What is slax?

It's a small Slackware-based live CD/USB. Slax offers a list of pre-installed softwares for daily use. Slax has a modular approach in the sense that the pre-installed softwares are organized in the form of modules (LZM files). It is possible to customize the content of Slax by adding other modules (LZM files) and / or removing existing modules. Note that each version offers an ISO file and a TAR file. The ISO file is a CD image and the TAR file is an USB stick image. For this howto, only download the TAR file. Here is the download link: http://ftp.fit.vutbr.cz/pub/systems/SLAX/SLAX-6.x/

Audience

This guide is for a Linux user already familiar with Slax. It is not intended for a beginner. You need a functional Linux OS. We'll use the command line.

This howto is not

This guide does not show you how to create Slax modules. For that there is a documentation and a forum on the Slax web site.

Basic installation

This guide shows you how to install Slax on a SD card and make post-install configurations necessary to ensure that your new Slax system is usable from your EeePC. The various stages of the basic installation are as follows:

• Installing Slax on USB stick
• Installing Slax on SD card
• Adding the base modules
• Post-install configuration

Tips and tricks

• TouchPad
• Wireless network connection
• Adding the Slax modules
  • OpenOffice.org
  • Java
  • Skype
• Localization

Various

Here are the others topics:

• Compiling by yourself (advanced users)
• Installing Slax on the USB stick (EXT2)
• Installing Slax on the Eee's SSD (EXT2)

Step 1: Create a FAT32 filesystem on USB stick

The USB stick should not be mounted. For my 1GB USB stick I have it:

 cfdisk /dev/sda
    New
    Primary
    Size (in MB): 1050.24
    Type 0B (for W95 FAT32)
    Write, yes
    Quit

Step 2: Formatting the USB stick

The USB stick should not be mounted.

 mkdosfs -F 32 /dev/sda1

Step 3: Mounting the USB stick

 mkdir /mnt/sda1
 mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/sda1

Step 4: Uncompress the TAR file

 tar xvf slax-6.0.7.tar -C /mnt/sda1

Step 5: Making a bootable USB stick

 cd /mnt/sda1/boot
 ./bootinst.sh

Done!

Step 6 : Copying the TAR file on USB stick

Put the TAR file on USB stick. It's required for installing on SD card.

 cp slax-6.0.7.tar /mnt/sda1

Step 1: Boot your Eee with Slax USB stick

• Boot menu: Press ESC at Asus EeePC logo. Select your USB stick and press ENTER.

• Slax menu: Choice “Slax Always Fresh”.

Step 2: Identify your SD card

Open a Konsole

 sfdisk -l

With Slax I have this information:

• SSD ⇒ /dev/hdcX
• USB stick ⇒ /dev/sdaX
• SD card ⇒ /dev/sdbX

Step 3: Unmount SD card

Slax mount all partitions. Unmount SD card before to create a filesystem. Do not unmount with a graphical tool. Use commandline.

 umount /mnt/sdb1

Step 4: Make a FAT32 filesystem on SD card

Delete an existing partition

 cfdisk /dev/sdb
    Delete
    Write, yes

Create a FAT32 partition. I have it for my 2GB SD card:

    New
    Primary
    Size (in MB): 2058.03
    Type 0B (for W95 FAT32)
    Write, yes
    Quit

Step 5: Formatting the SD card

The SD card should not be mounted.

 mkdosfs -F 32 /dev/sdb1

Step 6: Mount the SD card

 mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/sdb1

Step 7: Uncompress the TAR file

Change directory:

 cd /mnt/sda1

Uncompress TAR file on SD card

 tar xvf slax-6.0.7.tar -C /mnt/sdb1

Error messages can happen if you have changed the filesystem. In this case restart eeepc and restart the uncompress command.

Step 8: Make a bootable SD card

 cd /mnt/sdb1/boot
 ./bootinst.sh

It's done.

Step 9: Reboot EeePC with your SD card

• Boot menu: Press ESC at Asus EeePC logo. Select your SD card and press ENTER.
• Slax menu: Choice “Slax Always Fresh”.

Here are the Slax modules (LZM files). Put them on your SD card at this place:

SD_card/slax/modules/name_of_file-X.X.lzm

Download them from my repository: http://tinyurl.com/4vfb3x

Module 1: eeedrivers

eeedrivers Slax module include this kernel drivers:

• atl2 - network card wired
• atheros-madwifi - wireless network card
• eeepc_acpi - power management & hotkeys
• linux-uvc - webcam

Module 2: acpi-eee

acpi-eee Slax module include ACPI scripts and AsusOSD. htop and vbetool are required.

suspend2ram (Fn+F1) disabled, all others hotkeys work well

Module 3: xf86-input-synaptics

Required for Eee Touchpad

Module 4: webcam

If you want use wxcam webcam application download wxcam, Cimg, revel, wxgtk and xvidcore Slax modules.

