GRML

Introduction

GRML (pronounced “gremil”) is a Linux distribution based on Debian, designed to run from a live CD or USB flash drive. GRML is geared toward system administrators and users who prefer text-based tools. It also includes numerous accessibility features, making it especially suitable for blind or visually impaired system administrators.

For more information, visit the GRML website.

The instructions below assume you’ve followed the steps in the GRML FAQ for creating a bootable CD-ROM or USB stick.

Activating the Speakup Screen Reader with a Hardware Synthesizer

GRML includes all Speakup modules. To use Speakup with a hardware speech synthesizer:

  1. Boot your computer from the GRML CD-ROM or USB stick.

  2. Wait until the system finishes booting. A four-note musical tone will play when it’s ready. Press q to exit the GRML quick help menu.

  3. Load the kernel module for your synthesizer using a modprobe command. For example, to use the DoubleTalk LT, type:

    modprobe speakup_ltlk

    A list of supported hardware synthesizers is available in the Speakup User’s Guide.

Activating Speakup with Software Speech

If your system has a sound card, you can use Speakup with software speech:

  1. Boot your computer from the GRML CD-ROM or USB stick.

  2. Wait for the musical tone, then press q to exit the GRML quick help menu.

  3. Load the Speakup software speech module and start espeakup:

    modprobe speakup_soft
espeakup

Activating Braille

GRML includes support for braille displays. To use a braille display:

  1. Boot your computer from the GRML CD-ROM or USB stick.

  2. Wait for the musical tone, then press q to exit the GRML quick help menu.

  3. Start braille support by running:

    brltty

    To check if your braille display is supported, consult the Supported Braille Displays list.

Activating SSH

If your system lacks a sound card, you can still access it remotely by starting an SSH server at boot time (assuming a network connection is available).

To enable SSH on boot:

  1. Boot your computer from the GRML CD-ROM or USB stick.

  2. Wait for the GRML boot menu. If your machine has an internal speaker, a beep will sound. Otherwise, you’ll need to estimate the timing or get sighted assistance. The SeeingAI app on an iPhone can also help.

  3. When the boot menu appears, press the Tab key once. Then type:

    ssh=password

    Replace "password" with any password you’d like. Press Enter to continue booting.

  4. Connect to the system via SSH from another machine using the following credentials:

    • Username: grml
    • Password: (the one you set in step 3)

Another way to activate an ssh server is to enable it by default with a customized GRML iso. The grml2usb package, available in most Linux distros, provides a script called grml2iso for creating a customized GRML iso file.

  1. Install the grml2usb package using your distro’s package installer.
  2. Run the grml2iso program specifying the ssh boot parameter. For example, the following command will create an iso file named grml_ssh_enabled.iso with ssh enabled by default: 
    grml2iso -b ssh=password -o grml_ssh_enabled.iso grml-small-2024.12-amd64.iso
  3. Write your custom iso file to a live CD or USB flash drive following the steps in the GRML FAQ for creating a bootable CD-ROM or USB stick.