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On behalf of the Tiny Core Team, welcome. Please take the time to read this document and understand the philosophies behind Tiny Core.

One quick user beware: Tiny Core is not a turn-key operating system. At least initially, almost all users will require internet access to the online repository.

Philosophies

As a quick summary, Tiny Core:
Loads itself into RAM from storage, then mounts applications on storage, or installs applications to RAM from storage. See a diagram of the Tiny Core file architecture. — Or view a video overview

Tiny Core is different because users are not encouraged to perform a ‘traditional’, hard-drive installation of the operating system. Sure, a hard drive installation is possible, but Tiny Core is designed to run from a RAM copy created at boot time. Besides being fast, this protects system files from changes and ensures a pristine system on every reboot. Easy, fast, and simple renew-ability and stability is a principle goal of Tiny Core.

Frugal install

Frugal is the typical installation method for Tiny Core. That is it is not a traditional hard drive installation, which we call «scatter mode», because all the files of the system are scattered all about the disk. With frugal, you basically have the system in two files, e.g., bzImage and tinycore.gz whose location is specified by the boot loader. Any user files and extensions are stored outside the base OS.

Boot codes

Depending upon how how Tiny Core is installed (GRUB, LILO, CD, USB stick . ), users have the option to use boot codes on each reboot (CD, etc), or to store those codes in a boot configuration file (GRUB, LILO, etc.).

Boot codes (boot arguments) affect how Tiny Core operates by defining options at boot-time. There are lots of boot codes. To view all the available options, peruse the boot code lists by pressing F2, F3 or F4 at the CD boot prompt.

The boot code base is notable. Use base to simulate Default Mode and skip all application extension installing or mounting. This is a useful tool for trouble-shooting, extension building, upgrading . and just checking out how fast Tiny Core can boot on your hardware.

USB and External Storage Devices Special Requirements

Tiny Core can be instructed to search for data on external devices at boot time:
a USB pen drive, compact flash, or other portable media. Below, the Mode Descriptions discuss Personal Persistent Repositories of extensions (PPR) or Installed applications (PPI) — those are prospects for external storage.

Sometimes, hardware doesn’t wake up fast enough for Tiny Core’s boot sequence, though. If the hardware doesn’t wake up in time, Tiny Core will move on and finish booting without that data.

If you use a PPR or PPI on external media, it may be necessary to use the boot code waitusb=5 or similar. This pauses the pauses the boot process for five seconds, waiting for slow devices to register with the system bus.

Dependency Checking and Downloading

Tiny Core makes application-getting as easy as possible. The Appbrowser provides application details from individual .info files — this is enlightening reading material when choosing applications. Always read the .info files, and re-read them before upgrading to catch changes and concerns.

Dependencies are the pieces (other applications) required for an application. In short, the Tiny Core Appbrowser will take care of downloading and checking dependencies for you.

Modes of Operation

The Modes of Operation mix up how Tiny Core Loads, Mounts, and Installs at boot time (see Philosophies, above, if you want to clarify what those three things mean here). Tiny Core has three main Modes:

• Default Mode: Cloud/Internet
• Mount Mode: TCZ/Install
• Copy Mode: TCZ/Install + copy2fs.flg/lst

Again, some may say there is a «Traditional Mode: Install to Hard Drive», but that’s not really a Mode at all. If you want to do it, go right ahead. It’s just not one of the original goals of the project, so expect the normally slim documentation to be slimmer.
Details on each Mode follow in the «Mode Descriptions» below.

The Default Mode: Cloud/Internet

• Tiny Core boots entirely into RAM.
• Users run the Appbrowser to browse the repository and download applications.
• Application Extensions (downloaded applications) last only for the current session.
• Tiny Core just uses as much RAM as possible.

Since Cloud/Internet Mode operates out of RAM, it runs fast. Cloud/Internet Mode is nomadic and quick-booting. Application extensions are lost on reboot, but only the system files have to be restored.
If you would like applications stored locally and set up on each reboot, then consider the Mount and Copy Modes.

The Mount Mode of Operation: TCE/Install

See an overview of the system architecture of this mode.

