FAQ

How can I make the CD boot from a floppy?

See the Downloads page.

How about booting from a CF card?

Possibly from an IDE-adapted CF card. Click here to read this how-to from Jack Raup.

Note: for info about Customizing, look in the nav bar to the left.

I thought you were going to sell custom CDs?

We changed that plan. Now it's up to you to customize, however you like. So it's still free. As in free beer and free libre. If you want to make a donation ($1? $10? One million dollars?), feel free to do that!

Don't you make money from those CD distributors?

No. They download ISO files and sell/ship CDs. All the profit goes to them. That's okay.

What about the stuff on my hard drive?

The hard drive, if any, is totally ignored. You can keep your regular OS installed there. Some people use their regular OS during the day and put in KioskCD at night for others to use.

Can the CD be ejected during use?

CD can only being ejected during first few seconds of boot.

Is there a version for a USB mouse, or old-time serial mouse?

No, but try the regular version to see if it works.

What about software licenses?

KioskCD uses the GNU/Linux OS and Mozilla Firefox web browser — no costly software license needed. KioskCD is released under GPL. Click here to read the license. By using this software, you are implicitly agreeing to the terms of this license.

With the non-Java version, what happens to Java on-screen?

Java applets — which some websites use for special effects or streaming audio/video — are not downloaded and usually you see a blank area where the applet would normally appear.

How do I quit the browser?

Click the little black square in the upper-left corner.

What happens when I quit the browser?

Another a new one appears within a second or two.

Can I adjust the text size?

Yes, look in the View menu.

Is it secure?

The KioskCD has a built-in firewall. Outbound traffic is limited to port 80 (Web/http), port 443 (https), and the DHCP port 53. Since it's on a CD, any infection would only occur in RAMdisk. After the next reboot, it's gone. The browser (Firefox) is configured to not save anything between sessions. And the hard drive, if any, is not mounted so cannot be accessed via the browser.

Does it work with a Mac?

No, sorry, only 32-bit PCs are supported (Intel, AMD, and other CPUs).

What about playing audio — or printing for that matter?

Audio may work, but is not configurable.

And printing?

Printing is not available in the browser. Why? You want to pay for ink/toner and paper for 100-page mistake printouts by people you don't know?

Will it work with wireless?

If the wireless can associate at boot time with the WLAN, then DHCP should work. However, the association will probably require configuration settings that are not on the CD, so you would be out of luck.

Will it work with a USB network adapter instead of (RJ45) Ethernet?

That's been tested with at least one adapter and it worked fine.

What about Token Ring?

That should also work.

I put the CD in but it keeps booting from the hard drive.

You have to enter Setup mode (aka BIOS) when your PC is first booting. Find the boot device settings and re-order them so the CD is ahead of the hard drive. Some computers have a separate boot menu (F9 key) that is a little easier to use, but it may not remember your choice for the next time. If your PC doesn't have any of these options, then it's probably from the pre-Cambrian era. Try making a boot diskette (see Downloads).

Do I need a router?

Many DSL, cable modem, and satellite Internet services require login information when connecting. If your PC is directly connected to the service, then your PC is probably configured to supply that info each time you turn it on. Since the login info is different for everyone, there's no way to make it part of the standard KioskCD (and that option is not supported in v2.6 Customization). The solution is to get a router, which can be programmed to give the login info upstream whenever the connection is restarted. Then plug your PC into the router. Sometimes the login info is programmed into the "modem" device semi-permanently. In such cases, KioskCD should work directly without a router.

I can't get it to work with cable modem.

Some cable Internet services require your computer to pass an assigned hostname to the cable modem. This only matters if your computer is directly connected to a cable modem. Since the assigned hostname is different for everyone, there's no way to make it part of the standard KioskCD (and that option is not supported in v2.6 Customization). The solution is to get a router, which can be programmed to give the hostname to the cable modem. Then plug your PC into the router.

The text part of the boot went okay, but then it was just a dark screen — no browser.

This is most likely an incompatibility with your video card.

During boot, it says "Error: only one processor found."

The supplied Linux kernel will run on a multi-CPU PC, so when it only finds one CPU it gives this "error". This is only an "error" if you have more than one CPU ;-).

What if someone takes the CD?

Most users probably won't be aware that the computer is running off a CD. Someone with nothing better to do could still reboot and take out the CD during the first few seconds of booting. You can recess the CD drive and put a cover plate over it. Some computers have a door over the CD and other drives — you can put a screw or lock on that door.

What is KioskCD based on?

KioskCD is built on these great technologies:

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