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Zenwalk

From Linux & Open Source @ NUS

Contents

Introduction

Zenwalk is one of the few remaining distros that can run fairly comfortably on a PC with 128MB ram. Zenwalk was installed on 10 128MB ram machines as a collaboration between NUSSU CBLC and linuxNUS in Project Cube. To cut the long story short, this was a project to donate refurbished PCs to charities.

The reason this page was written was to serve as a guide just in case our beneficiaries need to reinstall stuff on their own and to ease their learning curve into Zenwalk.

System manual

The Zenwalk manual can be found by:

  1. Click on the orange dolphin icon.
  2. Select System -> Zenwalk manual

Installation

Steps

Refer to file:///usr/share/zenmanual/ch02s04.html#d0e420 or http://manual.zenwalk.org/. This should be your main reference. The no frills guide here is to be used to supplement the guide for complete NEWBIES. Use it at your own risk!

Basically you start by booting the system from the CDrom. This portion of the guide will tell you some recommended answers for the installation steps:

  1. Black screen with boot: at the bottom: Just press enter to continue
  2. Select Keymap: US-QWERTY Keyboard
  3. For the partitioning step either of the following steps can be chosen:
    • AUTOPARTITION:This will setup the disk automatically with 1GB of swap space. All data will be erased.
    • Partition: This option will give you more control. Assuming that you have an empty disk the simpler way to start is to delete all the paritions, followed by creation of
      • root partition (primary, number 2, size > 1,5GB, type 83, active, bootable)
      • swap parition (specifications: primary, number 1, size > 300 Mo, type 82)
    • Remember to write to the partition table after the partitions are created.
  4. Select "Ok" twice to configure swap space.
  5. Choose the partition that you intend to use as root partition.
  6. If it is a fresh install format the partition using "Check" unless it is a new hard disk.
  7. Leave the inode selection as default.
  8. Ext3 filesystem can be selected.
  9. Select install from Zenwalk CD and auto detection.
  10. For Lilo installation, choose "Simple", if Zenwalk is the only operating system on the PC.
  11. Choose "Standard VGA Linux console"
  12. Usually, no extra kernel parameters are needed to be added here.
  13. MBR is usually a good place to install Lilo, if Zenwalk is the only operating system on the PC.
  14. Usually, no modems are needed.
  15. Most computer mouse used today would be PS/2.
  16. Choose boot services based on the list here.
  17. Not necessary to try out custom screen faults.
  18. Choose "Hardware set to local time"
  19. Choose time zone as "Asia/Singapore"
  20. Exit setup. Important note: do not select cancel as this will disrupt the installation. You need to start over again.
  21. If your sound card was detected correctly, proceed to install it. Otherwise, there may be a hardware problem. It is not necessary to edit modprobe.conf
  22. Select system language as en_SG.
  23. Setup network using "eth0 up" and use dhcp
  24. Set the root/admin password.
  25. Add a new user.
  26. Accept the recommeded graphic configuration.
  27. Choose a graphical login.
  28. Do not activate numlock at boot.
  29. Reboot your computer by pressing simultaneously Ctrl+Alt+Delete.
  30. You are done.

Additional software to install

Additional software installation can be done using the xnetpkg package manager. Different mirrors will contain different packages.

For most packages, http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/zenwalk/i486/current can be used, or any mirror that ends with zenwalk/i486/current. Additional stuff to install include

  • Openoffice
  • Java Runtime Environment (JRE)

For flash, http://linuxpackages.inode.at/Zenwalk can be used, or any mirror that ends with /Zenwalk

  • Flash Player

For games, please use http://www.tuxgames.net/zenwalk

  • Ceferino
  • Crack-attack
  • Crimson Fields
  • Frozen Bubble
  • Jump and Bump
  • Lbreakout
  • Supertux
  • Tux Paint

Install JRE

The package for JRE can be installed using xnetpkg. However, a symlink needs to be created to enable it to run properly in Firefox: 

# ln -s /usr/lib/java/plugin/i386/ns7/libjavaplugin_oji.so /usr/lib/firefox/plugins/


Optimisations

Turn off unnecessary services

Only messagebus, scanluns, syslog, uwd are necessary.

Deactivate the rest in Zenpanel -> Startup Services.

Openoffice

Disable JRE by going Tools -> options -> Openoffice.org -> Java This will disable wizards... but who uses them anyway =) It can always be turned back on.

FAQ

How do I burn CDs?

You can use "Graveman" which can be found under the Multimedia heading when you click on the dolphin icon. It is fairly intuitive to use. One less obvious capability of the program is to use it to burn an ISO image. This can be done under duplicate CD.


How do I find the cpu properties?

Open up the terminal and key in: 

$ cat /proc/cpuinfo

How do I reset the computer?

In windows, you normally do Ctrl + Alt + Delete to reset the computer. In Linux, resetting the computer is not required. You can reset the GUI by doing Ctrl + Alt + Backspace.

[process killing stub]

How do I change the wallpaper?

  1. Click on the orange dolphin icon.
  2. Select Settings -> Desktop Preferences
  3. Look for the section on image -> file to change the wallpaper.

I put in my thumb drive. Where did it go?

  1. There should be an icon on your desktop called "Media" or "Mount Points".
  2. Double-click it.
  3. Look for the entry named usbdisk. There it is! :)

Additional resources

Zenwalk

Retrieved from "http://opensource.nus.edu.sg/wiki/index.php/Zenwalk"