[TriLUG] Small Linux distro for a USB stick

[Chris Knowles]

I really like SystemRescueCd : http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page

Even though the name doesn't imply it, it works really well on a USB.
http://www.sysresccd.org/Sysresccd-manual-en_How_to_install_SystemRescueCd_on_an_USB-stick

While it works fine as a CLI, it's also got X and GUI stuff too, which can
be very useful.

The only feature that it may not suit is "small"  You need a 512MB usb
stick, though those seem to be falling off of trees now.

CJK

On Fri, Oct 9, 2009 at 4:45 PM, Rodney Radford <rradford at mindspring.com>wrote:

>
> I need a small bootable Linux distro I can install on a USB stick.  The
> main criteria is that it can handle a wide variety of client PCs as I will
> be using it as a maintenance system to allow access to a possibly
> dead/locked out PC.
>
> I am aware of DSL and have considered it, but it is actually much more than
> I need, including word processors, image paint programs, file servers, etc.
>  Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a way to easily configure it -
> short of installing it and then start whacking to remove what I don't need.
>  I may fall back on it, but I was wondering if anyone has any experience or
> knowledge of any other distros.
>
> The main goals are:
>    * support a wide range of hardware (I just need to be able to get to the
> PC's disks)
>    * small
>    * simple command line (server) system - no GUI required
>    * small
>    * installable on a USB stick
>
> I have spent a little bit of time with google, but not finding what I want
> - and I am really hoping someone here has actual experience using a distro
> they can recommend.
>
> One option is to roll my own, but I am hoping I don't have to go that route
> (read that as I am too lazy, and on a time crunch).
>
> Thanx,
> Rodney
>
>
>
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