Introduction to SliTaz GNU/Linux

Welcome, intrepid adventurer, to the world of SliTaz GNU/Linux – the feather-light distro that squeezes a full desktop into roughly the size of a floppy (well, almost). In this tutorial, we’ll gently hold your hand (and maybe crack a joke or two) as you download, install, and configure SliTaz. Whether you’re reviving an ancient laptop or just love the idea of a tiny, zippy system, this guide has you covered.

Why Choose SliTaz?

• Size Matters: ISO is around 50 MB. Yes, really.
• Speed Demon: Boots in under 15 seconds on modern hardware.
• Fully Featured: Includes GTK apps, web browser, media player, and TazPanel configuration tool.
• Community-Driven: Active forums, IRC channel, and quick updates.

1. Check Your Hardware

Even lightweight distros need a POW of RAM and a spark of CPU. Here’s the bare minimum:

Note: Virtual machines love SliTaz. Fire up VirtualBox and assign 64 MB RAM, 500 MB disk – and you’re golden.

2. Downloading the ISO

1. Visit the official site at www.slitaz.org.
2. Navigate to Downloads gt Stable (recommended) or Cooking (bleeding-edge).
3. Choose the appropriate ISO (32-bit or 64-bit).
4. Verify the checksum (.md5) to ensure download integrity:
   md5sum slitaz-6.0.iso

3. Creating Bootable Media

3.1 USB Stick (Linux Method)

Caution: dd is powerful. One wrong device and you wipe out your main drive!

1. Plug in your USB and identify it (e.g., /dev/sdX):
   lsblk
2. Write the ISO:
   sudo dd if=slitaz-6.0.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress sync
3. Reboot and select USB in BIOS/UEFI.

3.2 CD/DVD

• Use your favorite burner:
  growisofs -Z /dev/cdrom=slitaz-6.0.iso
• Boot from CD/DVD tray.

4. Booting into the Live Environment

Upon boot, the GRUB menu appears:

• live: Standard Live session.
• core: Minimal console environment.
• boot from hard disk: If you already installed.

Select live (default), hit Enter, and watch the magic happen. You’ll land on a slick GTK desktop in seconds.

5. Installing SliTaz

Double-click the Install icon or launch tazinst.sh in a terminal. The installer wizard will guide you:

1. Language Keyboard: Pick your mother tongue and favorite QWERTY (or Dvorak if you’re feeling fancy).
2. Partitioning:
   • Automatic: Use entire disk (destroys existing data).
   • Manual: Create a small / (~500 MB) ext4 partition and optional swap (64–128 MB).
3. Target Partition: Confirm the partition (e.g., /dev/sda1).
4. Root Password: Pick something memorable (or write it on a sticky note!).
5. Hostname: Name your machine (e.g., slimy).
6. Users: Create a regular user account.
7. Bootloader: Install GRUB to MBR (default). If you have other OSes, GRUB will detect them.
8. Finalize: Click Install and watch the installer spray files across your drive.

Pro Tip: Keep an eye on progress bars. They’re more reliable than your morning coffee.

6. First Boot and Post-Install Configuration

1. Reboot and remove the installation media.
2. Log in as root or your new user.
3. Update packages:
   tazpkg recharge
tazpkg update
4. Install favorite apps:
   tazpkg get-install firefox
tazpkg get-install abiword gnumeric
5. Launch TazPanel (tazpanel) for graphical configuration of network, services, users, and more.

7. Customizing Your Tiny Behemoth

• Window Managers: Try Openbox, LXDE, or JWM:
  tazpkg get-install openbox
• Networking: Use wicd for WiFi or configure /etc/network/interfaces manually.
• Graphical Tweaks: Edit ~/.Xresources or ~/.config/openbox/rc.xml for themes and fonts.
• Kernel Modules: If WiFi won’t start, modprobe your driver:
  modprobe ath9k

8. Tips Troubleshooting

• If X won’t start, switch to TTY (Ctrl Alt F1) and check /var/log/Xorg.0.log.
• Low on RAM? Run slim login manager instead of heavier alternatives.
• Need swap? Create a file:
  dd if=/dev/zero of=/swapfile bs=1M count=128
mkswap /swapfile swapon /swapfile
• Join the community at forum.slitaz.org or #slitaz on Libera.Chat IRC.

Conclusion

And there you have it – a fully operational SliTaz system smaller than your favorite PDF manual. Enjoy blazing-fast performance, a nimble desktop, and the satisfaction of running a distro that laughs in the face of bloat. Now go forth, customize, code, and maybe even contribute back to this tiny marvel.

Happy slicing with SliTaz! 🐭