Baslinux mailing list

[qwms-avib AT dea.spamcon.org]

Sheldon Isaac wrote:
>
> How can I have commands executed when I start BasicLinux 
> with the BOOT.BAT (see below) from my Win98 computer?
> 
> [I was thinking to have it ready to connect to my modem 
>  without doing the pppsetup or whatever]
> 
> loadlin bzimage vga=ask kbd-reset root=/dev/ram rw initrd=baslinux.gz

I notice you are using the ramdisk version.  The filesystem
for that version resides in compressed form (baslinux.gz) 
until the kernel is booted.  To customize baslinux.gz you 
first need to uncompress it and mount it.  Then edit the bits
you want to change, un-mount it and recompress it.  Only then
will you actually be able to run the thing and see if your
changes worked.  To fix even a tiny error, you will need to
repeat the whole process.

/etc/rc is the system startup file in the ramdisk version.
System-wide changes can go in there.  The user startup 
file is ~/.profile (anything you put in there will only
affect that user).

> Also, isn't there supposed to be some business about running 
> as a user rather than root, so that programs won't crash the 
> computer?

Running as root gives you access to all functions of the system
(including potentially destructive ones).  Non-root users are
limited by the permission structure.  Most newbies are confused/
annoyed by permissions so BasicLinux defaults to root.

Cheers,
Steven