!Core Linux general tips
 --- 
15 June 2026
 --- 
These notes were emailed to me by a friend. I'll
add my notes as I modify the OS.
 ---

## Rebuild core.gz

#Unpack core.gz (base system files unpacked to RAM at start-up)
cd /tmp
wget http://repo.tinycorelinux.net/17.x/x86/release/distribution_files/core.gz
* (or copy core.gz from root directory on bootable media)
mkdir core
cd core
gzip -d -c ../core.gz | sudo cpio -i -d

* Make changes/removals/additions to unpacked / filesystem

#Repack core.gz
cd /tmp/core
sudo find | sudo cpio -o -H newc | gzip -9 > ../core.gz
* Move new mydata.tcz to root directory on bootable media

## Edit mydata.tgz (user files and added/changed system files unpacked to RAM at start-up)
#Unpack mydata.tgz
cd /tmp
* Copy mydata.tcz from tce directory on bootable media
mkdir mydata
cd mydata
tar xzf ../mydata.tgz

* Make changes/removals/additions to unpacked / files

#Repack mydata.tgz

cd /tmp/mydata
tar czf ../mydata.tgz *
* Move new mydata.tcz to tce directory on bootable media

#After booting

When running TC, files/directories listed in 
/opt/.filetool.lst are saved to mydata.tgz with the
"backup" or "filetool.sh -b" commands (excluding
files/directories listed in the /opt/.xfiletool.lst
file).

## Create text-mode menu

Notes:
WiFi requires loading extensions listed in
tce/wifi.list on the disk/ISO image, which include
over 100MB of firmware files for maximum compatibil-
ity. I haven't compiled this list for the current TC
version.

The menu script runs as root but "sudo -u tc" can be
used to run Telnet, SSH, etc. as a normal user.

You can put this in usr/local/bin in mydata.tcz or
core.gz as shown above.

----------------------------------------------------
#!/bin/sh
# Run with sudo at log-in
# TODO: Manual IP address settings instead of DHCP

ETHIF=
WIFIIF=
if=
oldif=
SELECTION=

clear
echo ' WELCOME MESSAGE '
# Automatically start WiFi if "wifion" command is on the kernel command line
grep -q wifion /proc/cmdline && SELECTION=w

while true
do

[ -z "$SELECTION" ] && read -p 'Open (t)elnet, configure (w)ifi or (e)thernet, change audio (v)olume, or
+(s)hutdown? ' SELECTION
case "$SELECTION" in
    V | \
    v) alsamixer
       SELECTION=
       continue
    ;;

    W | \
    w) # Load wireless extensions
       [ -z "$WIFIIF" ] && sudo -u tc tce-load -i `cat /etc/sysconfig/tcedir/optional/wifi.list`
       # Run WiFi config scipt - auto connect to last network if remembered
       [ -s /etc/sysconfig/tcedir/wifi.db ] && wifi.sh -a || wifi.sh
       # Find name of WiFi interface in use
       WIFIIF=`expr "\`iwconfig 2>/dev/null\`" : '\([a-z]*[0-9]*\)[[:space:]]*IEEE
+802.11[[:space:]]*ESSID:"'`
       # Disable previously used interface if successful
       [ "$if" -a "$WIFIIF" ] && ifconfig $if down 2>&1 >/dev/null
       if=$WIFIIF
    ;;

    E | \
    e)
       read -p 'Interface Number (press Enter for 0)? ' IFNO
       [ -z "$IFNO" ] && IFNO=0
       ETHIF=eth$IFNO
       # Activate, and disable last interface if successful
       if udhcpc -i eth$IFNO -n && [ "$if" -a "$if" != "$ETHIF" ]
       then
        ifconfig $if down 2>&1 >/dev/null
       fi
       if=$ETHIF
    ;;
    S | \
    s) poweroff
       exit
    ;;
    t | \
    T) sudo -u tc telnet bbs.example.com
    *) SELECTION=
       continue
    ;;
esac
# Check whether an IP address was obtained
ip=`expr "\`ifconfig $if 2>/dev/null\`" : '.*inet addr:\([0-9]*\.[0-9]*\.[0-9]*\.[0-9]*\)'`
[ "$ip" ] && echo -e "Network Interface $if Enabled\nIP Address is: $ip" || if=$oldif
oldif=$if
SELECTION=

done
----------------------------------------------------

#Start menu at boot

Create a file in mydata.tgz or core.gz at home/tc/.ashrc containing:
 menu.sh

# Set display mode

Tiny Core uses the VGA/VESA display modes and the
default low resolution can look blurry on LCD
displays.

On non-UEFI BIOS PCs you can use the boot code
"vga=ask" to have it show a menu of available
display modes you can pick from, then latter change
the boot code to "vga=[your chosen display mode]".
Boot codes are set at the the "APPEND" line in
syslinux.cfg on disk images or isolinux.cfg on ISO
images. I'm not sure how you're meant to find
available display modes on UEFI-only PCs.

Or you can download the display driver and firmware
extensions required for the PC's particular GPU, and
add the extension names to onboot.lst. When it loads
during start-up the console should automatically
switch to the default resolution used by the display
driver.