Installing DoudouLinux definitively

People frequently ask for the possibility to definitively install DoudouLinux onto a computer which would then be dedicated to children. Although this was not a major objective of the project, this function was integrated as a result of several user’s requests. Please remember that one of the primary goals of DoudouLinux is to allow children to use the computer without the risk of damaging data already stored in the machine. This is why installing DoudouLinux will never be possible with a single mouse click…

Why installing DoudouLinux?

First of all, DoudouLinux is designed to be risk free, providing high security, whatever the computer that it runs on is - no data will not be modified. However, if you wish to provide your children with a dedicated computer, it is more interesting to install DoudouLinux onto the computer hard drive. The system will start faster, there will not be the risk to mislay the CD support or the USB key anymore, nor the noise produced by CD rotation. Moreover data persistence will be automatically activated, giving the children the possibility to access their former work. The type of data persistence activated will also give you the possibility to install additional software packages whenever needed.

Important notice: the installation tool does not currently change administration rights of the DoudouLinux system. This means that anybody opening an activity « Whole DoudouLinux » can launch operations with administration rights. Thus, considering the type of data persistence that the installation program activates, all system modifications, including the wrong ones, will be saved…

Can DoudouLinux be installed?

So yes, DoudouLinux can be installed but not by clicking on the mouse buttons only and not by choosing an « Install » option of some application menu neither. However the installation process which is currently available is designed to be very simple: you do not have to make choices, except in the case where multiple hard disks are available, situation that requires the user to decide which hard disk to use! In return:

1. Definitively installing DoudouLinux deletes all data stored in the computer.
2. The installation tool does not propose you to save any data.
3. DoudouLinux cannot be installed along with a system previously installed on the computer, which would allow the user to choose one or the other at computer startup [1].
4. The installation requires an USB medium like an USB key, but it is possible to start using the DoudouLinux CD though.

How to install DoudouLinux definitively?

For people who did not pay enough attention to former paragraphs, we insist again: Installing DoudouLinux definitively will also destroy all data stored on the computer… And DoudouLinux only will be available after completing this irreversible operation. If this is what you want, the installation process is the following:

1. Start the computer with DoudouLinux, using the CD or the USB key.
2. If you started using the CD, please connect an USB medium that contains the DoudouLinux USB version (IMG file) as soon as the computer is ready for use.
3. Run the installation tool for DoudouLinux.
4. Restart the computer without the DoudouLinux USB key (or the CD) in order to test your fresh installation.

For the USB support you have two options:

• You can just copy the downloaded IMG file directly onto your USB key [2], so that you have to start the computer using the DoudouLinux CD.
• You can create a DoudouLinux system onto the USB key following the procedure indicated on the page Creating a DoudouLinux USB key, then just use this key to start the computer [3].

Important notices for the first case:

• Do not change the name of the file on the USB key!
• DoudouLinux will use the first IMG file found, and will not tell you if another one is available or not.

In order to run the installation tool, you must enter the « Whole DoudouLinux » activity, then you have to launch the console. This can be done from the « Work » tab, « Tools » group, « LxTerminal » icon. Another possibility is to use the key shortcut mapped to the console and simultaneously press the Logo and the T keys [4]. Then type the following command in the console:

sudo doudou-installer

Lancer le programme d’installation dans la console

A series of windows will then be displayed, three of them are only checking that you are fully aware of being destroying all your computer data. The installation program starts by searching for the availability of an USB medium with either a Live DoudouLinux system or a disk image (IMG) file. A window will show you the search result. In case of failure, you will be invited to run the process again, after you have checked that the USB key is correctly plugged. Then the installation program will search for internal hard disks before proposing to install DoudouLinux. The user just has to accept the installation program propositions.

Please note that no window will be displayed during the installation process. This process will last few minutes, around 5 minutes. Once you have started the installation, you have to patiently wait for the last confirmation window, which will inform you that DoudouLinux was successfully installed onto your computer. All you have to do then is to restart your machine and enjoy!

Fichier d’image disque automatiquement retrouvé pour l’installation

Un seul disque interne sur lequel installer DoudouLinux

Première demande de confirmation d’installation

Deuxième demande de confirmation d’installation

What does the installation tool do?

For curious people, the installation tool does three operations:

1. it copies data from the USB key onto hard disk (note that data on the CD medium are not used for this operation)
2. it creates a partition of virtual memory called « swap »
3. it creates a partition dedicated to data persistence

Partition sizes are automatically computed, the internal hard disk and the DoudouLinux key are automatically detected too, this is why the installation tool does not ask for any technical question. This could not be possible if we had considered the standard installation process for Linux systems instead.

Note: the kind of persistence activated is using the partition folders directly instead of an unique file on this partition. These data can then be easily accessed without DoudouLinux.