Applications are stored locally in a directory named tce on a persistent store, .e..g, a supported disk partition (ext2,ext3.ext4,vfat, or fat)

Applications are optionally mounted on reboot (see onboot.lst in forum and wiki).

Mounting applications saves RAM for other uses.

Unless specified with a boot code of tce=xdyz Tiny Core will searche for and uses the /tce of downloaded extensions. Applications stored in the /tce are optionally mounted at boot time.

Tiny Core uses the Appbrowser to place application extensions in this tce/ and flag them as either «OnBoot» (mount at boot) or «On Demand» (do not mount at boot, but create a special menu section for easy access and display an icon if available).

To establish the tce/ boot with the one time boot code of tce= (see the wiki and forum topics on the tce= boot code.

The Copy Mode of Operation: TCE/Install + copyfs indicator

See an overview of the system architecture of this mode.

Application Extensions are copied into RAM instead of mounted.

Applications can be RAM-loaded in bulk (copy2fs.flg), selectively loaded into RAM (copy2fs.lst), or mounted.

The Appsaudit program tracks installation/loading options (bulk copy, selective copy, etc).

Boot times are longer, since copying to RAM takes more time than mounting.

Copy Mode briefly extends the boot time to gain some of the RAM-run speed of Default Mode and the persistence of a pure Mount Mode.

In Copy Mode, it is important to note that extensions can be either mounted or copied into RAM. The Appsaudit program makes this flexibility possible by keeping track of user selections. directory and only a few symbolic links are created in order to put the extension binaries in the system path and to load a desktop menu item/icon. SCM extensions can easily be unmounted/removed without a reboot.

See an overview of the system architecture of SCM extensions.

Backup/Restore and Other Persistence Options:

Aside from the Mount Mode and the tce directory of application extensions, Tiny Core supports persistent/permanent:
Backup and Restore of personal settings, and
Persistent /home and /opt directories.

Backup/Restore

Tiny Core includes filetool for saving personal settings and data. The text file /opt/.filetool.lst lists files and directories to be backed up at power down and restored at reboot. The list may be changed manually (using vi, nano, etc) or via the scripts in the Tools menu; note that the entry for /opt/filetool.lst should never be removed from the list itself. filetool also supports exclusion of particular files via /opt/xfiletool.lst.

By default, filetool.lst includes the entire home/tc directory, and xfiletool.lst excludes some unnecessary caches and temporary directories.

filetool writes backup mydata.tgz. The location of mydata.tgz can be initially set using the boot option restore=hdXY, restore=hdXY/directory, or, after boot, by selecting Backup/Restore from the Control Panel. If the restore code is no used, Tiny Core will search for mydata.tgz in available root directories at boot. Conversely, the boot option norestore ignores any existing backup files, a useful tool for trouble-shooting and upgrading.

Further settings and configurations are stored or executed using /home/tc/.xsession, /home/tc/.profile, /opt/bootlocal.sh, and /opt. Search the forum and wiki for information on these and other custom settings files.

Persistent Home

Just as Tiny Core offers persistence options for downloaded application extensions, so does it for your home directory. These are set using boot codes/options.

home=hdXY will automatically setup /home/tc to «bind» to /mnt/hdXY/tchome. When using the home boot code, mydata.tgz is not created — personal data backups must occur in a more traditional way. The home boot code lets Tiny Core coexist with other Linux installations by inserting the tc user directory under a pre-existing /home directory. Be careful, as the initial use of the boot code will creat this directory and its content. Also, Tiny Core cannot auto-detect a persistent home directory, so the home boot option is always required.

Bottom Matter

If you have made it this far, congratulations! You’re ready to get Tiny Core and get started. Browse the wiki, the forums, the download pages, and join the community conversation.

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Tiny core linux ��������� ��������

This is a brief introduction to Tiny Core, a unique and minimalist distribution of the Linux operating system and tools. Experienced Linux users won’t miss much by skipping straight to the Core Concepts page.

To find out if Tiny Core is the right distribution for you, this document starts at ground zero and says what Tiny Core is not. A few key features follow, and then the page wraps up with links to further reading, where to get Tiny Core, and where to find help.

