Diskless Linux Workstations

FREE GEEK Michiana team - IBM NetVista

The FREE GEEK Michiana team has hacked the IBM NetVista 8364-TUS (token ring) thin client and turned it into an Ethernet based, high quality, low cost LTSP workstation. Contributor: Mike Cook, OJ Schlatter and Tom Brown

Howto: http://www.LTSP.org/contrib/netvista/netvista.html

Jim McQuillan - Utility for printing to network printers

A simple perl script for sending print data to a network-attached printer. You could use this on a server and send data to a printer attached to an LTSP workstation. That is, if you don't feel like setting up the print spooler on your server.
It will take stdin or files listed on the command line, and shoot them out to the Host that you specify.
Contributor: Jim McQuillan

Utility: http://www.LTSP.org/contrib/netprint

John P. New - How to Enable X Font server in Mandrake

John has written an excellent document describing how to setup the X Font Server (XFS) to serve up fonts for LTSP workstations connected to a Mandrake Server. Although it was written with Mandrake in mind, it should be applicable to any current Linux server. Contributor: John P. New

Document: http://www.LTSP.org/contrib/ltsp-xfs-howto-en.html

LTSP in Mock Mainframe Howto

Scot W. Stevenson has contributed a document that he calls the "Mock Mainframe Howto", where he describes how to setup a server with LTSP for many thin client workstations. Contributor: Scot W. Stevenson

Document: http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Mock-Mainframe/index.html

Ken Barber - Booting LTSP workstations from Hard drive

Ken has contributed a document that he wrote, describing how to setup a workstation to boot from a hard drive. Contributor: Ken Barber

Document: http://www.elinux.org/wiki/LTSP-HDboot

Steve Marfisi - IMGGEN

Steve has supplied an upgrade to the imggen program to prepare a Linux kernel to be loaded by a Managed PC Boot Agent (MBA) BootROM.
Updated versions of LTSP past those contributions using mknbi-1.4 broke the ability for LTSP to work with Managed PC Boot Agent (MBA) bootROMs from 3Com, Lanworks, emBoot and other vendors using these ROM's technology licensed from 3Com.
Mknbi-1.4 broke the "Tagged Boot Image Format" standard and no longer expects the loader to be called in real 80x86 mode. emBoot modified IMGGEN to call the loader in Protected 80x86 mode as expected.
Contributor: Steve Marfisi

Email: engineering@emboot.com

Website: www.emboot.com

Tarball: imggen_2.0.tgz

Cornelius Weiss - Booting LTSP with netboot

Netboot is an alternative way of loading the Linux kernel. Cornelius Weiss has documented the setup. Contributor: Cornelius Weiss

Document: ltsp_netboot.html

Idban Secandri - Accessing LTSP from Pure Linux Box

Idban Secandri has documented a method for accessing a LTSP server from a full machine running a full install of Linux. Contributor: Idban Secandri

Document: accessing-ltsp.txt

Arthur M. Royce - LTSP setup in a typical Home LAN with Mandrake 9.1

Arthur Royce has written an article describing how to setup LTSP for a simple home LAN, using Mandrake 9.1. Contributor: Arthur M. Royce

Document: LTSP_Setup.pdf

Adinda Praditya - Billing System for Internet Cafe

Adinda has developed a method of keeping track of time for an Internet Cafe. Written in PHP, this should prove to be flexible for your use. The documentation and Tarball will get you started if you want to implement a billing system.
Last updated: Sept 10, 2003

Contributor: Adinda Praditya adind@vbaitullah.or.id

Document: ltsp_phpSiCafe-install.txt

Billing system package ltsp_phpSiCafe-0.2.0.tar.gz

Eugene Coetzee - Installing LTSP on Slackware

Eugene has written some notes, and created an install script for installing LTSP-3 on a Slackware 8.0 system. Contributor: Eugene Coetzee

Document: README_Slack

Tarball: ltsp3.0.9-slack8.0.tar.gz

Niklaus - My experience with installing LTSP

Niklaus has written an article describing his experiences at installing LTSP. Contributor: Niklaus

Document: nik_experience.txt

James Hammer - LTSP Basic Security Primer

James Hammer has written a great document describing how to secure your LTSP server. Contributor: James Hammer <jhamme01@hot_no-spam_mail.com>

Document: ltsp-basic_security.html

James Linder - VNC ssh port forwarding howto

James has written a great How-to describing how to setup VNC with port forwarding using SSH. Contributor: James Linderjam@tigger.powerdsl.com.au

