5 Installing Tiny Core Linux
Mathew J. Heath Van Horn, PhD
Tiny Core Linux is a very lightweight operating system (OS) that is easily configurable to meet a wide variety of needs. Unlike other OSs that require gigabytes (GB) of hard drive space and RAM, Tiny Core Linux requires less than 250 megabytes (MB) of hard drive space and only 23 MB of RAM. This makes it uniquely suited for us to use in this textbook to emulate an enterprise network architecture.
Tiny Core Linux relies heavily on the command-line interface (CLI), so please pay close attention to detail when following these instructions.
Phase 0 – Professional Alignment
Enterprise networks consist of more than routers and switches—they also depend on reliable endpoint systems that provide network services and support testing, administration, and troubleshooting. In this chapter, you will install Tiny Core Linux, a lightweight operating system that serves as a flexible workstation and server platform throughout the remainder of this book while developing practical Linux and virtualization skills.
DCWF Work Roles
The knowledge and skills developed in this chapter align with the following Department of Defense Cyber Workforce Framework (DCWF) work roles:
- 531 – Systems Administrator
- 511 – Network Operations Specialist
- 441 – Network Services Specialist
NICE Work Roles
This chapter supports competencies associated with the following NICE Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity work roles:
- Systems Administrator
- Network Operations Specialist
- Network Services Specialist
Professional Skills
By completing this chapter, you will begin developing the ability to:
- Install and configure lightweight Linux operating systems in virtual environments.
- Create virtual machines that support enterprise networking laboratories.
- Configure virtual storage and hardware resources for Linux systems.
- Integrate Linux virtual machines into a network simulation environment.
- Verify successful operating system installation and system functionality.
- Prepare reusable Linux systems for enterprise networking and cybersecurity exercises.
What You’ll Be Able to Do
After completing this chapter, you should be able to:
- Create a Tiny Core Linux virtual machine using Oracle VirtualBox.
- Install Tiny Core Linux and configure it to boot from the virtual hard disk.
- Configure the virtual machine with appropriate hardware resources.
- Verify that the operating system starts successfully and functions as expected.
- Add the Tiny Core Linux appliance to your GNS3 environment for use in future labs.
- Prepare a reusable Linux virtual machine for enterprise networking exercises.
Learning Objectives
- Install Tiny Core Linux in VirtualBox
- Add Tiny Core Linux to the GNS3 appliance repository
Prerequisites
Deliverables
- None – this is a preparatory lab for other labs
Resources
- Tiny Core Linux Main Website
Contributors and Testers
- Enzo Gonzalez, Cybersecurity Student, ERAU-Prescott
- Braedyn Case, Cybersecurity Student, ERAU-Prescott
- Violet Barton, Cybersecurity Student, ERAU-Prescott
- Kyle Wheaton, Cybersecurity Student, ERAU-Prescott
Phase I – Downloading Tiny Core Linux
Tiny Core Linux is very lightweight. It primarily runs in RAM to increase its operating speed.
- Download the Tiny Core Linux iso file named “CorePlus”
Note: iso is used as a nickname for an optical disk image adhering to the ISO 9660 file system.