Afterwards, you can find even more answers by browsing the wiki or exploring the forums. Many questions already have answers, and writing down new questions will help others in the future.

Again, welcome from the Team, and thanks for trying out Tiny Core.

What is Tiny Core?

First, if you don’t know what Linux and distributions are, you should read some interesting and conflicting definitions of Linux. Then, read about distributions. In short, the Tiny Core distribution is like a customized version of the Linux kernel and other tools.

Is Tiny Core for me?

If Linux and distributions are confusing to you, then Tiny Core might not be for you. To help you decide, you need to know a few things about Tiny Core.

To get started, Tiny Core is:

Not a duplicate of another really common operating system . Tiny Core doesn’t have a pretty boot screen, or stock wallpaper, and Tiny Core certainly doesn’t have its own advertising campaigns.

Not a ‘turnkey’ operating system . Tiny Core can help you do what you need to do, but Tiny Core stays tiny by not including tools like a browser or word processor (but Tiny Core can help you download and install those really quickly).

Not for everyone . Tiny Core is fast, powerful, and flexible. You can use Tiny Core without much technical knowledge, but, like any strong tool, Tiny Core becomes really useful if you know how to use it. Great starter skills could include command line usage, simple shell scripting, and Linux file and permission management, and some reasonably fast typing skills.

If you aren’t scared off yet, you need to know that there are some characteristics that make Tiny Core a really unique Linux distribution.

Why is Tiny Core special?

Very Small . At 10 megabytes, Tiny Core is 1/400 to 1/100 the size of the most widely used operating systems in the world (even compared to most Linux distros). That makes Tiny Core flexible enough to be stored and run from usb sticks, a just-about-full CD, or even embedded devices. hardware.

Linux . Tiny Core uses the Linux Kernel and a set of command-line (text interface) tools including busybox.

A GUI Desktop . Tiny Core has a flexible and fully-customizable Graphical User Interface Desktop. Mouse, keyboard, and screen support basically works out-of-the-box thanks to FLWM, the FLTK Desktop. You can also quickly install and try out a variety of other desktops and interfaces including Fluxbox, XFCE, OpenBox, IceWM, Joe’s WM, LXDE, and others.

Minimal . Tiny Core does not ‘ship’ with most end-user software. Instead, Tiny Core lets you quickly and easily compare, select, download, and install your preferred web browser, word processor, music player, and other software.

Unusually Stable . Every time Tiny Core loads, it is brand-spanking new. That means Tiny Core just doesn’t get a blue screen. Instead of installing programs into the system file space and risking damage to the system files, Tiny Core uses program ‘extensions’ that are re-prepared at each reboot . and they are prepared fast.

Unusually Fast . Unlike most operating systems, the Tiny Core can run completely from RAM. Individuals with RAM to spare can even use Tiny Core to load and run their programs from RAM (you didn’t know your computer could run Open Office and Firefox so quick). Experienced users can still install Tiny Core to disk, but Tiny Core can run in 48 megabytes of RAM . or less.

Internet ready . Tiny Core almost always finds your network card right right away. You’ll be adding applications and tools after an unusually quick boot. You can even come back here and ransack the forums if you find you need help.

Available even smaller . Linophiles that get things done without a GUI can get the MicroCore, a version of Tiny Core without X that is under 7 MB.

An open source community . Tiny Core is under active community development, led by a team of really dedicated people. You can find answers and ask questions in the forum, add your own experiences to the wiki, help add extensions (programs) to the Tiny Core Repository, and read enough Tiny Core to make your head spin.

Where to now?

Even if you’re itching for the download, take time to read our Quick & Easy Overview. It covers the basics of running Tiny Core from CDROM and/or USB pendrive. Most will find learning Tiny Core the quick and easy way a better starting point.

For advanced information read Core Concepts. It explains how Tiny Core stores and loads your data and programs – it’s not traditional (in a good way).

If Tiny Core still sounds good, then get Tiny Core. Don’t forget to read both Quick & Easy and Core Concepts!

More questions? Try the forums, and the wiki.

Thanks.

Tiny Core is still a young project, but it is fortunate to attract some great people. Thanks again from the Tiny Core Team.
Catch you in the forums!

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