Document: vnc.html

SinnerP - Mandrake-9.0 LTSP How-to

Sinner from the Prairy has contributed a document showing how to setup LTSP on a Mandrake 9.0 system. Contributor: Sinner from the Prairy sinner@escomposlinux.org

Document: MDK90-LTSP.html

Jim McQuillan - Autologin with KDM

We now have a document describing how to configure KDM to allow auto-login. Contributor: Jim McQuillanjam@ltsp.org

Document: autologin_kdm.html

Jim McQuillan - Gray Screen with large X cursor

We now have a document describing how to troubleshoot the Gray screen with X cursor problem. Contributor: Jim McQuillanjam@ltsp.org

Document: gray_screen.html

Bhaskar S. Manda - Parallel DHCP server installation recipe

Bhaskar S. Manda has written a document describing various methods of running more than one DHCP server on the same network. Contributor: Bhaskar S. Manda bhaskar@cacmnet.com

Document: parallel_dhcp.txt

Antonio R. Barbado - Eprom documentation (in Spanish)

Antonio Barbado has translated the 'Choosing an Eprom document' into Spanish. This document will help you in determining what type of bootrom to use in a particular network card. Contributor: Antonio R. Barbado abarbado@susehispano.org

Doc: eproms_es.html

Peter Billson - Kiosk Reset Utility

Peter Billson has written a script to kill off the applications running on a kiosk, after the screen saver has kicked in.
kiosk-reset is a simple Perl script that checks public LTSP workstations for an active screen saver and resets them by killing off any processes the user may have left running (i.e. Mozilla, OpenOffice, etc.) when they walked away. The script is easily modifiable to do other tasks (such as cleaning up temp files, or resetting Mozilla to a start page) when the screen saver becomes active.
This script was written for public workstations where auto-login is used and the user/workstation relationship is known. As the script is provided here, the workstation name (ws101, ws102, etc.) is the same as the username logged into that workstation.
Contributor: Peter Billson pete@elbnet.com

Download: kiosk-reset

Anurag Phadke - Creating a custom LPP bootlogo

Anurag Phadke has provided a How-to for creating a custom graphic bootlogo for LTSP-LPP kernels. Contributor: Anurag Phadke

Howto: custom_logo.html

Anurag Phadke - Custom Kernel Configuration for LTSP

Anurag Phadke has documented the process of building a custom kernel for an LTSP workstation, and he's also included information for using the LPP (Linux Progress Patch) to display a nice graphical screen during the bootup. Contributor: Anurag Phadke

Howto: customkernel.html

LPP Patch: lpp-2.4.18.patch.bz2

Scott Balneaves - Modelines info for low-end monitor/video card setups

Scott Balneaves has graced us with yet another document. This one contains some info for creating modelines for low-end monitors. You know, those times when the built-in modelines just don't quite do the trick. Contributor: Scott Balneaves

Howto: modelines.html

Stevn Bartley - Binding vmware to a dummy0 interface

Stevn Bartley has documented the process of binding VMware to the dummy0 interface, instead of the eth0 interface on a host. This dramatically improves the networking performance for a vmware guest session. But, there are a few hacks needed to make dhcpd listen for requests on the dummy0 interface. Contributor: Stevn Bartley

Howto: vmware_dummy0.txt

Darryl Bond - Using BPBATCH in the LTSP environment

Darryl Bond has written a how-to for using BPBATCH for booting PXE capable clients. Contributor: Darryl Bond

Howto: bpbatch.txt

Jim McQuillan - Local ICA client how-to

Jim McQuillan has written a how-to for installing the Citrix ICA client as a local app. Contributor: Jim McQuillan

Howto: local_ica.html

Jim Massey - GDM usage with LTSP

Jim Massey has put together a document describing how to setup Gnome's GDM for use with LTSP. Contributor: Jim Massey

Howto: gdm_howto.html

James Jensen - LTSP+OpenMosix: A Mini How-To

James has submitted a Mini How-To for building an OpenMosix cluster in an LTSP environment. Contributor: James Jenson

How-To: ltsp-om5r3c.html

Robert Lucke - Script for copying apps into the LTSP tree

Robert has written a utility for figuring out all of the shared libraries that an application needs, then it will copy (or link) the app and the libraries into the LTSP hierarchy (/opt/ltsp/i386).
Those of you who have tried setting up local apps will really appreciate what this command will do for you.
Contributor: Robert Lucke
Email: Rob_Lucke@hp.com

Utility: ltsacp

Skip Gaede - PPC Macs as LTSP clients

Skip has developed a package that allows a Power PC Macintosh computer to function as an LTSP workstation.

