Rescue: Difference between revisions

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|[[Image:Download.png|link=Download]]
|[[Image:Download.png|link=Download]]
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|'''[http://nightly.altlinux.org/sisyphus/tested/regular-rescue-latest-x86_64.iso x86_64]''' <small>(~550&nbsp;Mb)</small>
|'''[http://nightly.altlinux.org/sisyphus/tested/regular-rescue-latest-x86_64.iso x86_64]''' <small>(~600&nbsp;Mb)</small>
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|[http://nightly.altlinux.org/sisyphus/tested/regular-rescue-latest-i586.iso i586] <small>(~450&nbsp;Mb)</small>
|[http://nightly.altlinux.org/sisyphus/tested/regular-rescue-latest-i586.iso i586] <small>(~500&nbsp;Mb)</small>
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|'''[http://mirror.yandex.ru/altlinux-nightly/tested/ mirror]'''
|'''[http://mirror.yandex.ru/altlinux-nightly/tested/ mirror]'''
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= What is it for =
= What is it for =


ALT Linux Rescue is a moderate sized<ref>under 600 Mb in 64-bit flavour</ref> console '''LiveCD''' distribution that is designed to '''help sysadmins fix and repair''' many kinds of problems with systems they are or feel responsible for; so it comes with tools aiding to:
ALT Linux Rescue is a moderate sized<ref>about 600 Mb in 64-bit x86 flavour</ref> console '''LiveCD''' distribution that is designed to '''help sysadmins fix and repair''' many kinds of problems with systems they are or feel responsible for; so it comes with tools aiding to:
* perform hardware diagnostics
* perform hardware diagnostics
* '''resize partitions'''
* '''resize partitions'''
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* investigate '''unauthorized access'''/security breach events
* investigate '''unauthorized access'''/security breach events


All of that is packaged into a convenient '''hybrid ISO''' image file suitable for both CD/DVD media and USB Flash pendrives<ref>with <tt>dd(8)</tt> or [http://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/files/Archive/win32diskimager-v0.9-binary.zip/download win32diskimager]</ref>.
All of that is packaged into a convenient '''hybrid ISO''' image file [[write|suitable]] for both CD/DVD media and USB Flash pendrives<ref>with <tt>dd(8)</tt> or [http://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/files/Archive/win32diskimager-v0.9-binary.zip/download win32diskimager]</ref>.


The resulting media should be bootable on most '''x86''' systems:
The resulting media should be bootable on most of the common systems:
* i586 ones starting roughly with Intel Pentium III (256 MB RAM) or equivalent,
* i586 ones starting roughly with Intel Pentium III (256 MB RAM) or equivalent,
* x86_64 ones on any AMD64 compatible hardware with '''BIOS or UEFI'''<ref>you might prefer to [http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot disable SecureBoot] though even if it's handled in late November 2013 snapshots and on</ref>.
* x86_64 ones on any AMD64 compatible hardware with '''BIOS or UEFI'''<ref>you might prefer to [http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot disable SecureBoot] though even if it's handled in late November 2013 snapshots and on</ref>,
* aarch64 ones on any ARMv8 compatible hardware with '''UEFI'''
* aarch64 ones on any ARMv8 compatible hardware with '''UEFI'''.


But above all, [http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/my-10-unix-command-line-mistakes.html don't panic, we've been there too]!
But above all, [http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/my-10-unix-command-line-mistakes.html don't panic, we've been there too]!
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There's more than a hundred of specialized programs there and many more are available through ALT Linux Sisyphus repository which serves as the base for this rescue image providing it with [http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=alt recent software versions].  You can also rebuild it with the tools you need<ref>contact mike at altlinux org, it's about [https://www.openhub.net/p/mkimage-profiles mkimage-profiles]</ref>.
There's more than a hundred of specialized programs there and many more are available through ALT Linux Sisyphus repository which serves as the base for this rescue image providing it with [http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=alt recent software versions].  You can also rebuild it with the tools you need<ref>contact mike at altlinux org, it's about [https://www.openhub.net/p/mkimage-profiles mkimage-profiles]</ref>.


'''Forensic mode''' boot aims to [http://www.forensicswiki.org/wiki/ALT_Linux_Rescue minimize impact on media] by avoiding activation of swap partitions, software RAID and LVM, mounting no filesystems and switching {{cmd|mount-system}} to readonly mode using loopback devices; press F2 and choose the appropriate option if UEFI booting.  This mode enables '''hardening''' against rescue [http://www.forensicswiki.org/wiki/Forensic_Live_CD_issues root filesystem spoofing].
'''Forensic mode''' boot aims to [http://www.forensicswiki.org/wiki/ALT_Linux_Rescue minimize impact on media] by avoiding activation of swap partitions, software RAID and LVM, mounting no filesystems and switching {{cmd|mount-system}} to readonly mode using loopback devices; press F2 and choose the appropriate option if UEFI booting.  This mode enables '''hardening''' against rescue [http://web.archive.org/web/20171209162852/https://forensicswiki.org/wiki/Forensic_Live_CD_issues root filesystem spoofing].


