===== What? =====
Notes about running Red Star 3.0 Desktop, a North Korean linux distro. Word has it that it's used along with Windows in North Korea. Trying it out on KVM.  

See also:

  * https://richardg867.wordpress.com/2015/01/01/notes-on-red-star-os-3-0/
  * https://www.northkoreatech.org/2014/12/30/red-star-3-0-desktop-the-install/
  * https://www.northkoreatech.org/

===== installation =====
  * RedStar3 is a Fedora spin, with 2.6.32 kernel. So most KVM virt-* drivers work.
  * architecture is 32bit
  * I did choose DHCP when asked for network settings, and run a dhcpd in a different VM
  * after installation, no login manager did successfully come up for me (manual start works). A character in my login name might be the issue, according to the error.

===== observations =====
{{ :software:redstar2.png?400&nolink|}}

  * security: root login disabled, selinux is active, the firewall is blocking incoming ICMP replies
  * The configured startpage in firefox is not using DNS but trying to access an IP from a private network range: 10.76.1.11
  * some package versions:
    * kernel-2.6.38.8-24.rs3.0
    * xorg-x11-server-Xorg-1.11.1-1.rs3.0
    * firefox-3.5-2.5.rs3.0
  * The window manager is KDE 3.5 with a MacosX like theme
  * The distro is build at the "Osandok Information Center"
  * Some packages refer to "upstream" locations which are only resolved by North Korea DNS servers, i.e. %%http://www.osandok.inf.kp/%% (ns[1,2}.kptc.kp seem to be authoritive for TLD kp., but are unreachable currently)
  * Japanese input is possible, ibus-1.3.6 and anthy are used
  * /etc/redhat-release: 《붉은별》사용자용체계 3.0판
  * The firefox from RedStar3 uses this id: 
<code>
Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; ko-KP; rv:1.9.1b4) Gecko/20130508 Fedora/1.9.1-2.5.rs3.0 NaenaraBrowser/3.5b4
</code>
  * buildtime:
<code>
$ cat /etc/buildtime
[Build Info]
Time=2013년 6월 3일 월요일 21:42:32
Number=3481
CoreNumber=17634
InstallTime=2014. 12. 31. (수) 22:58:11 KST
</code>
  * some processes/packages without directly seeing the purpose:
    * process /usr/bin/opprc, package esig-cb, description "electronic signature system", url %%http://chongbong.inf.kp/e-sig%%
    * process /usr/sbin/chkutild, package redstar-utils, description "contain utilities for RedStar Distribution"
    * https://www.insinuator.net/2015/07/redstar-os-watermarking/

===== first steps =====
  * The firewall is blocking incoming ICMP replies, "iptables -P INPUT ACCEPT" changes this
  * For me, automatic startup of X fails. Manual "startx" works.
  * After installation, root has no password set and is locked. The following allows remote logins as root via ssh:
<code>
# I use guestfish to modify the grub.cf
guestfish -i -a /var/lib/libvirt/images/vm1.qcow2
><fs> edit /etc/grub.conf
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38.8-24.rs3.0.i686 ro root=[..] console=tty0 console=ttyS0,19200n8
><fs> exit

# start system, login via serial console
passwd root
usermod -s /bin/bash root
chkconfig sshd on
reboot

# now login as root via ssh or serial is possible, X can be started
startx
</code>