What is KNOPPIX®?

KNOPPIX is a bootable CD with a collection of GNU/Linux software, automatic hardware detection, and support for many graphics cards, sound cards, SCSI and USB devices and other peripherals. KNOPPIX can be used as a Linux demo, educational CD, rescue system, or adapted and used as a platform for commercial software product demos. It is not necessary to install anything on a hard disk. Due to on-the-fly decompression, the CD can have up to 2 GB of executable software installed on it.

What software is installed on the KNOPPIX-CD?

• Linux-Kernel 2.4.26 and, as a boot option, Kernel 2.6.6, both ACPI-enabled.
• KDE V3.2.2 as the standard desktop
• New IRDA/Bluetooth-Setup.
• GPRS internet-connection ready.
• enhanced hardware autodetection and driver updates, wifi for instance.
• also boots from (some) USB- and Firewire CD-Roms now.
• internet-based software "live-installer", installs add-on packages in ramdisk or on persistent home directory.
• X Multimedia System (xmms) an MPEG-video, MP3, Ogg Vorbis Audio player and xine
• Internet connection software kppp,pppoeconf (DSL) and isdn-config
• Gnu Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) Version 2.0
• utilities for data recovery and system repairs, even for other operating systems
• network and security analysis tools for network administrators
• OpenOffice(TM), the GPL-developed version of the well-known StarOffice(TM) office suite
• many programming languages, development tools (including kdevelop) and libraries for developers
• in total more than 900 installed software packages with over 2000 executable user programs, utilities, and games

• Intel-compatible CPU (i486 or later),
• 20 MB of RAM for text mode, at least 82 MB for graphics mode with KDE (at least 128 MB of RAM is recommended to use the various office products),
• bootable CD-ROM/DVD drive (IDE/ATAPI, Firewire, USB or SCSI),
• standard SVGA-compatible graphics card,
• serial or PS/2 standard mouse or IMPS/2-compatible USB-mouse.