FAQ for Grml

Up2date: applies to Grml version 2024.12

Index:

General:

1. What is Grml?
2. What are grml32, grml64 and grml96?
3. What is the difference between grml-full and grml-small?
4. Where do I get Grml?
5. What does Grml mean?
6. What about the release name?
7. Requirements for running Grml
8. Which boot options does Grml support?
9. Why is Grml using systemd?
10. Are there any known issues with this release? How about reporting bugs?

Features:

1. How do I boot Grml from a USB stick?
2. Is it possible to store my settings?
3. What are the passwords of users on Grml?
4. How do I find out the version of Grml
5. How do I change the language/keyboard settings?
6. Which window managers can I use?
7. Where are my LVM devices?
8. Where are my Software-RAID devices?
9. Which ways exist to boot Grml?
10. How do I configure timezone on my Grml system?
11. Is it possible to install Grml to harddisk?

Software:

1. Which package(s) and which version is available?
2. Why is Zsh the default shell?

Support / Unanswered stuff:

1. Further questions?
2. Commercial Support

General

What is Grml?

Grml is a bootable live system (Live-CD) based on Debian. It is not necessary to install anything to a harddisk. Grml includes a collection of GNU/Linux software especially for system administrators. It specializes on administrative tasks like installation, deployment and system rescue.

What architectures are supported by Grml?

The currently supported architectures are:

• amd64: 64-bit x86 PCs (both AMD and Intel CPUs, despite the name)
• arm64: 64-bit ARM

What were grml32, grml64 and grml96?

Up to Grml release 2024.02, these three flavours were offered (for full and small each):

• grml32-full: version for 32-bit x86 PCs (kernel and userspace)
• grml64-full: version for 64-bit x86 PCs version (kernel and userspace)
• grml96-full: multi boot version (featuring the grml32-full and grml64-full ISOs combined on one ISO)

It was strongly encouraged to use either the grml64 or the grml96 flavours.

Since Grml release 2024.12, the grml32 flavour (for 32-bit x86 PCs) as well as the grml96 flavours no longer exist.

A new naming convention was introduced to include the architecture and version information, being grml-$FLAVOUR-$VERSION-$ARCH.

What was formerly known as grml64 is now known as grml-*-amd64. You will see, for example, grml-full-2024.12-amd64.iso, where amd64 indicates this ISO is for an 64-bit x86 PC.

What is the difference between grml-full and grml-small?

grml-small provides a reduced set of available software compared to grml-full, for example it doesn’t provide the X.org window system. It provides the same Linux kernel image as grml-full and is fully binary compatible. Choose the grml-small flavour if size - for whatever reason - really matters to you.

Where do I get Grml?

Grml is open source, you can download it from the mirrors listed at grml.org/download/.

What does Grml mean?

Grml comes close to “argl” or “grrr” in English. People use this when they want to express their dissatisfaction with software (amongst other things).

What about the release name?

Codename of Grml 2024.12 is “Adventgrenze”.

In Austria, Advent wreaths are called Adventkränze, and Adventgrenze is pronounced similarly; however, Grenze is the German word for border.

Wir mögen Wortspiele(tm).

Requirements for running Grml

• 64-bit x86 CPU (Intel Prescott or later, or AMD K8 or later, in 64-bit mode)
• or 64-bit ARM CPUs (v8)
• at least 1GB RAM. Preferably more
• either a USB-boot capable system, a bootable CD-/DVD-ROM drive, or a network card for booting via network/PXE (check out grml-terminalserver)

What does accessibility at Grml mean?

The Grml kernel includes support for speakup. For software, brltty and espeakup are included.

Which boot options does Grml support?

Check out the grml-cheatcodes file (also available via grml.org/cheatcodes/).

Of course the command-line parameters of the Linux kernel applies to Grml as well.

Why is Grml using systemd?

We’re a modern Linux distribution.

Are there any known issues? How about reporting bugs?

Please visit the bug webpage.

Features

How do I boot Grml from a USB stick?

You can directly “dd” our ISOs to an empty USB stick/key, like this:

dd bs=4M status=progress if=grml-full-2024.12-amd64.iso of=/dev/sdX           # OVERWRITES /dev/sdX!

where /dev/sdX is your USB device. Warning: all previously stored data on the USB device will be lost.

For more flexibility, please check out our grml2usb tool and its manual.