Contributor: Skip Gaede sgaede@attbi.com

Document: LTSP-PPC docs in HTML
LTSP-PPC docs in a single HTML file
LTSP-PPC docs in TEXT

LTSP-PPC packages ClientKernels_v0.1.ppc.tar.gz
ltsp_initrd_ppc_v0.1.tar.gz
ltsp_server_v0.1.ppc.tar.gz

Cindy Murdock - LTSP for Libraries Howto

Cindy Murdock has written up an excellent Howto describing her experiences setting up an LTSP system for the Meadville Public Library. Contributor: Cindy Murdock
Email: cmurdock at meadvillelibrary dot org

Howto: LTSP for libraries Howto

Paul Whittaker - Citrix ICA Client howto

This HowTo and the files provided with it will enable you to modify LTSP 3.0 to allow thin clients to connect to a Windows NT4 or Windows 2000 terminal server using the ICA protocol. It has been tested with ICA Client for Linux 6.20.973 against servers running Windows NT4 Terminal Server Edition (SP6) with Metaframe 1.8 (SP2, FR1) and Windows 2000 Server (hotfixes but no SPs) with Metaframe XP 1.0 (SP1, FR1).

Contributor: Paul Whittaker Paul.Whittaker@iname.com

Document: ica-howto.html

Citrix ICA Client package ltsp_ica.tgz

Paul Whittaker - Removable media

Paul has thoroughly documented a method of accessing removable media devices in a thin client environment. This method has been transplanted from an alternative i386 open-source thin client project that Paul is currently developing using embedded methodologies.

Contributor: Paul Whittaker Paul.Whittaker@iname.com

Document: generic_rmedia.html

Removable Media package ltsp_rmedia-3.0.1-i386.tgz

Paul Whittaker - Diskless Windows Howto

Paul has thoroughly documented how to setup a windows environment using LTSP workstations served from a Windows NT or Windows 2000 server. This solution involves using rdesktop on the workstation to gain access to the Windows Terminal Services on the server.

Contributor: Paul Whittaker Paul.Whittaker@iname.com

Document: diskless-windows-howto.htm

Allan Mitch - AbiWord fonts on Mandrake 8.1 and LTSP

Allan Mitch has documented the process required to get AbiWord to work with LTSP on a Mandrake 8.1 system. Most of what he has written whould work on other distros as well. Contributor: Allan Mitch allanmitch@yahoo.com

Howto: AbiWordfont.txt

Ragnar Wisloff - LTSP 100 dpi fonts mini-howto

Ragnar Wisloff has written a howto, detailing how to setup 100dpi fonts for an LTSP workstation. Contributor: Ragnar Wisloff ragnar@wisloff.no

Howto: ltspfonts.ps

Jason Pattie - Etherboot loading Etherboot

Jason Pattie has documented how to overcome a problem with older Etherboot bootroms. LTSP v3.0 sometimes needs kernel command line args to be passed via DHCP's option-129. Old Etherboot bootroms don't handle this properly, but it is possible to use the old Etherboot bootrom to load a newer Etherboot image, which in turn will load the Linux kernel, passing the options to the kernel. Contributor: Jason Pattie ltsp@pcxperience.com

Howto: etherboot-etherboot.txt

Derek Dresser - utmp updating

Derek has documented a method of having the LTSP workstations update the utmp file, causing the users to show up when you use the who, last and w commands. Contributor: Derek Dresser dresserd@gouldacademy.org

Howto: utmp_updating.txt

Mark Watts - LTSP-Mandrake HOWTO

Mark Watts has written a document describing how to install LTSP on a Mandrake 8.1 system. Contributor: Mark Watts

Howto: mandrake-ltsp-howto.html

Stefan Furtmayr - Windows Client Apps & Daemons for Unix

Stefan Furtmayr has supplied us with a list of free server daemons available for the Windows OS. These daemons will allow a Windows machine to act as an Etherboot server. Contributor: Stefan Furtmayr sf@paf.net

Howto: windows_unix.html

William Daniau - LTSP-MOSIX HOWTO

William Daniau has has supplied us with some documentation describing how to setup a Mosix cluster using LTSP. Contributor: William Daniau wdaniau@lpmo.edu

Howto: http://www.lpmo.edu/~daniau/ltsp-mosix/

John Robertson - ThinkNIC-Howto

John has contributed a very good write-up on configuring a ThinkNIC for use with LTSP.
He has packaged a kernel and some config files, to make it even easier to setup.