Module 5: fonts

dejavu-fonts-ttf is required

Module 6: firefox

Slax include Konqueror. If you want use Firefox download the firefox Slax module.

Here I created files that will override the default file. Put the news follow files under the SD card rootcopy directory. Create the subdirectory before to put the files.

SD_card/slax/rootcopy/

Put the xorg.conf file at this place:

SD_card/slax/rootcopy/etc/X11/xorg.conf

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier     "Slax6"
	Screen      0  "Screen1"
	InputDevice    "keyboard" "CoreKeyboard"
	InputDevice    "synaptics" "SendCoreEvents"
	InputDevice    "mouse" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Files"
	RgbPath	     "/usr/share/X11/rgb"
	ModulePath   "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/misc"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/TTF"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi"
#	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/Type1"
EndSection

Section "Module"
	Load  "glx"
	Load  "dri"
	Load  "extmod"
	Load  "synaptics"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
	Option		"AllowMouseOpenFail"
	Option		"BlankTime" "5"
	Option		"DontVTSwitch"	"true"
	Option		"AIGLX"   "false"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "keyboard"
	Driver      "kbd"
	Option	    "XkbRules" "xorg"
	Option      "XkbLayout" "us(intl)"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "synaptics"
	Driver      "synaptics"
	Option      "Device"           "/dev/psaux"
	Option      "Protocol"         "auto-dev"
	Option      "LeftEdge"         "1000"
	Option      "RightEdge"        "5400"
	Option      "TopEdge"          "1000"
	Option      "BottomEdge"       "4900"
	Option      "PalmDetect"       "0"
	Option      "SHMConfig"        "on"	
#	Option	    "VertScrollDelta" "100"	
	Option      "HorizScrollDelta" "0"	
	Option      "RBCornerButton"   "0"
	Option      "RTCornerButtom"   "0"
	Option      "MaxSpeed"         "0.1"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "mouse"
	Driver      "mouse"
	Option	    "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
	Option	    "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
	Option	    "Emulate3Buttons" "yes"
	Option	    "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "Monitor1"
	VendorName   "ASUS"
	ModelName    "eeePC P701"
	Modeline     "800x480"  29.58  800 816 896 992  480 481 484 497  -HSync +Vsync # 60 Hz
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "Device1"
	Driver      "intel"
	VendorName  "Intel Corporation"
	BoardName   "Mobile 915GM/GMS/910GML Express Graphics Controller"
	BusID       "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen1"
	Device     "Device1"
	Monitor    "Monitor1"
	DefaultDepth     24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth     8
		Virtual  1680 1680
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth     15
		Virtual  1680 1680
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth     16
		Virtual  1680 1680
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth     24
		Virtual  1680 1680
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "DRI"
	Mode         0666
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
	Option	    "Composite" "Disable"
EndSection

You can download this file since this place. Rename it in “xorg.conf”.

For to configure the X keyboard, look at this section kxkbrc.

Edit the ”/etc/modprobe.d/psmouse” file and comment this line:

#options psmouse proto=imps

Put the file here:

SD_card/rootcopy/etc/modprobe.d/psmouse

Edit the “SD_card/boot/slax.cfg” file as follows. Look the “LABEL xconf”, “LABEL fresh” and “LABEL cp2ram” sections. Delete the “xconfig;” string at the APPEND lines. This will prevent a configuration of the X server to boot. Therefore the xorg.conf above to be used.

Put the new slax.cfg file at this place:

SD_card/boot/slax.cfg

Open Konsole and run alsamixer command. Fix the sound state at your choice. Run alsactl command which will generate the ”/etc/asound.state” file. Put this new file here:

SD_card/slax/rootcopy/etc/asound.state

Fix the shutdown problem (i.e. the power indicator led is on after shutdown) and will to restore the sound state at reboot. Create the ”/etc/rc.d/rc.local_shutdown” file as follow.

#!/bin/sh
#
/usr/sbin/alsactl store
sleep 1
/sbin/rmmod snd_hda_intel

Make the executable file

chmod 755 rc.local_shutdown

Put this new file here:

SD_card/slax/rootcopy/etc/rc.d/rc.local_shutdown

Under Slax the X keyboard is fixed by the ”/root/.kde/share/config/kxkbrc” file.

For a single choice of keyboard, the file is like this. My choice is the US-International xkeyboard.

[Layout]
EnableXkbOptions=true
Includes=
Layout=us(intl)
Model=pc104
Options=
ResetOldOptions=false
ShowFlag=true
ShowSingle=false
StickySwitching=false
StickySwitchingDepth=1
SwitchMode=Global
Use=true

For the choice of several keyboards, the file is as follows:

[Layout]
DisplayNames=
EnableXkbOptions=true
IncludeGroups=
LayoutList=us(intl),us,ca(fr),ca(multi)
Model=pc105
Options=
ResetOldOptions=false
ShowFlag=true
ShowSingle=false
StickySwitching=false
StickySwitchingDepth=2
SwitchMode=Global
Use=true

Put your file at this place:

SD_card/slax/rootcopy/root/.kde/share/config/kxkbrc

“DynamicTabHide” variable is fixed at “true”. Fix at “false” if you want the tab Shell in Konsole.