"'''Rescue with remote SSH access (DHCP)'''" might come handy with laggy '''iKVM''' as it would bring up networking via DHCP, generate a root password, start SSH server and print the access parameters to the terminal so that only a few IP-KVM keystrokes are required to obtain faster shell.  Please do change the password upon login.
"'''Rescue with remote SSH access (DHCP)'''" might come handy with laggy '''iKVM''' as it would bring up networking via DHCP, generate a root password, start SSH server and print the access parameters to the terminal so that only a few IP-KVM keystrokes are required to obtain faster shell.  Please do change the password upon login.

Revision as of 10:22, 26 August 2020

Download.png
x86_64 (~600 Mb)
i586 (~500 Mb)
mirror
Screenshots

  • memtest86.efi

  • boot menu

  • remote rescue

  • apt-get it!

What is it for

ALT Linux Rescue is a moderate sized[1] console LiveCD distribution that is designed to help sysadmins fix and repair many kinds of problems with systems they are or feel responsible for; so it comes with tools aiding to:

  • perform hardware diagnostics
  • resize partitions
  • fix bootloaders, partitions, filesystems
  • recover partitions and files deleted by accident
  • backup and restore to network servers
  • deal with optical, tape and file archives
  • optimize filesystem usage
  • diagnose network problems and remote services
  • wipe partitions or drives clean of residual information[2]
  • access Android devices, reset Windows passwords, etc
  • investigate unauthorized access/security breach events

All of that is packaged into a convenient hybrid ISO image file suitable for both CD/DVD media and USB Flash pendrives[3].

The resulting media should be bootable on most of the common systems:

  • i586 ones starting roughly with Intel Pentium III (256 MB RAM) or equivalent,
  • x86_64 ones on any AMD64 compatible hardware with BIOS or UEFI[4],
  • aarch64 ones on any ARMv8 compatible hardware with UEFI.

But above all, don't panic, we've been there too!

Download

Gnome-media-optical.svg A Regular Build

These images are automatically built weekly[5], here are the direct download links to files which have been verified to boot already:

This is free software, you can use it, share it and enhance it too! And here are some alternatives.

Note the tips on suitable utilities to write the hybrid ISO image to bootable media; please do not use UNetbootin, Rufus, or UltraISO as those will cripple the result unfortunately.

Software spotlights

This is a GNU/*/Linux based LiveCD so all the software runs under Linux kernel[6]. Contents can be extended in runtime using APT-RPM, just dhcpcd; apt-get update and install away.

Here are some of the packages included to get you started:

  • refind to cope with the lack of EFI boot manager menu
  • smartmontools for HDD/SSD S.M.A.R.T. monitoring
  • testdisk/photorec to recover partitions and data files
  • memtest86 for UEFI[7] and memtest86+ for BIOS
  • android-tools, bonnie++, chntpw, cpuburn, dc3dd/dcfldd/ddrescue, exfat-utils, gpart, hdparm, ipmitool, lft, netcat, parted, rsync, scalpel, sleuthkit (aff/ewf), uudeview, whdd, wipefreespace...

There's more than a hundred of specialized programs there and many more are available through ALT Linux Sisyphus repository which serves as the base for this rescue image providing it with recent software versions. You can also rebuild it with the tools you need[8].

Forensic mode boot aims to minimize impact on media by avoiding activation of swap partitions, software RAID and LVM, mounting no filesystems and switching mount-system to readonly mode using loopback devices; press F2 and choose the appropriate option if UEFI booting. This mode enables hardening against rescue root filesystem spoofing.

"Rescue with remote SSH access (DHCP)" might come handy with laggy iKVM as it would bring up networking via DHCP, generate a root password, start SSH server and print the access parameters to the terminal so that only a few IP-KVM keystrokes are required to obtain faster shell. Please do change the password upon login.

References

Windows-infographic share.png
Upgrade from Windows! 		 
  1. ↑ about 600 Mb in 64-bit x86 flavour
  2. ↑ ...which could be undeletable
  3. ↑ with dd(8) or win32diskimager
  4. ↑ you might prefer to disable SecureBoot though even if it's handled in late November 2013 snapshots and on
  5. ↑ there are quarterly starterkits including a twin rescue image built using stable branch
  6. ↑ the kernel version usually either the latest one or pretty close to that, BTW
  7. ↑ with PassMark's permission
  8. ↑ contact mike at altlinux org, it's about mkimage-profiles