Phoenix Network Forums

I know that a lot of people (well, I do, at least) want a way to get a fullish Linux OS running on a Windows computer when you have to do repairs, and uh, other stuff. CDs are usually to cumbersome and get too easily scratch to carry around, and it's kinda hard to keep them in your pocket. Floppies. Well, 1.5mb. 'Nuff said

Here's a way you can run Linux off your USB Flash, I haven't tried it yet. (My sister doesn't trust me enough to mess with hers, and I'm saving up for a 512mb stick so I can go really insane with the Portable Linux) But it works well in theory, and this guy has done it.

http://applications.linux.com/applications/05/07/08/1522237.shtml?tid=13

Enjoy! Please post your experiences with this if you've done something crazy and fun like this before, or tried this out.

-Reth

Actually, I prefer my Damn Small Linux. It fits on a business card CD, so I can carry it in my wallet...something I can't do with a flash drive OR a full CD. Plus, it's more or less disposable, so I don't care if it breaks (or if someone decides they like Linux enough to keep the cd), which I wouldn't be able to do with a flash drive. For all the big things, Knoppix works fine (2 GB worth of programs, compared to a maybe-1G flash drive? Naaah). Linux on flash drives seem to be trying to fill a niche that isn't there.


That being said, I know that DSL has a usb-key version, plus a tutorial about how to get it up and running...take a look here:
http://damnsmalllinux.org/index.html

i used that linux once.. in my 128 mp3 xD... for... mh.. how can i write that... for using linux in my school... whith my marks on it.. but i cant reach my marks in 1:30 hrs... an less because i dont know so much how to do that.. but.. well...
if my memory doesnt fail (my body memory xD) i used leather linux... because i cant do damn small linux work on it..

i used Knoppix in CD too...

why all the small distros are based on debian ?.. because debian rulz !

Reth wrote:(My sister doesn't trust me enough to mess with hers, and I'm saving up for a 512mb stick so I can go really insane with the Portable Linux)

Instead of a 512MB Or 1GB stick, you can also get a laptop drive and put it in a usb kit and then you can have 40GB's of portable disk space. It is bigger in size than the stick but it is light and cheap (less than 80$).

I have also played on my usb with DSL. Most small linuxes have a section on how to use it with usb-sticks.

Slax - KillBill & Slax - Popcorn run great from a 256MB pen drive. Work real good straight from the download or you can buy a pen drive with them allready on.

You might also want to check out puppy linux, it comes with x and a large range of lightweight applications like spreadsheat, html editor and other yummies.
http://www.goosee.com/puppy/

It weighs in at 60MB and has usb drive support, you can also grab a co-floppy for those machines that does not allow booting from a usb drive.

MERLiiN

I don't get the point in using up a whole flash-disk or CD for a rescue system. A Trinux system is absolutely enough for that purpose.

Or learn Linux from Scratch. =)

jaguar616 wrote:Slax - KillBill & Slax - Popcorn run great from a 256MB pen drive

Yeah, I also tried SLAX Standard Edition and Popcorn, and Puppy Linux too, but I think that mini Slax distro(standard) is the best of small linux distro`s.

here`s the link

Code: Select all

http://slax.linux-live.org/download.php

dante wrote:... Linux on flash drives seem to be trying to fill a niche that isn't there....

Last year i've made Slackware based distro to play Q3 in institute )))
it fits on 600MB and contains all that ppl ussaully use: window manager (i've used Fluxbox), xmms, vim, firefox, thunderbird, something else and (certainly!) full q3 version for linux with osp, cpma and "Fuckin Bots" mods. All works from cd. So i cant imaginate what can ppl fit in 2G and more

banderlog wrote:Last year i've made Slackware based distro to play Q3 in institute )))
it fits on 600MB and contains all that ppl ussaully use: window manager (i've used Fluxbox), xmms, vim, firefox, thunderbird, something else and (certainly!) full q3 version for linux with osp, cpma and "Fuckin Bots" mods. All works from cd. So i cant imaginate what can ppl fit in 2G and more :?

It would fit onto a 200 MB disk, if you used another distribution. Trinux for example fits on a single floppy and comes with window manager and all the other stuff. =)

mm_freak wrote:It would fit onto a 200 MB disk, if you used another distribution. Trinux for example fits on a single floppy and comes with window manager and all the other stuff. =)

bander% du -h /usr/local/games/quake3
4,1G /usr/local/games/quake3
bander%



my own distro was made by hands so it was not too bigger than Trinux.
my q3 folder is too big. i've even cut it

If you install the game data right onto the disk, then it sure gets a lot bigger. But you're going to use Bzip2 then. =)

I am making my own linux distro at the moment, it's coming out well...

mm_freak wrote:If you install the game data right onto the disk, then it sure gets a lot bigger. But you're going to use Bzip2 then. =)

wenn ich nicht mich irre, usually developers use their own archive formats. Just like .pak in q3

so they couldn't be much comressed again

banderlog wrote:

mm_freak wrote:If you install the game data right onto the disk, then it sure gets a lot bigger. But you're going to use Bzip2 then. =)

wenn ich nicht mich irre, usually developers use their own archive formats. Just like .pak in q3 :D

so they couldn't be much comressed again :?

Those package files are intentionally not compressed. Their main use is to collect all game data into a single file, which makes distribution and means of game modifications (mods) easier. The compression is done by the installer software (in case of Windows/Mac) and Gzip/Bzip2 tars (in case of Linux/Unix).

Edit: Du irrst dich aber. Es sollte "wenn ich mich nicht irre" heißen. =)