- The file is so small it isn’t zipped
- Open the Oracle VirtualBox Manager and click on New
Figure 1 – Create a New VM - Complete the VM form
- Choose a name – In this lab, we called it “TinyCoreLinux”
- Use the ISO dropdown menu to select the CorePlus-current.iso you downloaded in Step 1
- Use the OS Distribution drop-down menu to choose Linux
- Use the OS Version drop-down menu to choose Other Linux (64-bit)
Figure 2 – Completing the VirtualBox VM form
- Open the Specify virtual hardware drop-down and decrease the Base Memory to 256 MB
Figure 3 – Decrease the memory to 256MB - Open the Specify Virtual Hard Disk and decrease the Virtual Hard Disk to 500 MB
Figure 4 – Decrease the Virtual Hard Disk to 500 MB - Once complete, press Finish
- Start the TinyCoreLinux VM
NOTE: Some testers had to explicitly tell the VM to capture their mouse commands. To do this, navigate to the VM menu at the top of the VM window and under Input, open the drop-down menu and select Mouse Integration
Figure 6 – Mouse integration in VirtualBox VMs NOTE: Remember – to release the mouse from a VirtualBox VM – press the right-side ctrl key
- Use the arrow keys to select Boot Core with X/GUI (TinyCore) + Installation Extension
Figure 7 – First-time boot instructions for TinyCore Linux - Press enter to start the boot process in this mode
- Once it starts (takes a few seconds), you will see the main screen. At the bottom of the screen, you can hover your mouse over the icons and click the Install icon
Figure 8 – Install TinyCore Linux - Manage the settings in the Tiny Core Installation menu
- Select Whole Disk
- Highlight sda as the disk
- Select Install boot loader
- Press the right arrow at the bottom of the settings to go to the next menu
Figure 9 – Managing the settings in TinyCore installation menu
- Leave the formatting options at their default and press the right arrow
Figure 10 – Leave the formatting options alone - In the boot options reference list, type the following in the blank field at the bottom
home=sda1 opt=sda1
Figure 11 – Set the home and optional drives to use by default - Press the right arrow
- On the Install Type menu, leave the defaults and press the right arrow
Figure 12 – Leave the install type defaults - Review the installation information and press Proceed
Figure 13 – Review the installation information before proceeding - When the installation has finished, shut down the VM
Figure 14 – Installation indicates finished - Return to the VM VirtualBox manager and adjust the settings for the TinyCoreLinux VM by clicking on settings
Figure 16 – Configuring the VM again - In settings, navigate to Storage, right-click the iso, and click Remove Attachment
Figure 17 – Remove the booting iso image This forces the VM to boot from the virtual hard disk instead of the iso
- Click OK
- Start the TinyCoreLinux VM to ensure it boots from the virtual hard drive. Notice that the Install icon no longer appears
Figure 18 – The install icon no longer appears, which means it is booting from the virtual drive instead of the iso
Phase II – Creating persistence in Tiny Core Linux
Tiny Core Linux discards all changes made when it shuts down. This is great for starting fresh, but it can be a pain when we want to keep something. To persistently save material when the VM shuts down, we need to use the backup feature. In this section, we will create a test file and use the backup feature to keep the information.
- Start TinyCore Linux or resume from the install
- On the main page, click on the third icon, Control Panel
Figure 19 – Configure the TinyCore VM for persistence - Under the maintenance section, click Backup/Restore, and another window will open. Click on Included for Backup (.filetool.lst), and you can see which directories and files are saved automatically on shutdown with backup
Figure 20 – Changing the backup/restore settings - According to this information, files saved in the opt and home directories will be backed up
- Close the windows
- Open a blank text file by clicking on the editor icon
Figure 21 – Open a blank text file - Type in anything in the textbox and then use the mouse to select File –> Save File As…
Figure 22 – Type anything and save the document - In the File Save As window, leave the default settings and add the file name test.txt, and click ok
Figure 23 – Save the text file - Now click on the Exit icon at the bottom, and on the exit options, select Reboot and backup options Backup and then press ok
Figure 24 – Reboot and Backup - After the VM restarts, open the editor again, and this time click File –> Open File. In the new window, you should see the file you saved earlier
Figure 25 – Checking to see if the file was retained after reboot - You can open it again if you want, but seeing it listed is good enough to know that data persistence via backup is working
Phase III – Adding the TC VM to GNS3
You will want to add this lightweight VM to your GNS3. It is a little more robust than the VPCS that comes with GNS3.
- Follow the directions in this chapter for adding any virtual machine to GNS3
Career Connection
Linux powers a significant portion of today’s enterprise infrastructure, including servers, cloud platforms, network appliances, and embedded systems. IT professionals routinely deploy lightweight Linux distributions to support testing, automation, monitoring, and specialized network services. The skills you develop in this chapter provide a foundation for working with Linux-based systems in network administration, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and DevSecOps environments.
End of Lab
