Month: November 2023

SlackEX based on Slackware 15.0 with Xfce 4.18 as DE, Refracta Snapshot and kernel 6.6.1-amd64-exton :: Build 231129

Nov

2023

NEWS ABOUT SlackEX BUILD 231129 with the Xfce4 DESKTOP (DE)
A new version of SlackEX is ready. It is based on Slackware 15.0 STABLE released 220202 with Xfce4 as DE. The most important package installed is Refracta Snapshot. With that you can build your own Slackware 15.0 distribution. Xfce4 is one of Slackware’s official Desktop environments. The other one is KDE. Kernel 6.6.1-amd64-exton is used in this SlackEX Build. To be able to use Refracta Snapshot you’ll have to use said kernel. Otherwise you can (of course) replace “my” kernel with Slackware’s original kernel 6.1 HUGE – read about that here.

Study the full package LIST.

NOTE1: You’ll run SlackEX Build 231129 as the normal user user or as root. The password for root is root. The password for user is live. NOTE2: You can run SlackEX Build 231129 on UEFI and non-Uefi computers. You can also run SlackEX live super fast from RAM.
NOTE3: While running SlackEX Xfce4 in VirtualBox you can do so in full screen since VirtualBox Guest Additions are pre-installed. Watch this screenshot.

SCREENSHOTS
Screenshot 1 – user’s Desktop – Xfce4
Screenshot 2 – root’s Desktop – Xfce4
Screenshot 3 – user’s Desktop when running in VMware Player – Xfce4
Screenshot 4 – Installing kernel HUGE

READ MORE…

Read about my Android-x86 Systems – 11, 10, Pie, Oreo, Nougat, Marshmallow, Lollipop and KitKat at
andex.exton.net – latest is AndEX 11 (with GAPPS), AndEX 10 (with GAPPS) and AndEX Pie 9.0 (also with GAPPS)!
and
about my Android 13, 12, 11, 10, Pie, Oreo, Nougat, Marshmallow and Lollipop versions for Raspberry Pi 4 and 3/2 at
raspex.exton.se – latest is RaspAnd 13 and 12 (without GAPPS), RaspAnd 11 (with GAPPS) and RaspAnd Oreo 8.1 (also with GAPPS)!

ExTiX 23.11 – based on upcoming Ubuntu 24.04 LTS – with LXQt 1.4, Calamares Installer (new), Refracta Snapshot and kernel 6.6.1-amd64-exton :: Build 231123

Nov

2023

ExTiX 23.11 LXQt – Build 231123
I have made a new version of ExTiX – The Ultimate Linux System. I call it ExTiX 23.11 LXQt Live System. (The previous LXQt version was 23.5-2 from 230530). ExTiX 23.11 is based on upcoming Ubuntu 24.04 (Noble Numbat)! Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Long Time Support) will be supported until June 2029. The best thing with ExTiX 23.11 is that while running the system live (from DVD/USB) or from hard drive you can use Refracta Snapshot (pre-installed) to create your own live installable Ubuntu system. So easy that a ten year child can do it! One other very good thing with this version of ExTiX is that it is quite light. The ISO file is of only 2050 MB, which means that you can run the system super fast from RAM. When the boot process is ready you can eject the DVD or USB stick. Use Boot alternative 3 or Advanced options… >> load to RAM. Another big new thing in this version of ExTiX is that I have installed Calamares Installer. Calamares is an installer framework. By design it is very customizable, in order to satisfy a wide variety of needs and use cases. Calamares aims to be easy, usable & beautiful while remaining independent of any particular Linux distribution. Nevertheless I’ve kept Refracta Installer. Use the Installer you prefer.

Study all pre-installed packages in ExTiX 23.11…

THE IMPORTANCE OF ExTiX 23.11 BEING BASED ON AN UNSTABLE VERSION OF Ubuntu
Programs won’t crash or anything like that. And I’ve not discovered any “bugs”. That said you should of course be a bit careful. This version of ExTiX is for people who like “cutting-edge” software. And if you install the system to hard drive you will eventually be among the first people to run the stable version of Ubuntu 24.04!

SCREENSHOTS
1. ExTiX LXQt – root’s Desktop
2. ExTiX LXQt – user’s Desktop
3. ExTiX 23.11 running in full screen in VirtualBox
4. ExTiX LXQt Calamares Installer is ready

Exton|Defender SRS Linux Live System compatible with Rocky Linux 9.2 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux® :: Build 231120

Nov

2023

ABOUT Exton|Defender RLRH Build 231120
Exton|Defender RLRH is a LIVE version of Rocky Linux 9.2 which is also compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux®. Rocky Linux is an open-source enterprise operating system designed to be 100% bug-for-bug compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux®. It is under intensive development by the community.

LIVE LINUX SYSTEM
You can run Exton|Defender RLRH live (i.e. from a DVD or USB stick) on EFI and non-EFI computers. (Rocky Linux is not a LIVE system). From Wikipedia: A live CD or live DVD is a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM containing a bootable computer operating system. Live CDs are unique in that they have the ability to run a complete, modern operating system on a computer lacking mutable secondary storage, such as a hard disk drive.

CREATE YOUR OWN Rocky Linux System
You can also create your own Rocky Linux system using Refracta Snapshot, which is pre-installed. I.e. change everything to your liking and then create a new ISO. That can be done after a hard drive installation. If you have plenty of RAM it is also possible to create a new ISO while running Exton|Defender RLRH live.

