <a href="http://wiki.grml.org/">the
+ grml-wiki</a>. A good place to become part of the community is the <a
+ href="/mailinglist/">Grml mailinglist</a>.</p>
+
+ <h3><a name="support"></a><a href="#toc">Commercial Support</a></h3>
+
+ <p>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)?
+ Please get in <a href="/contact/">touch with us</a>.</p>
+
+ </div>
+
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