DynamicTabHide=false

Put the new file at this place:

SD_card/slax/rootcopy/root/.kde/share/config/konsolerc

Maximize space screen

Have a hide taskbar if the window is maximized. For it put this values in kickerrc file:

[General]
AutoHideSwitch=true
BackgroundHide=true

For to show the taskbar move the cursor at lower left corner. Put the file to that location:

SD_card/slax/rootcopy/root/.kde/share/config/kickerrc

You must install the xf86-input-synaptics module (2.3 section) and configure these files:

• xorg.conf (2.4.1 section)
• psmouse (2.4.2 section)
• slax.cfg (2.4.3 section)

Configure the network

Check the presence of the ath0 interface

iwconfig

Use netconfig command

netconfig
   Host: slax
   Domain: example.org
   IP adress: Use a DHCP server
   DHCP hostname: blank and press ENTER
   Confirm: yes

WEP key

Enable ath0 interface

ifconfig ath0 up

Configure the wireless access

iwconfig ath0 essid "My_Essid"
iwconfig ath0 key "my_WEP_key"

Run dhcpcd

dhcpcd ath0

Voilà! Good surf.

WPA key

Download the wpa_supplicant Slax module from here or any other repository. Put it under the modules directory:

SD_card/slax/modules

Backup the wpa_supplicant.conf file

cd /etc
cp wpa_supplicant.conf wpa_supplicant.conf.BAK

Create a new wpa_supplicant.conf file

wpa_passphrase your_SSID your_wpa_shared_key > /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf . 

Edit the wpa_supplicant.conf file (look this example)

ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
network={
        scan_ssid=1
        key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
        proto=WPA
        pairwise=CCM TKIP
        group=CCM TKIP
        ssid="votre_ssid"
        #psk="votre WPA_shared_key"
        psk=kldfgkdsf88945j34k5340545k43m5495435.........
}

Remark that the variable scan_ssid take the value “1” because the variable “Wireless SSID Broadcast” on my router is configured at the value “Disable”.

Enable the ath0 interface

ifconfig ath0 up

Run wpa_supplicant

/usr/sbin/wpa_supplicant -Bw -Dwext -iath0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf

Run dhcpcd

dhcpcd ath0

Voilà! Good surf.

Put the Slax modules at the “modules” directory on your SD card. Look here:

SD_card/slax/modules

Here is the link for the official Slax modules repository: Slax modules

Here is the link for the list of the users repositories: Users repositories

ooo240en-modified.lzm: Ooo modified with Calc, Impress, Writer and Printer Administration only

or

OpenOffice.org: the complete office suite from Slax web site

jre-6u6.lzm: Java Runtime Environment : required by OpenOffice.org

skype-2.0.0.68.lzm: Internet Telephony

Here my way for installing Slax6 on ext2 USB with Extlinux rather than Lilo bootloader.

Step1: Create a Linux partition

cfdisk /dev/sda
   New
   Primary
   Size (in MB): 1050.24
   Type 83
   Write, yes
   Quit

Step 2: Format the USB stick

mke2fs /dev/sda1
tune2fs -i 0 /dev/sda1
e2label /dev/sda1 SLAX

Step 3: Mount the USB stick

mkdir /mnt/sda1
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/sda1

Step 4: Uncompress the TAR file

tar xvf slax-6.0.7.tar -C /mnt/sda1

Step 5: slaxchanges

Create the slaxchanges directory

mkdir -p /mnt/sda1/slaxchanges

Edit the ”/mnt/sda1/boot/slax.cfg” file. At “LABEL xconf”, “LABEL startx” and “LABEL slax” sections, put the “changes” variable at “slaxchanges” value:

changes=slaxchanges

Step 6: Extlinux

Create directory and file:

mkdir -p /mnt/sda1/boot/extlinux
cd /mnt/sda1/boot/syslinux
cp syslinux.cfg ../extlinux/extlinux.conf

Download syslinux (extlinux included):

wget http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/syslinux-3.63.tar.bz2
tar xvf syslinux-3.63.tar.gz

Install extlinux:

cd syslinux-3.63/extlinux/
extlinux --install /mnt/sda1/boot/extlinux

Make a bootable USB stick:

umount /mnt/sda1
cat syslinux-3.63/mbr/mbr.bin > /dev/sda

Slackware - The Slackware Linux Project

Slax - A pocket operating system and his forum

Sleeex - Slax on Eee (under construction)

Forums Antharius - French support for Slax

Tuxeee - French blog (linux, eee, slax6, sleeex, zeee, …)

Archlinux - Installing Archlinux on Asus EeePC

The original document was written in French. Translations are as follows:

• English BEING TRANSLATED …

rio b and you sfr