Monthly Archives: March 2017

exton, Exton Linux distributions, LINUX

ArchEX (Arch Linux) with LXQt, kernel 4.10.5-1-ARCH, Yaourt and Calamares installer – Build 170327

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WHAT IS ArchEX?
ArchEX 64 bit is a new (170327) Linux live DVD based on Arch Linux. Arch motto is KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). ArchEX uses kernel 4.10.5-1-ARCH and the LXQt Desktop environment. LXQt is a lightweight Qt desktop environment. It will not get in your way. It will not hang or slow down your system. It is focused on being a classic desktop with a modern look and feel.

What’s new in ArchEX Build 170327?
I’ve installed Calamares, which is a distribution-independent system installer, with an advanced partitioning feature for both manual and automated partitioning operations. It is the first installer with an automated “Replace Partition” option, which makes it easy to reuse a partition over and over for distribution testing. Calamares works almost perfect in ArchEX. Read more about it. I’ve also added Yaourt – a Pacman frontend. If you want to install certain special packages for example Google Chrome and Spotify you must use Yaourt. Note: Spotify is pre-installed in ArchEX Build 170327.

INSTALLED SOFTWARE
Among many other programs, Firefox, Gimp, GCC, Wicd and GParted – study this package LIST.

INSTALLATION to hard drive
ArchEX can easily be installed to hard drive of those who so desire. Use ArchEX Installer (Calamares). I.e. while running ArchEX live from a DVD or USB stick. Read this INSTRUCTION and watch the slideshow below.


WHO should run Arch Linux?
My answer: The system fits the “advanced” Linux user/enthusiast, who would be willing to run an occasional command from time to time.

Screenshots
ArchEX LXQt Desktop
ArchEX starting up live
ArchEX starting up from hard drive (VirtualBox)
ArchEX Installer (Calamares) running
ArchEX (old) Installer running

READ MORE about ArchEX…

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exton, Exton Linux distributions, LINUX

ExTiX 17.2 – “The Ultimate Linux System” – with LXQt 0.10.0 and kernel 4.10.0-14-exton – Build 170320

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I have made a new version of ExTiX – The Ultimate Linux System. I call it ExTiX 17.2 LXQt Live DVD. (The previous version was 16.5 from 161012).

ABOUT
ExTiX 17.2 LXQt DVD 64 bit is based on Debian 8.7 Jessie/Debian 9 Stretch and Ubuntu 16.10 Yakkety Yak. The original system includes the Desktop Environment Unity (Ubuntu). After removing Unity I have installed LXQt 0.10.0. LXQt is the Qt port and the upcoming version of LXDE, the Lightweight Desktop Environment. It is the product of the merge between the LXDE-Qt and the Razor-qt projects: A lightweight, modular, blazing-fast and user-friendly desktop environment.

The system language is ENGLISH.

Used KERNEL
My special kernel 4.10.0-14-exton corresponding Kernel.org’s stable kernel 4.10.3. It’s the second latest stable kernel as of now.

What’s new in kernel 4.10?

SCREENSHOTS
Screenshot of ExTiX 17.2 Desktop – LXQt 0.10.0
Google Chrome with Netflix running
Connections to Windows computers via PCManFM using Samba

READ MORE…

Exton Linux distributions, LINUX

ArchEX (Arch Linux) 64 bit with LXQt and kernel 4.10.3-1-ARCH – Build 170318

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WHAT IS ArchEX?
ArchEX 64bit is a new (170318) Linux live DVD based on Arch Linux. Arch motto is KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). ArchEX uses kernel 4.10.3-1-ARCH and the LXQt Desktop environment. LXQt is a lightweight Qt desktop environment. It will not get in your way. It will not hang or slow down your system. It is focused on being a classic desktop with a modern look and feel.

INSTALLED SOFTWARE
Among many other programs, Firefox, Gimp, GCC, Wicd and GParted – see this package LIST.

INSTALLATION to hard drive
ArchEX can easily be installed to hard drive of those who so desire. Use ArchEX Installer. I.e. while running ArchEX live from the DVD. Read this INSTRUCTION.

Install ArchEX to a USB Pen Drive with persistence
Please read my INSTRUCTION. All your system changes will be saved directly on the stick.

WHO should run Arch Linux?
My answer: The system fits the “advanced” Linux user/enthusiast, who would be willing to run an occasional command from time to time.

BENEFITS of ArchEX/Arch Linux
“Cutting Edge”-software and speed. You will for example always run the latest kernel if you upgrade ArchEX/Arch (for example) every month.

