Dual Booting Linux & Windows is Not a Death Sentence!

NERCOMPNERCOMP

March 7, 2005March 7, 2005aaron.bennett@olin.edu

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IntroductionIntroduction

About Olin CollegeAbout Olin College– Mission: Olin College prepares future leaders through an innovative Mission: Olin College prepares future leaders through an innovative

engineering education that bridges science and technology, enterprise, engineering education that bridges science and technology, enterprise, and society. Skilled in independent learning and the art of design, our and society. Skilled in independent learning and the art of design, our graduates will seek opportunities and take initiative to make a positive graduates will seek opportunities and take initiative to make a positive difference in the world.difference in the world.

– Scholarship Policy: Every admitted student receives a four-year, full Scholarship Policy: Every admitted student receives a four-year, full tuition scholarship valued at approximately $125,000 tuition scholarship valued at approximately $125,000

– Official opening: Fall 2002Official opening: Fall 2002

– Current Enrollment: 219 Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors Current Enrollment: 219 Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors

Olin Laptop ProgramOlin Laptop Program

All students required to buy the same model of All students required to buy the same model of Dell laptopDell laptop

Laptops are owned by students, but supported by Laptops are owned by students, but supported by ITIT

All laptops have four year on-site serviceAll laptops have four year on-site serviceLoanersLoanersHelp Desk uses Ghost to manage Windows installHelp Desk uses Ghost to manage Windows installWe had a curricular need for all students to have We had a curricular need for all students to have

LinuxLinux

Do It YourselfDo It Yourself

Before we had our Linux programBefore we had our Linux programStudents install Linux on first day of classStudents install Linux on first day of classDisasterDisasterDisasterDisasterDisasterDisasterDisasterDisasterDisasterDisaster

Decision ProcessDecision Process

First we just did itFirst we just did itThen we gathered a working groupThen we gathered a working group

Academic RequirementsAcademic Requirements

Python & several python modulesPython & several python modulesGCCGCCJava JDKJava JDKMatlabMatlabEmacsEmacsGeneral Linux Tools / UtilitiesGeneral Linux Tools / UtilitiesMust be able to Read and Write Windows Must be able to Read and Write Windows

FilesharesFileshares

Student RequirementsStudent Requirements

90/10 rule 90/10 rule Multimedia must workMultimedia must workInstant MessagingInstant MessagingEase-of-UseEase-of-Use

IT RequirementsIT Requirements

Low or No CostLow or No Cost Auto InstallationAuto Installation Ease of UseEase of Use Integration into Windows Active DirectoryIntegration into Windows Active Directory

– ( we decided to postpone this one )( we decided to postpone this one ) SupportabilitySupportability

– Automatic or painless deployments of security fixesAutomatic or painless deployments of security fixes– Active user communityActive user community– compatible with Ghost – or at least, not incompatiblecompatible with Ghost – or at least, not incompatible

General ObjectivesGeneral Objectives

General-purpose, easy to use, build and General-purpose, easy to use, build and installinstall

Primarily to support curriculumPrimarily to support curriculumUsable by students with limited Linux Usable by students with limited Linux

experienceexperienceSupportable by a small IT staffSupportable by a small IT staff

Possible Solutions – Debian Possible Solutions – Debian and spin-offsand spin-offs

DebianDebian– StableStable– UnstableUnstable

http://www.debian.orghttp://www.debian.org

Debian Spin-offsDebian Spin-offs– Knoppix, Linspire, Mepis, Xandros, UbuntuKnoppix, Linspire, Mepis, Xandros, Ubuntu

Wild Card – Gentoo LinuxWild Card – Gentoo Linux

Source BasedSource BasedExtremely ConfigurableExtremely ConfigurableVery Popular with Hacker/Geek crowdVery Popular with Hacker/Geek crowd

Red Hat SolutionsRed Hat Solutions

Red Hat Enterprise WorkstationRed Hat Enterprise Workstation– http://www.redhat.com/solutions/industries/ http://www.redhat.com/solutions/industries/

education/products/education/products/– Education cost: $25 per copy or site licenseEducation cost: $25 per copy or site license

Fedora Core Fedora Core – http://fedora.redhat.com http://fedora.redhat.com – FreeFree

Other RPM-Based solutionsOther RPM-Based solutions

MandrakeMandrake– http://www.mandrakesoft.com/http://www.mandrakesoft.com/

SuSeSuSe– http://www.novell.com/Linux/suse/index.htmlhttp://www.novell.com/Linux/suse/index.html

Fedora Core IntroductionFedora Core IntroductionRedhat is no longer producing a free, Redhat is no longer producing a free,

unsupported consumer-grade Linux distribution.unsupported consumer-grade Linux distribution.The goal of The Fedora Project is to work with The goal of The Fedora Project is to work with

the Linux community to build a complete, the Linux community to build a complete, general purpose operating system exclusively general purpose operating system exclusively from open source software. from open source software.

The Fedora Project anticipates new releases 2 The Fedora Project anticipates new releases 2 or 3 times per year.or 3 times per year.

Security updates are provided for older versions Security updates are provided for older versions by Redhat for some time and then handled by by Redhat for some time and then handled by the community-run Fedora Legacy project.the community-run Fedora Legacy project.