Contributor: John Robertson john@rrci.com

Text Document: LTSP_ThinkNIC-howto.txt

Kernel and utilites package LTSP_ThinkNIC.tar.bz2 on Download page

Rudy Hermawan - Merging Windows and Linux together - Wilisystem

Rudy Hermawan of Indonesia has a website devoted to showing how to run windows on an LTSP workstation.

Contributor: Rudy Hermawan hermawan@kafelinux.com

Wilisystem website: www.wilisystem.com

Robert Stanford - Floppy access on LTSP workstations

Robbie has setup floppy access on an LTSP workstation, using Network Block Devices (NBD). He has also taken the time to document just what he did, for all of us to benefit.

Contributor: Robert Stanford rob@rotapile.com

HTML Document: LTSP_FLOPPY.html

PDF Document: LTSP_FLOPPY.pdf

Text Document: LTSP_FLOPPY.txt

nbd package ltsp_nbd.tar.gz on Download page

Matthew T. Jachimstal - USB Mouse

Matthew went through the process of getting a USB mouse working on his LTSP workstation, and then took the time to document what he had to do to make it work.

Contributor: Matthew Jachimstal matthew@uniqsys.com

Document: usbmouse.txt

Alex Perry - LTSP and VNC contrasted
(and why you should be using both)

Alex has written a very nice description of the benefits of using VNC along with LTSP.

Contributor: Alex Perry alex.perry@qm.com

Document: ltspvnc.html

Boris Reisig - Sound for LTSP v0.1

Boris Reisig has created a package with some docs to allow the setup of sound on a workstation.

Contributor: Boris Reisig boris@microtrader.com

Document: Download page

Scott Balneaves - MeterMaid

Scott has written a very helpful utility for CyberCafes. MeterMaid is designed to let you manage the users on workstations. You can allocate time (in minutes) to a user. As long as the user has time remaining in his/her account, they can continue using the workstation. Once they run out of time, the will be knocked off.
There is still much work to do to make it a full featured management tool, but it is at least useful as it is.

Contributor: Scott Balneaves sbalneav@legalaid.mb.ca

Package: Download page
Instructions

Christian Selig - Webmin module for lts.conf

Christian Selig has provided a Webmin module for administering an LTSP server.
This can be very useful for maintaining the lts.conf file.

Contributor: Christian Selig christian@newopenness.de

Webmin LTSP module: http://termserv.berlios.de/ltsp-module/

Webmin homepage: http://www.webmin.com/webmin/

Malte Meiboom - spy utility for workstation monitoring

Malte has provided a simple C program that you can run on the workstation. It listens on port 5999 for you to telnet in and ask for the contents of a file or a directory listing.
This can be very useful for checking things in the /proc filesystem, such as /proc/meminfo, if you want to see how much ram you have available. Also handy to take a look at /tmp/XF86Config, to see how it was generated.
Instructions are included in the tgz file, and it is very simple to setup.
Be careful though, there is no security in this what so ever.
Contributor: Malte Meiboom malte@loopback.org

Package: spy.tgz

PC Xperience, Inc. - LTSP Enhancements

This is a set of enhancements from Jason Pattie and others that takes the basic LTSP package and adds support for LDAP, Dynamic DNS and a bunch of other features. Contributor: Jason Pattie and James Pattie of PC Xperience, Inc

Website: http://www.pcxperience.org/thinclientdevel.html

Downloadable Packages: Enhancements

Adrian Likins - Sysv init, PXE, autologin and LDAP

Adrian has a bunch of separate enhancements available on his website, including LDAP, SysV init, PXE and Autologin info. Contributor: Adrian Likins

Website: http://people.redhat.com/alikins/ltsp/

Jason Spisak - Fanless, diskless workstation HOWTO

Jason has been searching for ways to build totally quiet diskless workstations. He wrote what he found and sent it to us. Contributor: Jason Spisak

Howto: fanless_howto.html

Jason Bechtel - Script to kill runaway netspace processes

Jason has written some tools to monitor and kill runaway processes on an LTSP server. Contributor: Jason Bechtel

Email: jason@uniqsys.com

Downloadable Packages:

diediedie.tgz
Tarball containing the scripts
Updated May 11, 2000 diediedie.tgz