Linux newbie questions

[Konata Izumi]

I want to give linux another try. I will be using Kubuntu Natty.
I want to make the system as static as possible. (sort of like deepfreeze or returnil in windows)
I will use this system only for browsing, IM and downloading torrents.


After browsing session how do you securely remove all traces from the browser? (cookies,LSOs, logs, etc.)
How to route all traffic to TOR like JANUSVM and easily switch back to normal connection whenever I want?

I don't want OS/apps to remember when I last accessed file(s)/app(s).
or whenever I logged in to Linux.... I want to make it run like it was the first time I used the OS or something like that.

[tlu]

While I think it's overkill what you're planning, it should be possible by installing Kubuntu in Virtualbox.

Then you could configure the virtual machine with the command

VBoxManage modifyhd <filename> --type immutable

The Virtualbox manual says:

immutable images only remember write accesses temporarily while the virtual machine is running; all changes are lost when the virtual machine is powered on the next time. As a result, as opposed to "normal" images, the same immutable image can be used with several virtual machines without restrictions.

[Konata Izumi]

I have only 1GB RAM. Another OS running in Virtualbox is too much for my PC.

[J_L]

BleachBit can remove browser traces.
https://www.torproject.org/docs/tor-doc-unix.html.en

[Konata Izumi]

Originally Posted by J_L

BleachBit can remove browser traces.
https://www.torproject.org/docs/tor-doc-unix.html.en

I heard cleaning tools like Bleachbit do more harm than good in UNIX.

[J_L]

Don't believe everything you hear. If you stick to cleaning the browser entries, there should very little (if any) harm. Try it yourself, I clean more than that without visible harm.

[mack_guy911]

linux is not windows

but what i use i can recommend you same on firefox addons

wot with blocking

for lso better privacy

no script

for cleaning there is tool called sweeper is pretty good on kde systems

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/linux-cleaning.html


you can check that as well

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=299046



also if you have a less ram why dont you go for gnome instead of kde base


yes cleaning with any tool blindly give you trouble

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=300182

also you can do private browsing it clean after close as it use memory cache

http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewto...?f=8&t=1951841

3rd if you want deepfreeze or returnil kinda thing go for virtualbox

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=301128

even you have very little ram you can still run xfce base for example xfce fedora or puppylinux they run great on 256 ram of virtualbox even inside windows

also recommend you also manually create swap upto 2gb swap


https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SwapFaq

[mack_guy911]

agree with JL clean wisely i wont harm i also use bleachbit on my fedora for many years

also

Originally Posted by tlu

While I think it's overkill what you're planning, it should be possible by installing Kubuntu in Virtualbox.

Then you could configure the virtual machine with the command

VBoxManage modifyhd <filename> --type immutable

The Virtualbox manual says:immutable images only remember write accesses temporarily while the virtual machine is running; all changes are lost when the virtual machine is powered on the next time. As a result, as opposed to "normal" images, the same immutable image can be used with several virtual machines without restrictions.

great idea tlu thanks for sharing )

[Konata Izumi]

thanks for all the suggestions mack_guy911 and J_L

Originally Posted by mack_guy911

also if you have a less ram why dont you go for gnome instead of kde base

I read good reviews on Kubuntu from mrkvonic the dedoimedo guy so.


I guess I'll go for Kubuntu Natty for my host OS and immutable Fedora XFCE for Virtualbox.


is it possible to transfer downloaded files from immutable virtual machine to host OS?

[tlu]

Originally Posted by Konata Izumi

I guess I'll go for Kubuntu Natty for my host OS and immutable Fedora XFCE for Virtualbox.

I haven't tried Fedora with Xfce but with other flavours in Virtualbox, and I must say that they were rather unstable (several crashes). If I were you I'd rather go for Xubuntu or Lubuntu.

is it possible to transfer downloaded files from immutable virtual machine to host OS?

Yes, should be no problem via a shared folder.

[blasev]

don't take my writing seriously since I'm totally new at linux

But if static is what you want, try puppy linux
You can configure it to ask whether save or not to save current session when shut down/reboot
so you have the flexibility to maintain or change the OS

[mack_guy911]

[quote=I guess I'll go for Kubuntu Natty for my host OS and immutable Fedora XFCE for Virtualbox.


is it possible to transfer downloaded files from immutable virtual machine to host OS?[/QUOTE]


well good = what works for you it could be any

you can try puppy linux as well its very small and secure run on 128 ram even

http://puppylinux.org/main/Download%...%20Release.htm


as far sharing yes you can share many videos give on youtube on that

also download virtualbox .deb from site not ose (open source) version you have usb support you can share files via usb drive as well it folder option wont work for you

there are many i just select them randomly hope

-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yuSfanyQL4-

-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M1mYZ6J7kc-

[Konata Izumi]

Originally Posted by blasev

don't take my writing seriously since I'm totally new at linux

But if static is what you want, try puppy linux
You can configure it to ask whether save or not to save current session when shut down/reboot
so you have the flexibility to maintain or change the OS

is this true? can anyone confirm this?
if True... what will happen in case of power failure? will puppy linux save current session or not?

[mack_guy911]

Originally Posted by tlu

I haven't tried Fedora with Xfce but with other flavours in Virtualbox, and I must say that they were rather unstable (several crashes). If I were you I'd rather go for Xubuntu or Lubuntu.


Yes, should be no problem via a shared folder.

i tried fedora 13 xfce rocksolid and great

and fedora 15 is not impressive as default

Originally Posted by Konata Izumi

is this true? can anyone confirm this?
if True... what will happen in case of power failure? will puppy linux save current session or not?

yes it does but its a different story you have to create multi session cd/dvd

http://puppylinux.org/wikka/MultiSessionLiveDVD

its kinda same running live usb pendrive



also i like to add you can run live cd kinda same for just giving path of iso in your virtual box without installing them this way you can test them without wasting your cd/dvds or even installing it to your virtual box...... in this way you can install software.......tweak ....etc when you poweroff virtualbox you get pure live cd iso back without any change

this is best way i personally use to test distro's before installing them to my virtualbox or main hardisk

example all linux mint katya (11) and ubuntu 11.04 screenshots created on live cd session running in virtualbox

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showt...232753&page=26



the only problem with this method is every time you need to tweak and install all software they where not permanent

like in your case if you need torrent you need to install torrent everytime and tweak it but if you install, tweak and create and snapshot or after install,tweak make your disk immutable

[blasev]

Originally Posted by Konata Izumi

is this true? can anyone confirm this?
if True... what will happen in case of power failure? will puppy linux save current session or not?

It is true my friend
I've been doing it for months
Like mack_guy911 said, I used it on usb installation.

In case of power failure it will be gone, unless us set the puppy to auto save snapshot every now and then.