MORE ABOUT Exton|Defender RLRH Build 231120
Gnome 40 is used as DE. Two kernels are installed – 6.5.3-1.el9.elrepo.x86_64 and 6.5.10-amd64-exton. Use the one you prefer (after a hard drive installation).
IMPORTANT NOTES: 1) Unfortunately you can’t achieve persistence while installing Build 231120 to a USB stick. Which you can as regards Exton|Defender Build 231109 – see under NEWS 231111.
2) Almost all System Tools installed in Exton|Defender Build 231109 are also installed in Build 231120. So Build 231120 can also be used as a Super Rescue System (SRS). Study all installed packages in Build 231120.

SCREENSHOTS
1. The GDM login screen. If you want to log in as root to Gnome you shall choose “Not listed?”.
2. Showing how to fix a wired Network connection (sometimes necessary).
3. root’s Gnome 40 Desktop
4. user’s Gnome 40 Desktop

Exton|Defender SRS based on Fedora Rawhide (fc 39/40) with Cinnamon and Deepin Desktops which you can completely change and rebuild :: Build 231109

Nov

2023

Description
Exton|Defender SRS is a Linux system available as a Live DVD based on Fedora Rawhide, 64bit. (Rawhide is the development version of Fedora). Exton|Defender is for administrating or repairing your system and data after a crash. Exton|Defender aims to provide an easy way to carry out admin tasks on your computer, such as creating and editing the hard disk partitions. It comes with a lot of Linux software such as system tools and basic tools (editors, Midnight Commander, network tools). Exton|Defender can, however, also be used as a normal Linux Desktop System. It requires no hard drive installation, but can easily be installed to hard drive if you want. Desktop environments: Special versions of Deepin and Cinnamon developed by Fedora.

231111: HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU!
Today I discovered (by chance) that you can install Exton|Defender Build 231109 to a USB stick with persistence! I.e. all your system changes will be saved directly on the USB stick. Even big system upgrades! That will make it unnecessary to install Exton|Defender to hard drive (which can be a bit tricky). Just run the System from a big enough USB stick and be happy! Do it like this:
1. Use Rufus 4.3 for the installation.
2. Set a Persistent partition size of about 3GB before you start the installation. Watch this screenshot…
3. Run Exton|Defender from your created USB stick. Be sure boot up the System in Legacy mode. You can run the System also in UEFI mode, but unfortunately persistence won’t be enabled then.
4. Test run Exton|Defender and change some things. For example new bookmarks in Firefox. Reboot!
5. You changes should be left if you have done what I said above. Now you can upgrade the whole system with “sudo dnf upgrade –refresh”. About 230 packages can be upgraded as of 231111. Watch this screenshot…
6. Finally you can make a new ISO (your own) if you want. Be sure to change /etc/refractasnapshot.conf first. You must see to that the new ISO file and the work environment will be created on another partition. Watch this screenshot…
7. Start Refractasnapshot in a terminal with the command “sudo /usr/bin/refractasnapshot”. Follow the instructions. After a few minutes your ISO will be ready. Watch this screenshot…

NEWS 231109 ABOUT Exton|Defender Rawhide (Fedora 39/40)
I’ve made a new version of Exton|Defender 64 bit based on Fedora “Rawhide” (the development version of Fedora). I.e. upcoming Fedora 39/40. This new version uses the Cinnamon and Deepin Desktops. Log in to the Desktop environment you prefer. Study all other installed packages.
MOST IMPORTANT CHANGE: I’ve finally managed to install Refracta Snapshot in Exton|Defender, which means that you can create your own Fedora Rawhide System! I mean change everything to your liking and then create a new ISO.
NOTE1: For Refracta Snapshot to work you have to run “my” kernel 6.5.3-amd64-exton when Refracta Snapshot is running. (It won’t work with Fedora’s kernel 6.7).
NOTE2: Version 231109 of Exton|Defender can run on really old computers. As an example I could run it on my 17 years old laptop Acer Aspire 5102 WLMi.

THE IMPORTANCE OF Exton|Defender being based on upcoming fc 39/40
Programs won’t “crash” or anything like that. And I haven’t noticed any “bugs”. That said you should of course be a bit careful. This version of Exton|Defender is for people who like to use “cutting-edge” software and the latest kernels etc. You will always have the latest Linux/Fedora software installed if you regularly run the command sudo dnf upgrade –refresh.

SCREENSHOTS
Screenshot 1 – Exton|Defender – running in full screen in Virtualbox
Screen shot 2 – Anaconda (Fedora’s Installer) has started
Screenshot 3 – Refracta Installer has started
Screenshot 4 – Deepin DE is used
Screenshot 5 – Refracta Snapshot has started

DebEX Gnome based on Debian Sid/Trixie with Gnome 43.4, Refracta Snapshot and kernel 6.5.6-amd64-exton :: Build 231106

Nov

2023

NEWS 231106 about DebEX Gnome – a Refracta efi Build
I have made a new extra version of DebEX, which I call DebEX Gnome Live System. It’s a pure Debian system using the testing (Trixie) and unstable (Sid) repositories. Gnome 43.4 is used as Desktop environment. I have removed the Mate Desktop, since Gnome now can be used on all kind of computers. Also when running DebEX in VirtualBox and VMware. No need for Nvidia’s proprietary graphics drivers when running this new version of DebEX. You can of course install such drivers if you want to. Furthermore I have replaced Google Chrome with Firefox ESR. It is now possible to watch Netflix movies using Firefox ESR in Linux. I have also replaced Refracta Installer with Calamares Installer, which makes it possible to install DebEX Gnome in any language. You can even use Calamares in VirtualBox and VMware – i.e. non-efi computers.

All installed packages have been updated to the latest version as of 231106. DebEX Gnome uses kernel 6.5.6-amd64-exton.

SCREENSHOTS
1. The Desktop for the ordinary user user
2. The Desktop for root

THE REAL McCoy
DebEX is a pure Debian system. I.e. no traces of Ubuntu, Kubuntu etc. New releases of Ubuntu are always based on Debian Sid. So is DebEX.