Fedora CoreFedora Core

Strengths of Fedora CoreStrengths of Fedora Core– PricePrice– Community SupportCommunity Support– Predictable Release CyclePredictable Release Cycle– Leading Edge ComponentsLeading Edge Components– Reasonably High Release QualityReasonably High Release Quality– RPM / Yum package systemRPM / Yum package system

Fedora Core, continuedFedora Core, continued

Weakness of Fedora CoreWeakness of Fedora Core– Rapid release cycleRapid release cycle– Release cycle is less predictable then we Release cycle is less predictable then we

thoughtthought– Distribution BloatDistribution Bloat– Lack of non-free packagesLack of non-free packages

Especially: MP3, Flash, JavaEspecially: MP3, Flash, Java

– ““Enterprise-itus”Enterprise-itus”

Criteria for DecisionCriteria for Decision

Ultimately, any linux distribution can be made to workUltimately, any linux distribution can be made to work Any distribution will also require extensive tweakingAny distribution will also require extensive tweaking The most important criteria are community support, The most important criteria are community support,

availability of common software packages, and availability of common software packages, and packaging system.packaging system.

I prefer RPM to other packaging systemsI prefer RPM to other packaging systems Having elected to stick with RPM based systems, Fedora Having elected to stick with RPM based systems, Fedora

seemed logicalseemed logical– PricePrice– CommunityCommunity– Red HatRed Hat

Olinux OverviewOlinux Overview

Customized Fedora install:Customized Fedora install:– Different lookDifferent look– Wireless roamingWireless roaming– Full multimedia supportFull multimedia support

Based on Fedora Core 2Based on Fedora Core 2Plan is to stay on FC2 until this summer Plan is to stay on FC2 until this summer

and then develop an upgrade path to the and then develop an upgrade path to the latest, which should be FC 4.latest, which should be FC 4.

Multimedia SupportMultimedia Support

Livna.org: MP3 PluginsLivna.org: MP3 PluginsXvidcore, Xine, Mpeg SupportXvidcore, Xine, Mpeg SupportFirefox: mplayer plugin, Acrobat Reader Firefox: mplayer plugin, Acrobat Reader

Plugin, Java Support, Real PlayerPlugin, Java Support, Real Player

Wireless StuffWireless Stuff

NdiswrapperNdiswrapper– http://ndiswrapper.sf.nethttp://ndiswrapper.sf.net

Wireless RoamingWireless Roaming– WaproamdWaproamd– IfplugdIfplugd– Customized for Fedora and for OlinCustomized for Fedora and for Olin

Wired / Wireless boot-time detectionWired / Wireless boot-time detection– Use mii-tool to determine if a wired link is Use mii-tool to determine if a wired link is

presentpresent

Windows AccessWindows Access

We considered making each laptop a We considered making each laptop a native Active Directory Client via Samba / native Active Directory Client via Samba / Winbind.Winbind.

Instead we just use local accountsInstead we just use local accountsI wrote a program “olinshares” which I wrote a program “olinshares” which

makes it easy to mount Windows shares makes it easy to mount Windows shares without having to be root or learn the without having to be root or learn the “mount” syntax“mount” syntax

All laptops have a small fat-32 partitionAll laptops have a small fat-32 partition

Look and FeelLook and Feel It sounds like a small thing, but It sounds like a small thing, but themetheme can be the difference between can be the difference between

a student liking Linux from the start and hating it.a student liking Linux from the start and hating it.

Olinux Look and FeelOlinux Look and Feel

Infrastructure / Build Infrastructure / Build EnvironmentEnvironment

Kickstart ServerKickstart ServerLocal mirrorsLocal mirrorsBuild systemBuild systemCustom Repository: yum or aptCustom Repository: yum or aptOlinux: “meta package” that depends on Olinux: “meta package” that depends on

other packages.other packages.With FC 3 and above, you can use “yum With FC 3 and above, you can use “yum

group install” and define groupsgroup install” and define groups

Problems / To DoProblems / To Do

ACPI support – power management is poorACPI support – power management is poorCold Boot w/o AC problemCold Boot w/o AC problemMore robust multi-media integrationMore robust multi-media integrationNdiswrapper is fairly limitedNdiswrapper is fairly limitedYum / up2date need to handle kernel Yum / up2date need to handle kernel

modules bettermodules betterGreater student involvement in the processGreater student involvement in the process

– Tap the wealth of Geek knowledge @ OlinTap the wealth of Geek knowledge @ Olin– Open the system to student contributionsOpen the system to student contributions

ResourcesResources Fedora Project – Fedora Project –

– http://fedoraproject.org/http://fedoraproject.org/ My websiteMy website

– http://fsweb.olin.edu/~abennetthttp://fsweb.olin.edu/~abennett Linux on Laptops contains a ton of information about getting linux to Linux on Laptops contains a ton of information about getting linux to

work on almost any imaginable laptop.work on almost any imaginable laptop.– http://www.linux-laptop.nethttp://www.linux-laptop.net

Livna.org: The best source of non-free packages. This is where go Livna.org: The best source of non-free packages. This is where go to get MP3 support, etc added back into Fedora.to get MP3 support, etc added back into Fedora.– http://rpm.livna.orghttp://rpm.livna.org

Fedora Tracker is a fantastic resource that searches many different Fedora Tracker is a fantastic resource that searches many different repositories. Perfect if you are looking for a specific package you repositories. Perfect if you are looking for a specific package you can’t find anywhere else. can’t find anywhere else. – http://www.fedoratracker.orghttp://www.fedoratracker.org

Questions?