Grml Blog

Debian based Linux Live system

Poll: IDE vs. LIBATA

Update on 2009-04-06: sorry, adjusted the wording. Should be *IDE* vs. LIBATA of course. Sorry for the confusion. The GRML Team wants to collect feedback regarding the recent switch from IDE to LIBATA. IDE? LIBATA?

  • IDE (CONFIG_IDE) provides the old IDE subsystem (/dev/hdX), considered as legacy code.
  • LIBATA is the new subsystem (/dev/sdX - though supports IDE as well) with new features, but some old IDE systems might not work with it.

Please participate in the poll! We highly appreciate and need your feedback.

grml mentioned in c't 07/2009

grml has its own section in an article named Live-Shows - Live-Linuxe für jeden Zweck of the german magazine c’t, edition 07/2009. Check out pages 125 and 126.

Link: "Why we're using GRML in the datacenter"

Nice blog post by Christian Hofstaedtler: Why we’re using GRML in the datacenter

updated kernel 2.6.28-grml available

An updated 2.6.28-grml kernel is available through the grml-testing repository, this update incorporates the latest stable patch (being 2.6.28.7). I’ll provide the according 2.6.28-grml64 kernel soon as well.

grml development - shiny new stuff....

After the bug squashing party lots of further development took place. The most important stuff:* grml2usb: initial public version of the redesign, providing multi-ISO support and many more features, check out grml.org/grml2usb and my mail to the grml mailinglist

  • boot process: when using the “forensic” or the new “readonly” bootoption all local harddisks will be forced to read-only mode
  • grml-autoconfig: dropped /etc/grml/autoconfig.small
  • grml-live: several bugfixes, integration of bsd4grml (available via ‘bsd’ on the bootprompt - more details will follow later),… - check out the changelog
  • grml-etc-core: using “zsh: $REPOSNAME” as GNU screen title name when standing inside a repository of a version control system (thanks, ft!)
  • git-commits: the git-commits mailinglist finally provides the according hook so updates are sent to the list

results of the bugsquashing party on 2009-02-12

Some stats for the bugsquashing party on 2009-02-12:* starting at 223 open bugs

  • finished at 199 open bugs
  • filed 3 new bugreports
  • overall result: closed 27 bugreports

Participants (alphabetically):

  • Alexander ‘z3ttacht’ Steinböck
  • Andreas ‘jimmy’ Gredler
  • Frank ‘ft’ Terbeck
  • Henning ’lazyboy’ Sprang
  • Michael ‘mika’ Prokop
  • Ulrich ‘mrud’ Dangel

Thanks for your contributions!

grml bug squashing party on 2009-02-12

On 2009-02-12 starting at 02:00p.m. (with open end) a grml bug squashing party takes place via IRC. Coordination takes place on channel #grmldev on freenode. Everyone is welcome to join. Further details are available at the bug squashing party in the grml-wiki.

grml in linux user magazine 2009/02

In the current german Linux User magazine edition 2009/02 is a two pages article about grml titled “Linux alpin”. The DVD edition provides a multiboot DVD featuring grml 2008.11 as well.

first version of kernel 2.6.28-grml / 2.6.28-grml64 available

I just uploaded the first version of kernel 2.6.28-grml[64] to the grml-testing repository. Details about configuration and patches are available in grml’s git kernel repository. A new develrelease providing the new kernel will be available as well as daily snapshots featuring the new kernel soon.

Using grml? Let us know!

I’ll hold a talk about grml at the Open Source Data Center Conference on 29/30 April 2009 in Nürnberg/Germany. I’d like to show the attendees how grml is used in Real World Environments and need your contribution! You are using grml in your company for system recovery, presenting demos of your application, automated system installation,…? Please let me know! This is *your* chance to present your company or product in my talk. :) If it’s necessary you can also submit your stories anonymously or request that I’ll withhold your identity while presenting your setup. Feel free to forward this information to anyone who might have interesting stories for me, I’d love to hear from you.

new team member: Moritz Augsburger

Moritz ‘moemoe’ Augsburger just joined the grml-team. He’s a long-standing grml user and contributed several bugreports, patches and improvement suggestions.

grml release 2008.11 available

grml version 2008.11 (all grml flavours) - codename Schluchtenscheisser - has been released and is currently being uploaded to the mirrors. The official release announcements providing all the relevant news are available:

Issues regarding the releases can be found in the grml-wiki.

As usual you can get the ISO(s) via bittorrent, http and/or ftp from the mirrors listed at grml.org/download. Have fun and enjoy the new release! Your feedback is highly appreciated.

grml release candidate 2 of version 2008.11

Release candidate 2 of grml 2008.11 is available via debian.netcologne.de/www.grml.org/devel/. Main changes from rc1 to rc2:* Updated Debian packages by 2008-11-20

The stable release is expected to be released on this weekend (end of november), so please grab rc2 and give it a try.

grml release candidate 1 of version 2008.11

I’m proud to be able to present release candidate 1 of the upcoming stable release 2008.11 - available in all the different grml flavours. New features? Tons of new features! Including an update of grml-small - and we even provide a 64bit version of grml-small now! Release Notes for grml 2008.11[-rc1] - codename “Schluchtenscheisser”are available online. The following flavours are available from the devel directory of grml’s mirrors:

  grml_2008.11-rc1.iso           667M
  grml-medium_2008.11-rc1.iso    178M
  grml-small_2008.11-rc1.iso      75M
  grml64_2008.11-rc1.iso         687M
  grml64-medium_2008.11-rc1.iso  187M
  grml64-small_2008.11-rc1.iso    77M

Known issues of 2008.11-rc1 can be found in the grml-wiki. Please report any bug you notice so we can provide stable releases to you soon! Have fun with grml.

new develreleases: version 2008.10.26

The new develreleases I just released contain several small updates, fixes and a kernel based on 2.6.26.7. I expect this to be last the devel release before releasing rc1 of version 2008.11. Working on release-notes, docs and testing.