On our wiki, you will find additional background information on booting from USB. On modern PCs, both dd and grml2usb just work.

Is it possible to store my settings?

Yes, using the persistency feature.

What are the passwords of users on Grml?

There are no default passwords - all accounts are locked by default for security reasons. Even local logins are not possible (unless you set a password or create new user accounts as root). You can create valid passwords using sudo passwd [username] from the shell individually.

With the boot option ssh a password for the users root and grml is generated and SSH login is enabled.

How do I find out the version of Grml

Run grml-version or use the following command:

$ cat /etc/grml_version

How do I change the language/keyboard layout?

The default language of the Grml system is English (en_US.UTF-8). All other locales are removed by default.

But it is possible to change the keyboard layout via either using grml-quickconfig, the boot option(s) lang, keyboard and xkeyboard or via executing grml-lang when Grml is already running.

Boot option examples:

grml lang=de      # enter this at the bootprompt and you will get
                  # german keyboard layout and german $LANG, $LC_ALL,
                  # $LANGUAGE...
grml keyboard=de xkeyboard=de lang=at # enter this at the bootprompt
                  # and you will get german keyboard and austrian
                  # language variables

grml-lang example:

% grml-lang de    # enter this in the shell to switch keyboard layout

Note: Run grml-setlang to get a dialog based frontend for /etc/default/locale.

Which window managers can I use?

Grml provides Fluxbox as window manager on grml-full.

Where are my LVM devices?

LVM (Logical Volume Manager) is not started by default to avoid any possible damage to your data.

To activate present LVM devices execute (replace “$name” with the name of the PV):

# Start lvm2-pvscan@$name

or if you don’t know its name and to enable all present ones, use:

# vgchange -ay

If you want to enable LVM by default just boot using the lvm boot option which automatically enables LVM.

Where are my Software-RAID devices?

Software-RAID (usually known as the mdadm stuff) is not started by default to avoid any possible damage to your data.

To get access to present SW-RAID devices execute:

# mdadm --asssemble --scan

If you want to enable SW-RAID by default just boot using the swraid boot option which enables automatic assembling of software raid arrays.

Which ways exist to boot Grml?

Of course booting from CD/DVD is still supported. But Grml provides more ways to boot:

The most common option to boot Grml is from a USB stick. It works out of the box; you don’t need to modify anything. Check out the entry on USB boot for more details.

grml-terminalserver makes it possible to boot your system via network using PXE (Preboot Execution Environment). If your network card does not provide support for booting via PXE you can still boot it either using the provided grub image by grml-terminalserver or using iPXE.

For more information, refer to the grml-terminalserver webpage.

How do I configure timezone on my Grml system?

Availabe boot options:

grml utc          # set UTC, if your system/hardware clock is set to UTC (Coordinated Universal Time)
grml localtime    # Hardware Clock is set to local time (LOCAL), this is the default
grml tz=$option   # set timezone to corresponding $option, usage example: tz=Europe/Vienna, defaults to UTC if unset

Further information: manpages hwclock(8), tzselect(1) and tzconfig(8); Debian Debian Administrator’s Handbook - Time and TimeZoneChanges in the Debian-Wiki.

Is it possible to install Grml to harddisk?

No. If you want to install a Debian system take a look at grml-debootstrap (or use the Debian Installer instead).

Software

Which package(s) and which version is available?

If you want to get details about the provided packages and the package versions without booting the Grml ISO check out the dpkg_... files in the Debian-Information section on grml.org/files/.

Why is Zsh the default shell?

Short answer: because Zsh rocks, really!

Long(er) answer: If you don’t know Zsh take a look the Grml Zsh reference card.

If you are a Bash user and don’t know Zsh yet, don’t be afraid. Bash is largely a subset of Zsh and you don’t have to throw away your knowledge about shell stuff.

Support / Unanswered stuff

Further questions

Do you have a question which is not answered in the FAQ or in the provided documentation (execute grml-info on your Grml system for offline documentation)? Also check out grml-tips $KEYWORD on your Grml system.

Take a look at both our website and the wiki. A good place to become part of the community is the Grml mailinglist.

Commercial Support

You want to deploy Grml in your data center, use it as part of your business or have an emergency case? You’re happy with Grml but would like to get your very own live system (providing your favourite software selection, special configuration, setup and a custom bootsplash)?

Please get in touch with us.