Changing Distributions

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Index
1 A new distribution
2 Salix, first try
3 Packages and their problems
4 Live
5 Install and config
6 Packages and some remarks
7 Conclusion
8 Salix on Luks
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Previous: 1. A new distribution Index Next: 3. Packages and their problems

2. Salix, first try


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2.1. Downloading

Download from https://www.salixos.org/download.html

To download, you can use a direct download or a download via torrent. Because there are very few seeders, downloading from Sourceforge is the way to go.

I downloaded the Salix64 Xfce 14.2 DVD ISO (x86_64, 64-bit).

2.2. Install in VirtualBox

Because I do not want to rush into things and I like to get a feeling before I totally commit myself, I first installed on VirtualBox.

The installation is smooth. It requires some manual answers and it has the simplicity of a Slackware install. The installation itself gave no problems.

After the installations, I wanted to use the full-screen mode and for that you need to install Vbox guest additions. To install them, you need the kernel source. However, the kernel source package is of a newer date than the actual kernel.

The solution is to bring all the kernel packages to the latest version. Salix has the idea, that you need to update the kernel, and some other packages, conscientiously. That mean that you cannot do it via the GUI.

Updating the kernel proved to be rather simple. First update glibc from the command line:
slapt-get -i glibc

next, for all kernel packages in ls /var/log/packages/*kernel* do a slapt-get -i. For me (clean Salix 14.2), that meant:
slapt-get -i kernel-firmware
slapt-get -i kernel-headers
slapt-get -i kernel-huge
slapt-get -i kernel-modules
slapt-get -i kernel-source

The kernel-source was not installed, but it was needed for the guest additions. To be sure, do a lilo -v and reboot. Then it all should work.

2.3. Init

Not having systemd means that there is another form of init. For Slackware and derivatives, this is BSD-style init. It is well documented at http://www.slackware.com/config/init.php

In fact: it is the simplest way to initialize the system.

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