1 <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en">
3 <title>grml.org - FAQ</title>
4 <meta name="Title" content="grml.org - FAQ" />
5 <meta name="Author" content="the grml team [www.grml.org/team/]" />
6 <meta name="Keywords" content="grml.org, grml" />
7 <meta name="Description" content="FAQ of grml.org" />
8 <meta name="Abstract" content="grml, just another linux-distribution" />
9 <meta name="fdse-index-as" content="http://www.grml.org/faq/" />
10 <meta name="Robots" content="index,follow" />
11 <meta name="Language" content="english" />
12 <meta name="identifier-url" content="http://www.grml.org/" />
13 <meta name="MSSmartTagsPreventParsing" content="true" />
14 <meta http-equiv="imagetoolbar" content="no" />
15 <link rel="home" href="/" title="grml.org" />
16 <link rel="help" href="/features/" title="About" />
17 <link rel="author" href="/team/" title="Team" />
18 <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.png" type="image/png" />
19 <link rel="stylesheet" href="/style.css" type="text/css" />
23 <?php include '../static.inc'; ?>
27 <p><img style="float: right" src="/img/clanbomber.png" alt="*" /></p>
29 <h1 align="center">FAQ for grml</h1>
31 <p><strong>Up2date:</strong> 2011-12-09 - applies to Grml releases version 2011.12</p>
33 <p><a name="toc"></a><strong>Index:</strong></p>
35 <p class="toc"><a href="#general">General:</a></p>
37 <li><a href="#whatis">What is Grml?</a></li>
38 <li><a href="#get">Where do I get Grml?</a></li>
39 <li><a href="#whatmeans">What does Grml mean?</a></li>
40 <li><a href="#releasename">What about the release name?</a></li>
41 <li><a href="#requirements">Requirements for running Grml</a></li>
42 <li><a href="#bootoptions">Which bootoptions does Grml support?</a></li>
43 <li><a href="#known_issues">Are there any known issues with this release? How about reporting bugs?</a></li>
46 <p class="toc"><a href="#features">Features</a>:</p>
48 <li><a href="#usbboot">How do I boot Grml from a USB stick?</a></li>
49 <li><a href="#persistency">Is it possible to store my settings?</a></li>
50 <li><a href="#password">What are the passwords of users on Grml?</a></li>
51 <li><a href="#version">How do I find out the version of Grml</a></li>
52 <li><a href="#language">How do I change the language/keyboard settings?</a></li>
53 <li><a href="#wms">Which window managers can I use?</a></li>
54 <li><a href="#lvm">Where are my LVM devices?</a></li>
55 <li><a href="#swraid">Where are my Software-RAID devices?</a></li>
56 <li><a href="#booting">Which ways exist to boot Grml?</a></li>
57 <li><a href="#timezone">How do I configure timezone on my Grml system?</a></li>
58 <li><a href="#hdinstall">Is it possible to install Grml to harddisk?</a></li>
61 <p class="toc"><a href="#software">Software:</a></p>
63 <li><a href="#sw_version">Which package(s) and which version is available?</a></li>
64 <li><a href="#zsh">Why is Zsh the default shell?</a></li>
68 <p class="toc"><a href="#stuff">Support / Unanswered stuff</a></p>
70 <li><a href="#questions">Further questions?</a></li>
71 <li><a href="#support">Commercial Support</a></li>
74 <h2><a name="general"></a><a href="#toc">General</a></h2>
76 <h3><a name="whatis"></a><a href="#toc">What is Grml?</a></h3>
78 <p>Grml is a bootable CD (Live-CD) based
79 on <a href="http://www.debian.org/">Debian</a>. It is not
80 necessary to install anything to a harddisk. Grml includes a
81 collection of GNU/Linux software especially for system
