GaryOS

GaryOS is an open source and freely distributed operating system based on the Gentoo and Funtoo Linux distributions and designed from the offset to provide users with a complete rescue system in a single binary file. It also borrows elements from the Grml Linux distribution.

Features at a glance

GaryOS offers an entire Funtoo- and Gentoo-based operating system that includes a toolchain and resides in RAM (system memory), which means that you can eject the bootable medium after boot.

It features support for Microsoft Windows, GRUB and PXE (Preboot eXecution Environment) bootloaders, a Forensics mode that requires no disk drives or swap, has a small footprint, and doesn’t require a CD/DVD media to work (it can be deployed on a USB flash drive).

Distributed as bootable kernel files

Currently, GaryOS is distributed for free as bootable files with the .kernel extension, one for each of the supported hardware platforms, 32-bit and 64-bit. The binary files include initramfs and a Linux kernel, and have been generated using the Metro automated build tool with a a customized Gentoo/Funtoo configuration.

Getting started with GaryOS

To use GaryOS as a rescue system for restoring broken bootloaders or recovering lost file from damaged systems, you should download the binary file for the hardware architecture you want to use it (64-bit or 32-bit), copy it on a USB thumb drive, point your bootloader to the media where the kernel file is located and boot it.

Not for the new Linux user

We feel obligated to warn new Linux users that this is not their regular Linux operating system, which can be easily written on a CD/DVD disc or USB media and later boot it from the BIOS of their computer. It requires basic knowledge of how to edit the entries of a bootloader, no matter the operating system installed on their PCs.

What is new in this release:

• Metro/Grub scripts:
• Added creation of package list files
• Added METRO_DEBUG variable, for testing
• Improved customization of LDFLAGS and USE variables
• Better exemption handling for packages which fail to build
• Fixed initrd build, so that it is more generally useful/applicable
• Added documentation repository to commit tracking
• Included Git repository in root filesystem, for reference
• Moved Git repository handling to dedicated "git-export" function
• Renamed example Grub disk image to a better extension
• Funtoo/Gentoo configuration:
• Updated to new Portage commit
• Complete review/revamp of USE flags
• Added LDFLAGS variable options specific to Metro
• Cleaned up "_overlay" directory
• Improvements to audit/review scripting
• Minor configuration updates/improvements
• Localized failed package commenting to 32-bit
• Revised package list, adding CLI (Command-Line Interface) helpers and X.Org GUI, while pruning packages that are not as generally useful or widely implemented
• In particular, removed custom Perl modules, Funtoo/Gentoo developer/specialized packages, document processing utilities, virtualization tools and media software
• Previously, the X.Org GUI was a specific non-goal of the project. However, certain extremely useful packages (such as Wireshark) required it. The additional screen real-estate is also useful for management of multiple terminals and web-browsing for solutions to issues. In order to meet these needs, it was decided to incorporate X.Org GUI packages with a minimal window manager footprint.
• CLI interface remains the default (see [Minimal X.Org GUI] section for information on loading up and using the graphical environment).

What is new in version 2.0:

• Metro/Grub scripts:
• Added creation of package list files
• Added METRO_DEBUG variable, for testing
• Improved customization of LDFLAGS and USE variables
• Better exemption handling for packages which fail to build
• Fixed initrd build, so that it is more generally useful/applicable
• Added documentation repository to commit tracking
• Included Git repository in root filesystem, for reference
• Moved Git repository handling to dedicated "git-export" function
• Renamed example Grub disk image to a better extension
• Funtoo/Gentoo configuration:
• Updated to new Portage commit
• Complete review/revamp of USE flags
• Added LDFLAGS variable options specific to Metro
• Cleaned up "_overlay" directory
• Improvements to audit/review scripting
• Minor configuration updates/improvements
• Localized failed package commenting to 32-bit
• Revised package list, adding CLI (Command-Line Interface) helpers and X.Org GUI, while pruning packages that are not as generally useful or widely implemented
• In particular, removed custom Perl modules, Funtoo/Gentoo developer/specialized packages, document processing utilities, virtualization tools and media software
• Previously, the X.Org GUI was a specific non-goal of the project. However, certain extremely useful packages (such as Wireshark) required it. The additional screen real-estate is also useful for management of multiple terminals and web-browsing for solutions to issues. In order to meet these needs, it was decided to incorporate X.Org GUI packages with a minimal window manager footprint.
• CLI interface remains the default (see [Minimal X.Org GUI] section for information on loading up and using the graphical environment).