SCREENSHOTS
ArchEX LXQt Desktop
ArchEX starting up live
ArchEX starting up from hard drive (VirtualBox)
ArchEX Installer running

READ MORE…

Exton Linux distributions, LINUX, Uncategorized

SlackEX (Slackware 14.2) Live DVD with KDE 4.14.27, Nvidia 375.39 and kernel 4.10.2-x86_64-exton – Build 170314

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SlackEX is based on Slackware Current/14.2. Slackware is the first widely-used Linux system, which is still developing. Slackware has existed since 1993. The older the fiddle the sweeter the tune or as we say in Sweden: “Gammal är äldst”.

New features in version 170314 of SlackEX
I have replaced kernel 4.7.1-x86_64-exton with kernel 4.10.2-x86_64-exton with support for “everything”. Most important is that I have changed repositories from Slackware 14.1 to Current. I.e. Slackware 14.2. KDE is upgraded to version 4.14.27 (latest KDE version). All other component software is also upgraded to the latest Slackware Current version by now. I may also mention in particular GParted 0.27.0 (latest, not in Slackware’s repositories), VirtualBox 5.1.16 (latest, not in Slackware’s repositories), Google Chrome  (not in Slackware’s repositories), Nvidia’s proprietary Graphic driver 375.39 (latest driver), Gimp 2.8.10 (installed from source), GSlapt 0.5.4b, Slackpkg 2.82.1, Firefox 52.0, Thunderbird 45.2.8, Samba 4.5.5 and GCC 5.4.0. Furthermore I have installed Grub2, which can be used as boot loader (if you want) after a hard drive install. Study the full package LIST. Note: I have replaced Wicd with NetworkManager. It works better in SlackEX.

Install SlackEX to hard drive
Use this INSTRUCTION. You can (if you want) use Grub2 (new GRUB) as boot loader. (Slackware original still uses LILO). You can (of course) also run and install SlackEX in VirtualBox and VMware.

Install SlackEX to a USB stick
Please read my INSTALL INSTRUCTIONS. NOTE: All system changes are PERSISTENT.

Why Slackware?
Slackware is grossly underestimated (in my opinion). This article give you ten (10) reasons to choose Slackware.

SCREENSHOTS
Screenshot 1 – KDE 4.14.27 Desktop with Netflix running
Screenshot 2 – KDE 4.14.27 Desktop with VirtualBox running
Screenshot 3 – Samba running
Screenshot 4 – GSlapt running
Screenshot 5 – Nvidia configuration

READ MORE…

Exton Linux distributions, LINUX

Run your Slackware installation with the latest kernel – 4.10.2! Released today (170312)

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SlackwareNEWS 170312
Kernel 4.10.2-x86_64-exton is my newest Slackware kernel. The stable kernel 4.10.2 was released by Kernel.org on March 12, 2017.

I have compiled a very useful (as I think) 64 bit kernel for Slackware Current (14.2) and/or all Slackware derivatives. For example Slax, Zenwalk and SlackEX. The kernel is compiled exactly in the same way as Slackware’s latest kernel huge. “My” kernel 4.10.2-x86_64-exton has even more support for new hardware, etc. Kernel 4.10.2 is the latest kernel available from Kernel.org. Released 20170312.

What’s new in kernel 4.10?

If you want to install my kernel in your Slackware 64 bit system, do this:

1. Download linux-kernel-4.10.2-x86_64-exton.txz – md5sum
2. Install it with the command installpkg linux-kernel-4.10.2-x86_64-exton.txz
(The kernel is packed just like Slackware’s original kernels so that everything ends up in the right place)
4. If necessary, change your Grub Legacy/Grub2 configuration
5. If you have an Nvidia graphics card in your computer, you may need to look over your files in /etc/modprobe.d before restarting the computer. That is remove the “blacklisting” of Nouveau’s kernel module in the appropriate files blacklist.conf and nvidia-installer-disable-nouveau.conf. With “my” kernel functions the Nouveau “free” driver works just fine.

NOTE: When you run the command installpkg linux-kernel-4.10.2-x86_64-exton.txz vmlinuz will be “created” in /boot. If you have /boot/vmlinuz already that file will be overwritten. In case you want to switch back to your old kernel you should make a backup of /boot/vmlinuz before you run the just mentioned command.

Restart your computer and enjoy!