82 administrators. It specializes on administrative tasks like
83 installation, deployment and system rescue.</p>
85 <h3><a name="get"></a><a href="#toc">Where do I get Grml?</a></h3>
87 <p>Grml is open source, you can download it from the mirrors
88 listed at <a href="/download">grml.org/download/</a>.</p>
90 <h3><a name="whatmeans"></a><a href="#toc">What does Grml mean?</a></h3>
92 <p>Grml comes close to 'argl' or 'grrr' in English. People use
93 this when they want to express their dissatisfaction with
94 software (amongst other things).</p>
96 <h3><a name="releasename"></a><a href="#toc">What about the release name?</a></h3>
98 <p>Codename of Grml 2011.12 is "Knetch Rootrecht". It's a wordplay on
99 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companions_of_Saint_Nicholas">Knecht
100 Ruprecht</a>, which translates as Farmhand Ruprecht or Servant
103 <h3><a name="requirements"></a><a href="#toc">Requirements for running Grml</a></h3>
107 <li>Intel-compatible CPU (i586 or later, preferably Pentium class or higher)</li>
109 <li>>=128MB of RAM (>=256MB recommended)</p>
111 <li>either a bootable CD-/DVD-ROM drive,
112 a <a href="#usbboot">USB-boot capable system</a> or a
113 network card for booting via network/PXE (check
114 out <a href="#terminalserver">grml-terminalserver</a>)</li>
118 <h3><a name="accessibility"></a><a href="#toc">What does accessibility at Grml mean?</a></h3>
120 <p>The Grml kernel includes support for speakup and software
121 like brltty (using bootoption 'grml blind
122 brltty=type,port,tbl') and espeakup.</p>
124 <h3><a name="bootoptions"></a><a href="#toc">Which bootoptions does Grml support?</a></h3>
127 href="http://git.grml.org/?p=grml-live.git;a=blob_plain;f=templates/GRML/grml-cheatcodes.txt;hb=HEAD">grml-cheatcodes
128 file</a> (also available via <a href="http://grml.org/cheatcodes/">grml.org/cheatcodes/</a>). Of
130 href="http://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt">kernel-parameters.txt</a>
131 of the Linux kernel applies to Grml as well.</p>
133 <a name="release"></a> <!-- old anchor -->
134 <a name="bugreport"></a> <!-- old anchor -->
135 <h3><a name="known_issues"></a><a href="#toc">Are there any known issues? How about reporting bugs?</a></h3>
137 <p>Please visit the <a href="/bugs/">bug webpage</a>.</p>
139 <h2><a name="features"></a><a href="#toc">Features</a></h2>
141 <!-- TODO: needs to be improved! -->
142 <h3><a name="usbboot"></a><a href="#toc">How do I boot Grml from a USB stick?</a></h3>
145 out <a href="http://wiki.grml.org/doku.php?id=usb#grml2usb">grml2usb</a>
147 <a href="http://wiki.grml.org/doku.php?id=usb">usb webpage in the
150 <h3><a name="store"></a><a name="persistency"></a><a href="#toc">Is it possible to store my settings?</a></h3>
153 a <a href="http://wiki.grml.org/doku.php?id=persistency">persistency
156 <h3><a name="password"></a><a href="#toc">What are the passwords of users on Grml?</a></h3>
158 <p>There are no default passwords - all accounts are locked by
159 default for security reasons. Even local logins are not
160 possible (unless you set a password or create new user
161 accounts as root). You can create valid passwords using "sudo
162 passwd [username]" from the shell individually.</p>
164 <h3><a name="version"></a><a href="#toc">How do I find out the version of Grml</a></h3>
166 <p>Run 'grml-version' or use the following command:</p>
169 $ cat /etc/grml_version</pre>
