DSL Embedded :: using boot options with dsl-embedded

Hey guys,
Thanks for the help! Mikshaw's suggestion of adding the cheatcode to dsl-windows.bat after "... frugal quiet" proved to be successful, but as warned, I lacked enough ram to actually load it all. Too bad. That in mind, I might keep both versions of the dsl-windows.bat file on my drive, in case I encounter a system with heaps of ram that could manage the load.

Thanks again,
- HK

Hi guys! I hope I'm posting this on the right place.

my situation: I am using dsl-embedded and would like to make it used from students on our computers at school. All computers have windows xp (professional with SP1) on quiet brand new middle-range barebones machines (intell 1,5/2 GoHz, with more than 512 Mo RAM). I don't want the students to work with xp; I want them to use dsl. I choose dsl embedded because our computers haven't any cd-rom or floppy, only usb 2.0; I also don't want our students to use the usb boot options, only as last solution (they may want to use their usb-key on other systems at home or elsewhere, for example just in order to pick up some stuff on the key without booting dsl or using it with cd).

my problem: I would like the students to start winxp, to be brought to the winlogon from xp (with defined login and password to be input); I assume, the usb-key with dsl-embedded has been pluged in the computer; I would like that when students give a password, a script runs which enables dsl-embedded without the possibility for students to enter winxp; so that basically, they just need xp to mount the hardware, using then dsl as system;

my deceptions: I try to make a script (*.bat) to be run at user's logon (C:\WINDOWS\system32\GroupPolicy\User\Scripts\Logon) with following lines:

[my HD]:
[my HD]:dsl-windows.bat

The script hasn't be run as login in xp as guest. It has been run as user with password and admin. privileges; but when I tip my password, winxp opens before dsl (then) runs. Actually, I would like to get dsl running without having winxp running.

Another idea was to force winxp to boot in dos mode, in order to get a boot prompt; so, winxp can't boot directly in a dos mode (I googled it), or you have to install a dos program and a dual-boot possibility (dos/xp). I don't have the knowledge base for that, and I would also like to find an easiest and elegant way to solve this, if it is possible to solve it.

I appreciate very much your help. Please, take in account that I am a newbie without strong knowledge in command line vocabulary. DSL is a real interesting project, I hope my intervention support your work and brain storm. Just go ahead!

I personally think you should have created a new thread...

But on your question, I do not think this is your best shot. I don't know why you would like to use dsl for your students, security? I think those lads will be fast linux nowledged enough to get your system as tehy want it to be.

The only system I know of to run these scripts etc for external components is Xp MCE. I know this cause a friend off me is working on a project to get personal to loggon to a terminal with a "smartcard" and biometric scanners (wich wont work unles you are logged in...) and this for a very very big company.

I personally think that a bootable solution off DSl could do the trick. So completely running dsl as separate OS directly from the thumbdrive. This could be depending off your bios settings, so that the startup secuence is fisrt usb drives the hdd.

hopes this wil help you out.

@ B@se
first of all thank you very much for your answer. To your points now:

- security: yes and no; yes, because our school is literally infected by virus, so that students using win regularly come to me in order to get their computer cleaned, what also means for me and for them a lot of hours lost; with dsl, you are out off such a problem (so far...); no, because I don't want that students stop using winxp (actually, they also have this possibility when they log in as guest); so, I would like for them to use dsl because it is a little, secure and very mobile system with all the stuff you need, which you can carry on with you and use in every environnment you'd like; so, it is true that I am making a kind of "sweet propaganda" for dsl; more seriously, I would like my students to use dsl-embedded regarding the limitations of our hardware (my post from yesterday) and in order for them to keep space left on their usb-stick when working f.ex. at home on another system (win or mac), which enables them to also use the usb-key as conventional flash disk;

- linux knowledge with dsl: you are right, I find dsl incredible easy to use and have a lot of fun with it; but this is not the opinion of our students after a first test; usual questions are "where is the start button?", "how can I get it shutdown?", "I don't want this application, how can I uninstall it?", "why dsl doesn't save my data?", all questions that have precise and helpfull answers in dsl-forum; now, you have to read the threads out of the forum, and that's already too much for our students (I apologize for them); this is billy ideological performativity: when you always work with win, it is not possible for you to imagine other people not working with win, i.e. working with other OS... already mac is mars for such kids (however, they are all between 20-25 yo, computer generation they said...).

- your solution: "completely running dsl as separate OS directly from the thumbdrive"; I gave it a try today, but without success = USB-HDD as first boot in BIOS (sequence: USB-HDD, CD-R, HDD; we only have USB-HDD as Usb-boot function) and USB key plugged in computer, starting computer, running, xp winlogon window... USB-Key is San Cruzer mini 256 Mo. I guess, win mount USB *late* in the boot process, so that the computer switch on CD and finally on HDD. Actually, this is the reason why I imagine a possible boot of dsl after a winxp boot in order to only use win to mount the USB-Stick and to enable the functionality of Qemu. If so, then it is perhaps possible to do the same with mac, and so to enables a lot of users the use of dsl as dsl-embedded on every systems you want wihout need of beeing ""inside"" win or mac.

But at the moment, I stuck in front of billy doors...
yours
Z

I must admit I am not a DSL expert, I use SUSE pro as my main OS and dsl as working space on my universaty (yep I'm one off those youngsters you talk about)

I think If you are trying to boot from dsl thumbdrive you might have to have another version (do not know that exacly, going to check later on) and you should try to start dsl with the bios setup to look for a USB-Zip source to boot from.

FAQ says this:

How Do I Install to a USB Pendrive?

In the Fluxbox menu, go Apps >> Tools >> Install to USB Pendrive and choose either USB-ZIP emulation or USB-HDD emulation, depending on what is supported by your computer's bios.

Think you should try to install it to another thumbdrive to get t working as a boot device, but Iĺl try to see if there is another way.

Further more, you could consider to register yourselve and start a separate Thread with these questions, cause currently we are violating board rules.

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