Exton Linux distributions, LINUX

News 170309: Yet another version of exGENT (Gentoo) is out. The best version ever…

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NEWS 20170309 ABOUT exGENT
I’ve made yet a new version (20170309) of exGENT based on Gentoo Linux. It uses Xfce 4.12.1 and kernel 4.9.12. It is for the 64 bit architecture. I call it exGENT 2017 Xfce4 Live DVD. It replaces version 20170303. The ISO file is of 2670 MB due to the fact that this version has a lot of packages pre-installed. Despite this exGENT version 170309 runs surprisingly fast from DVD or USB. Even in VirtualBox and VMware. Faster than most other Linux live systems. All installed packages in exGENT have been updated to the latest available version by 170309.

What’s new in exGENT Build 170309?
The boot loader Grub Legacy has been replaced by Grub2. I started this build in the hope that I should be able to implement a new independent installer program called Calamares. I wasn’t able to do it now though. (Many dependencies to satisfy). My old installer script will have to do until I find a solution. Anyway, I think exGENT Build 170309 can be of interest because of the change to Grub2 and the fact that it has one of the newest kernels installed. MOST IMPORTANT: In versions before this one (170309) the file system wasn’t writable when running exGENT live (from DVD). Now you can emerge (install) new programs/packages even while running the system from a DVD or USB stick. If you do that and later decide to install exGENT to hard drive all your changes will follow! Furthermore you can install/transfer exGENT to a USB stick with the dd command in Linux or use Etcher and Rufus in Windows. Watch a screenshot when Etcher is running. Such installations were impossible before.

Used KERNEL
My special kernel 4.9.12-aufs-gentoo-exton corresponding Kernel.org’s kernel 4.9.12.

Screenshots
exGENT running Nvidia config
exGENT running Brasero

READ MORE…

Exton Linux distributions, LINUX

exGENT (Gentoo) 64 bit Linux Live DVD with Xfce4, Grub2 and kernel 4.10.1-gentoo-exton – Build 170303

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NEWS 20170303 about exGENT
I’ve made yet a new version (20170303) of exGENT based on Gentoo Linux. Now with Xfce 4.12.1 and kernel 4.10.1. It is for the 64 bit architecture. I call it exGENT 2017 Xfce4 Live DVD. It replaces version 20170209. The ISO file is of 2760 MB due to the fact that this version has a lot of packages pre-installed. Despite this exGENT version 170303 runs surprisingly fast from DVD or USB. Even in VirtualBox and VMware. Faster than most other Linux live systems. All installed packages in exGENT have been updated to the latest available version by 170303.

What’s new in exGENT Build 170303?
The boot loader Grub Legacy has been replaced by Grub2. I started this build in the hope that I should be able to implement a new independent installer program called Calamares. I wasn’t able to do it now though. (Many dependencies to satisfy). My old installer script will have to do until I find a solution. Anyway, I think exGENT Build 170303 can be of interest because of the change to Grub2 and the fact that it has the newest kernel installed. 

Used KERNEL
My special kernel 4.10.1-gentoo-exton corresponding Kernel.org’s kernel 4.10.1. It’s the latest stable kernel as of now. (20170303).

What’s new in kernel 4.10?

Programs etc
The best thing with exGENT is the premier auto detection of hardware and the ability to easily install the system to hard drive during a live session. Installed programs: Among many others GParted, GNU Emacs, Firefox, Google Chrome, Vlc, Spotify, Thunderbird, Samba, AbiWord, Nvidia Graphics driver 378.09 and NetworkManager. Furthermore compilation tools so that you can install programs from source the Gentoo way. (After the installation to hard drive).

Quick install to Hard Drive
exGENT Linux can be installed to hard drive in 3 – 10 min. (Depending on computer type). This means that all of you who might hesitate to perform a normal Gentoo installation – which can take up to a couple of days – now have the chance to get this great Linux system (Gentoo) installed on your computers very easy.

SPOTIFY
You can easy and quick install Spotify in exGENT. Just run the command emerge spotify. The installation takes about 1 min.
NOTE: Spotify is pre-installed in Build 170303.

Google Chrome
To be able to run Netflix in exGENT you’ll need Google Chrome. Just install it with the command emerge –ask www-client/google-chrome
Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2
Screenshot 3 – Netflix is running
NOTE: Google Chrome is pre-installed in Build 170303.

Who is exGENT/Gentoo for?
Experienced Linux users or those who really want to learn Linux. (Perhaps also for people who are bored with mainstream distributions like Ubuntu).

Screenshots
exGENT running Nvidia config
exGENT running Brasero
exGENT running Samba
exGENT running Spotify
exGENT running in VirtualBox
exGENT running in VMware
exGENT running Google Chrome and Netflix

READ MORE about exGENT…