171 <h3><a name="language"></a><a href="#toc">How do I change the language/keyboard settings?</a></h3>
173 <p>By default Grml uses english settings. But it is possible to
174 change the settings via using either the bootparam(s) lang,
175 keyboard and xkeyboard or via executing grml-lang when Grml is
176 already running. Usage examples:</p>
179 grml lang=de # enter this at the bootprompt and you will get
180 # german keyboard layout and german $LANG, $LC_ALL,
182 grml keyboard=de xkeyboard=de lang=at # enter this at the bootprompt
183 # and you will get german keyboard and austrian
185 % grml-lang de # enter this in the shell to switch keyboard layout
186 # and $LANG settings in a running Grml system
189 <p>Note: run grml-setlang to get a dialog based frontend for
190 /etc/default/locale. Run grml-setkeyboard to get a dialog
191 based frontend for /etc/sysconfig/keyboard.</p>
194 <h3><a name="wms"></a><a href="#toc">Which window managers can I use?</a></h3>
196 <p>Starting with the 2011.12 release Grml provides just
197 the <a href="http://www.fluxbox.org/">Fluxbox</a> window
201 <h3><a name="lvm"></a><a href="#toc">Where are my LVM devices?</a></h3>
203 <p>LVM (Logival Volumes) is <strong>not</strong> started by default to
204 avoid any possible damage to your data. To get access to present LVM
205 devices just execute:</p>
208 # /etc/init.d/lvm2 start
210 or use the shorter version:
215 <p>If you want to enable LVM by default just boot using the 'lvm'
216 bootoption which automatically enables LVM.</p>
218 <h3><a name="swraid"></a><a href="#toc">Where are my Software-RAID devices?</a></h3>
220 <p>Software-RAID (usually known as the mdadm stuff) is
221 <strong>not</strong> started by default to avoid any possible damage to
222 your data. To get access to present SW-RAID devices just execute:</p>
225 # /etc/init.d/mdadm-raid start
227 or use the shorter version:
232 <p>If you want to enable SW-RAID by default just boot using
233 the 'swraid' bootoption which enables automatic assembling of
234 software raid arrays.</p>
236 <a name="terminalserver"></a>
237 <h3><a name="booting"></a><a href="#toc">Which ways exist to boot Grml?</a></h3>
239 <!-- TODO: needs rework -->
241 <p>Of course running from CD/DVD is a common way to boot
242 Grml. But Grml provides many more ways to boot:</p>
244 <p>It is possible to boot Grml via USB (e.g. USB stick or
245 harddisk), firewire, or running from a Compact Flash disk. It
246 works out of the box; you don't need to modify anything. Check
247 out <a href="http://wiki.grml.org/doku.php?id=usb">the usb
248 webpage in the grml-wiki</a> for more details.</p>
250 <p>Your computer can not boot from CD-ROM but provides a
251 floppy disk? Take a look
252 at <a href="http://btmgr.sourceforge.net/">btmgr</a>, <a href="http://ubcd4win.com/faq.htm#floppy">ubcd4win</a>
253 or <a href="http://linux.simple.be/tools/sbm">sbm</a>. They
254 provide support for booting from CD-ROM via a special floppy
257 <p>grml-terminalserver makes it possible to boot your system
259 using <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preboot_Execution_Environment">PXE</a>
260 (Preboot Execution Environment). If your network card does not
261 provide support for booting via PXE you can still boot it
262 either using the provided grub image by grml-terminalserver
263 (for example via floppy drive) or
264 using <a href="http://etherboot.org/wiki/index.php">gPXE</a>.
