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== Download and Create Live image or LiveUSB==
== Download and Create Live image or Live USB==


To download a pre-built Fedora Live image, visit [http://fedoraproject.org/en/get-fedora the download page].  Then you can either:
To download a pre-built Fedora Live image, visit [http://fedoraproject.org/en/get-fedora the download page].  Then you can either:
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Benefits:
Benefits:
* You can demonstrate features or try out a release, including testing hardware functionality, before installation.
* You can demonstrate features or try out a release, including testing hardware functionality, before hard disk/SSD installation.
* You can use LiveCD for backup and recovery of your installed hard drive.
* Live USB/CD/DVD installation is faster than regular installation. Live USB/SD installation typically takes only a few minutes and can be configured with persistent storage.
* Live USB/CD/DVD installation is faster than regular installation. Live USB installation typically takes only a few minutes.
* You can use Live CD technology for backup and recovery of your installed hard drive.


Limitations:
Limitations:
* It is not possible to choose packages during installation.  Live images typically have fewer packages than a regular installation image.  
* It is not possible to choose packages during installation.  Live images typically have fewer packages than a regular installation image.  
* It is not possible to do an upgrade via Anaconda, the installer. If you have a separate /home partition, you can just not format it during the installation and thus preserve your settings.  
* It is not possible to do an upgrade via the Anaconda installer. If you have a separate /home partition, you can just not format it during the installation and thus preserve your settings and /home content.  
* It is not possible to choose a non-default filesystem.
* It is not possible to choose a non-default filesystem.
* Once you turn off your computer with LiveCD running, you will lose any settings or packages installed.
* Once you shutdown a computer running from a Live CD, you will lose any settings or packages installed, but Live USB/SD installations may be configured with persistent storage.


== Fedora Live image features ==
== Fedora Live image features ==
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Current features:
Current features:


# Read-write rootfs so it's possible to install software while the livecd is running
# A booted Live CD uses a temporary, in-memory, read-write rootfs, so it's possible to install software for use while the Live CD is running.
# Install to hard disk or usb drives
# Data persistence options available on Live USB/SD installations.
# Use SELinux in enforcing mode and other security features by default
# Install to hard disks or USB/SD drives.
# Stay as close to a normal desktop install wrt. features
# Uses SELinux in enforcing mode and other security features by default.
# Ability to create normal CD-ROM and CD-R media (less than 700MB) or DVD images
# Includes best of breed software on the media.
# Included best of breed software on the media
# Stay as close to a normal desktop install with regard to features, or try specialized [http://spins.fedoraproject.org/ Spins].
# Make it easy to do a derived livecd with your own repositories, packages and art work
# Ability to create normal CD-ROM and CD-R media (less than 700 MB) or DVD images.
# Data persistence
# Make it easy to do a derived Live CD with your own repositories, packages, and artwork.
# API used by LTSP, appliance creator and others  
# API used by LTSP, appliance creator and others  


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== Finding the Code ==
== Finding the Code ==


The source code for the live CD tools is maintained in git.  The repository is at 'git://git.fedorahosted.org/livecd' and can be browsed via the [http://git.fedorahosted.org/git/?p=livecd gitweb interface] .  You can install it easily by installing the 'livecd-tools' package.
The source code for the Live CD tools is maintained in git.  The repository is at 'git://git.fedorahosted.org/livecd' and can be browsed via the [http://git.fedorahosted.org/cgit/livecd/ cgit interface] .  You can install it easily by installing the 'livecd-tools' package.


Kickstart files are in the spin-kickstarts.noarch package.
Kickstart files are in the spin-kickstarts.noarch package.
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== Hard Drive Installation ==
== Hard Drive Installation ==


The ability to install to the hard drive is available in Fedora 7 and above releases. After the live media boots, click on the install icon on your desktop to start the installation.  Installation from live image requires that GRUB and the /boot directory be installed onto a drive with an MSDOS partition label, or that the current machine supports EFI booting.  If a pc-clone machine has only GPT harddrives then you may need to use something such as a USB2.0 flash memory device (with an MSDOS partition label) as an intermediate destination.
The ability to install to a hard drive is available releases since Fedora 7. After the live media boots, click on the install icon on your desktop to start the installation.  Installation from live image requires that GRUB and the /boot directory be installed onto a drive with an MSDOS partition label, or that the current machine supports EFI booting.  If a pc-clone machine has only GPT hard drives, then you may need to use something such as a USB2.0 flash memory device (with an MSDOS partition label) as an intermediate destination.


In Fedora 15, instead of clicking the desktop icon, choose Applications->System Tools->Install to Hard Drive from the menu along the top of the screen.
In Fedora 15, instead of clicking the desktop icon, choose Applications->System Tools->Install to Hard Drive from the menu along the top of the screen.


== Media References ==
== References ==


* [http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-fedora-livecd/index.html IBM Developer Works: Build a Fedora 6 Live CD]
* [http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-fedora-livecd/index.html IBM Developer Works: Build a Fedora 6 Live CD]

Revision as of 18:06, 11 August 2012


Download and Create Live image or Live USB

To download a pre-built Fedora Live image, visit the download page. Then you can either:

If you want to build and then burn your own custom ISO, see How to create and use a Live CD.

Advantages and Limitations

Benefits:

  • You can demonstrate features or try out a release, including testing hardware functionality, before hard disk/SSD installation.
  • Live USB/CD/DVD installation is faster than regular installation. Live USB/SD installation typically takes only a few minutes and can be configured with persistent storage.
  • You can use Live CD technology for backup and recovery of your installed hard drive.

Limitations:

  • It is not possible to choose packages during installation. Live images typically have fewer packages than a regular installation image.
  • It is not possible to do an upgrade via the Anaconda installer. If you have a separate /home partition, you can just not format it during the installation and thus preserve your settings and /home content.
  • It is not possible to choose a non-default filesystem.
  • Once you shutdown a computer running from a Live CD, you will lose any settings or packages installed, but Live USB/SD installations may be configured with persistent storage.

Fedora Live image features

Current features:

  1. A booted Live CD uses a temporary, in-memory, read-write rootfs, so it's possible to install software for use while the Live CD is running.
  2. Data persistence options available on Live USB/SD installations.
  3. Install to hard disks or USB/SD drives.
  4. Uses SELinux in enforcing mode and other security features by default.
  5. Includes best of breed software on the media.
  6. Stay as close to a normal desktop install with regard to features, or try specialized Spins.
  7. Ability to create normal CD-ROM and CD-R media (less than 700 MB) or DVD images.
  8. Make it easy to do a derived Live CD with your own repositories, packages, and artwork.
  9. API used by LTSP, appliance creator and others

Contributors

Communicate

Fedora Live image users and developers can participate and contribute in the discussions happening in the Fedora Live CD list.

(predecessor list archives)

Finding the Code

The source code for the Live CD tools is maintained in git. The repository is at 'git://git.fedorahosted.org/livecd' and can be browsed via the cgit interface . You can install it easily by installing the 'livecd-tools' package.

Kickstart files are in the spin-kickstarts.noarch package.

Hard Drive Installation

The ability to install to a hard drive is available releases since Fedora 7. After the live media boots, click on the install icon on your desktop to start the installation. Installation from live image requires that GRUB and the /boot directory be installed onto a drive with an MSDOS partition label, or that the current machine supports EFI booting. If a pc-clone machine has only GPT hard drives, then you may need to use something such as a USB2.0 flash memory device (with an MSDOS partition label) as an intermediate destination.

In Fedora 15, instead of clicking the desktop icon, choose Applications->System Tools->Install to Hard Drive from the menu along the top of the screen.

References