antiX is a fast, lightweight and easy to install systemd-free linux live CD distribution based on Debian Stable for Intel-AMD x86 compatible systems. antiX offers users the “antiX Magic” in an environment suitable for old and new computers. So don’t throw away that old computer yet!
Live Bootloaders The antiX distro provides legacy, 64-bit UEFI, and 32-bit UEFI live bootloaders. Like many other distros, our legacy bootloader provides convenient popup menus for easy customization. But, unlike the others, on the live-usb we also offer an “F8 Save” feature that saves your choices across reboots. This has got to be just about the easiest way possible to customize a live-usb. It is a trivial way to customize the language, timezone, and many other things.
There are no popup menus in the UEFI bootloaders (yet), but we do offer a series of text menus that provide the same level of customizations and these choices can also be saved across reboots of the live-usb.
The live-usb-maker Tool Not all live-usbs are created equal. Our iso files support the creation of live-usbs with the “dd” command, which is often easy and convenient. However, a “dd” live-usb copies the read-only iso9660 file system from the iso file so few of our special live-usb features will work since those features try to take advantage of read-write capabilities of usb flash drives.
We encourage you to use the live-usb-maker tool (available for both gui and command line) to make antiX and MX live-usbs. This will ensure you get a full featured live-usb. If you have already made a “dd” live-usb or were forced to boot with a live-cd or a live-dvd, don’t worry! The live-usb-maker tool offers “clone mode” which will copy your currently running antiX or MX live system to a new usb stick without a copy of the iso file.
If you have an old system that won’t boot directly from usb, just make a live-usb clone of your live-cd/dvd, leave it plugged in and on your next boot select “F4 Option” –> “from=usb” and it will finish the boot on the live-usb you just created. This gives you access to most of our advanced live-usb features such as persistence and remastering (but we can’t currently modify the bootloader on a live-cd/dvd).
Both the command line and gui versions of live-usb-maker allow you to make an encrypted live-usb. The command line version offers even more options and customization.
Live Persistence Live persistence lets you save changes to the root file system and changes to the home file system across reboots. When you select persistence (usually from the “F5 Persist” menu), the persistence files will get set up for you automatically the first time persistence is enabled.
Dynamic root persistence saves file system changes in RAM and then copies them to the “rootfs” file whenever the persist-save program is run (it can be configured to always run at system shutdown).
Static root persistence saves file system changes directly in the “rootfs” file. This means persist-save doesn’t need to run and no extra RAM is used. This is very fast on a usb-3 system. It is okay on a usb-2 system and it can be painfully slow on usb-1. You are free to switch between dynamic root persistence and static root persistence on every boot. On an old system with limited RAM you may want to switch to static root persistence before doing a big system upgrade because there will be no extra RAM cost for file system changes.
Dynamic root persistence saves file system changes in RAM and then copies them to the “rootfs” file whenever the persist-save program is run (it can be configured to always run at system shutdown).
Static root persistence saves file system changes directly in the “rootfs” file. This means persist-save doesn’t need to run and no extra RAM is used. This is very fast on a usb-3 system. It is okay on a usb-2 system and it can be painfully slow on usb-1. You are free to switch between dynamic root persistence and static root persistence on every boot. On an old system with limited RAM you may want to switch to static root persistence before doing a big system upgrade because there will be no extra RAM cost for file system changes.