265 For more information, refer to
266 the <a href="/terminalserver/">grml-terminalserver
269 <h3><a name="timezone"></a><a href="#toc">How do I configure
270 timezone on my Grml system?</a></h3>
272 <p>Available bootoptions relevant in live-cd mode:</p>
275 <li>utc: set UTC, if your system clock is set to UTC (GMT)
276 <li>gmt: set UTC, if your system clock is set to UTC (GMT) [like bootoption utc]
277 <li>tz=$option: set timezone to corresponding $option, usage example:
281 <p>Further information: manpages hwclock(8), tzselect(1) and tzconfig(8); <a
282 href="http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/system-administrator/ch-sysadmin-time.html">Debian
283 GNU/Linux System Administrator's Manual Chapter 16 - Time</a> and <a
284 href="http://wiki.debian.org/TimeZoneChanges">TimeZoneChanges in the
287 <h3><a name="hdinstall"></a><a href="#toc">Is it possible to install Grml to harddisk?</a></h3>
289 <p>Short anwer: No.</p>
291 <p><strong>ProTip</strong>: If you want to get a plain Debian
292 system take a look at <a href="/grml-debootstrap/">grml-debootstrap</a>.</p>
294 <p>Long(er) answer: yes it's possible to install Grml. But it's not
295 supported and you'll be on your own. That's why we decided to make it
296 not-so-obvious. If you really know what you're doing you'll find out on
297 your own. Reminder: use <a
298 href="/grml-debootstrap/">grml-debootstrap</a> or <a
299 href="http://www.debian.org/">Debian Installer</a> instead.</p>
301 <h2><a name="software"></a><a href="#toc">Software</a></h2>
303 <h3><a name="sw_version"></a><a href="#toc">Which package(s) and which
304 version is available?</a></h3>
306 <p>If you want to get details about the provided packages and the
307 package versions without booting the Grml ISO check out the dpkg_...
308 files in the <a href="/files/#debian">Debian-Information section on
309 grml.org/files/</a>.</p>
311 <h3><a name="zsh"></a><a href="#toc">Why is Zsh the default shell?</a></h3>
313 <p>Short answer: because <a href="/zsh/">Zsh rocks</a>, really!</p>
315 <p>Longer answer taken
316 from <a href="http://zsh.sourceforge.net/FAQ/zshfaq01.html#l3">ZSH
317 FAQ: 1.2: What is it?</a>:</p>
319 <cite> Zsh is a UNIX command interpreter (shell) which of the
320 standard shells most resembles the Korn shell (ksh); its
321 compatibility with the 1988 Korn shell has been gradually
322 increasing. It includes enhancements of many types, notably in
323 the command-line editor, options for customising its
324 behaviour, filename globbing, features to make C-shell (csh)
325 users feel more at home and extra features drawn from tcsh
326 (another `custom' shell).</cite>
328 <p>If you don't know Zsh take a look
329 at <a href="http://zsh.sourceforge.net/FAQ/zshfaq02.html#l9">ZSH
330 FAQ: How does zsh differ from ...?</a>, 'man zsh | less -p
331 COMPATIBILITY', the <a href="/zsh/">Grml Zsh reference
332 card</a> and '<a href="/zsh/">man zsh-lovers</a>'.</p>
334 <p>If you are a bash user and don't know Zsh yet, don't be
335 afraid. Bash is largely a subset of Zsh and you don't have to
336 throw away your knowledge about shell stuff.</p>
338 <h2><a name="stuff"></a><a href="#toc">Support / Unanswered stuff</a></h2>
340 <h3><a name="questions"></a><a href="#toc">Further questions</a></h3>
342 <p>Do you have a question which is not answered in the FAQ or
343 in the provided <a href="/docs/">documentation</a> (execute
344 "grml-info" on your Grml system for offline
345 documentation)? Also check out 'grml-tips $KEYWORD' on your
346 Grml system. Take a look at
347 <a href="/">the Grml website</a> and <a href="http://wiki.grml.org/">the
348 grml-wiki</a>. A good place to become part of the community is the <a
349 href="/mailinglist/">Grml mailinglist</a>.</p>
351 <h3><a name="support"></a><a href="#toc">Commercial Support</a></h3>
353 <p>You want to deploy Grml in your data center, use it as part of your
354 business or have an emergency case? You're happy with Grml but would
355 like to get your very own live cd (providing your favourite software
356 selection, special configuration, setup and your bootsplash)?
357 Please get in <a href="/contact/">touch with us</a>.</p>
361 <?php include '../static_bottom.inc'; ?>