ASK: Are there any Linux LiveCDs which include the proprietary NVIDIA driver?

by
Anonymous Coward
in ask on (#13SK2)
I'm searching for a Linux LiveCD which includes the proprietary NVIDIA driver.

I would like to find one on a LiveCD since installing the proprietary NVIDIA driver usually requires a reboot so I cannot do it myself.

Several years ago when desktop effects in Linux finally hit it big, there were one or two distros which rolled the proprietary NVIDIA driver into the LiveCD to showcase the desktop effects.

While I don't need flashy desktop effects, I would like one or more Linux distros which roll the proprietary NVIDIA driver into the LiveCD so installation is not required.

Thank you.
Reply 6 comments

GPL-2 issues FTW (Score: 1, Informative)

by Anonymous Coward on 2016-02-13 01:10 (#13T2P)

The problem with the proprietary NVIDIA driver is that linking the final .ko violates the GPL-2. When you do it on your own system, it's not a problem because you aren't redistributing, and who are you going to sue: yourself? This is why there are no distros that contain a prelinked .ko. When you install it on any distro, including Ubuntu, you get a package that compiles and links it on the fly.

In the past there were livecds that would include the proprietary NVIDIA driver by downloading, compiling, and linking it while you waited. Can you not `apt-get install` it on an Ubuntu livecd still?

Re: GPL-2 issues FTW (Score: 0)

by Anonymous Coward on 2016-02-13 03:41 (#13TAW)

I think I've missed something. You've asked about "apt-get install" on WORM media?

Re: GPL-2 issues FTW (Score: 2, Interesting)

by Anonymous Coward on 2016-02-13 04:43 (#13TDF)

The read-only aspect of livecds was solved long ago. They'll use something like overlayfs [1] or unionfs to provide a transparent writable layer (using RAM via tmpfs [2]) on top of the read-only root. That way you can "modify" files or install new packages. The modifications will be copied into or made directly in the higher tmpfs layer.

[1] https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/filesystems/overlayfs.txt
[2] https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/filesystems/tmpfs.txt

Re: GPL-2 issues FTW (Score: 1)

by bryan@pipedot.org on 2016-02-13 22:57 (#13WEQ)

Many times, the "Live CD" is actually a flash drive. Ubuntu and the like can even create a separate partition on a live CD flash drive for a persistent /home storage area.

Re: GPL-2 issues FTW (Score: 0)

by Anonymous Coward on 2016-02-15 06:57 (#13ZPV)

Ha! So I did miss something - the last few years. Thanks!

Make your own! (Score: 1)

by billshooterofbul@pipedot.org on 2016-02-16 16:57 (#144SF)

Its not tough. I've done it for other reasons in the past.Just don't distribute to anyone else, cause that would violate GPL. Also, boo for using proprietary drivers!! Is this so you can turn any computer into a steam box with decent performance on the fly? Still Boo.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCDCustomizationFromScratch