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Author Topic: Usb Key Linux Distro  (Read 647060 times)

Capn_Fish

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« Reply #15 on: May 21, 2007, 04:27:19 pm »
As a follow-up, I finally found a good distro: Debian. It installs easily (through expert mode), is a "full" distro, and has large numbers of packages. A basic dev environment (X11, fuxbox, GCC/G++, and an editor) and Links2 fits very nicely on a 512MB USB key.

Just thought I'd let people know.
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Capn_Fish

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« Reply #16 on: June 06, 2007, 06:24:11 pm »
How do you enable compression on an ext2 filesystem? I've been looking, but I can't find an answer (I get the impression I'm searchingly challenged, though).

I'm looking to have room for a few more apps.
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speculatrix

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« Reply #17 on: June 06, 2007, 06:51:04 pm »
ext2 doesn't have compression, use cramfs or squashfs

try damnsmalllinux for a debian based mini linux that'll fit on a usb key


--edit-- missed off the fact there's a specific "how to" for fitting onto a USB key
« Last Edit: June 06, 2007, 06:51:58 pm by speculatrix »
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adf

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« Reply #18 on: June 06, 2007, 08:43:19 pm »
Quote
How do you enable compression on an ext2 filesystem? I've been looking, but I can't find an answer (I get the impression I'm searchingly challenged, though).

I'm looking to have room for a few more apps.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=162721\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]
You'll probably have to do a squashfs for some directory. Which means you'll have to screw around with your path and init a little, I suspect.
  This is actually a good reason to use knoppix from usb-it is already compressed and set up to function. Moving it to USB is easy, as per the instructions at pendrivelinux, ansd sufficiently large usb keys are pretty cheap. I think I saw 2Gig usb keys for about 30-40 usd the other day.
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Capn_Fish

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« Reply #19 on: June 06, 2007, 09:04:01 pm »
Quote
Quote
How do you enable compression on an ext2 filesystem? I've been looking, but I can't find an answer (I get the impression I'm searchingly challenged, though).

I'm looking to have room for a few more apps.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=162721\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]
You'll probably have to do a squashfs for some directory. Which means you'll have to screw around with your path and init a little, I suspect.
  This is actually a good reason to use knoppix from usb-it is already compressed and set up to function. Moving it to USB is easy, as per the instructions at pendrivelinux, ansd sufficiently large usb keys are pretty cheap. I think I saw 2Gig usb keys for about 30-40 usd the other day.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=162729\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]
If I had a 1GB+ USB drive, I wouldn't have to worry about compression.  

So there's no way to enable filesystem compression?
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adf

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« Reply #20 on: June 06, 2007, 09:16:29 pm »
Fair enough.

what about something like UPX?

Could be a bit of a pain to get setup, but it might do what you want (and you'd have done something kinda cool, too)
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Capn_Fish

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« Reply #21 on: June 06, 2007, 09:28:52 pm »
I'll take a look at that...

Of course, if I had a good curses-based text editor, I wouldn't need X, which would free up a lot of space. Know of any? I'm using C++.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2007, 09:29:09 pm by Capn_Fish »
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adf

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« Reply #22 on: June 06, 2007, 10:28:22 pm »
Just good ol nano, which I suspect you're already familiar with.

Emacs works with curses I'm pretty sure.  Maybe have a look into that?
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Capn_Fish

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« Reply #23 on: June 06, 2007, 10:41:15 pm »
Oops, I meant programming editor. Yes, I use Nano a LOT, but it's not very good at syntax highlighting  
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ShiroiKuma

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« Reply #24 on: June 06, 2007, 10:46:33 pm »
Quote
As a follow-up, I finally found a good distro: Debian. It installs easily (through expert mode), is a "full" distro, and has large numbers of packages. A basic dev environment (X11, fuxbox, GCC/G++, and an editor) and Links2 fits very nicely on a 512MB USB key.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=161792\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]
So how do you install debian to a USB stick from your desktop?
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adf

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« Reply #25 on: June 06, 2007, 11:17:32 pm »
Quote
Quote
As a follow-up, I finally found a good distro: Debian. It installs easily (through expert mode), is a "full" distro, and has large numbers of packages. A basic dev environment (X11, fuxbox, GCC/G++, and an editor) and Links2 fits very nicely on a 512MB USB key.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=161792\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]
So how do you install debian to a USB stick from your desktop?
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=162744\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]
I bet if you simply format the usb stick as bootable ext2, and stick to a 386 kernel you can simply install and it will work on most x86 machines (you'd have to have a bunch of modules on board that way, though)

I haven't done it-this was what I've been assuming, and now I'm curious to check my guess.
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**6000l  Tetsuized Sharprom, installed on internal flash only 1G sd, 2G cf

Capn_Fish

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« Reply #26 on: June 07, 2007, 10:37:25 am »
I basically stuck it in a computer with generic networking and integrated graphics, booted the Debian install CD in expert mode*, and chose the USB key as the install drive, formatting it as EXT2 to prevent excessive wear.

I also added an entry to GRUB to allow for booting on computers with a SATA drive.

*I used expert so I could just do that minimal install, then add the packages I wanted later.
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speculatrix

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« Reply #27 on: June 07, 2007, 01:25:10 pm »
you'd wear out the usb stick less if you create a small partition on your hard drive which was very slightly smaller than the usb stick, installed linux into it then copied the partition to the usb stick. be sure to change fstab to mount as "noatime"
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Cyril92

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« Reply #28 on: July 10, 2007, 07:47:18 am »
Does it answer to first question ? here
« Last Edit: July 10, 2007, 07:47:44 am by Cyril92 »
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BluePanther

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« Reply #29 on: July 10, 2007, 09:12:12 am »
Quote
I'm looking to run Linux off of a USB drive (512MB). I would like to have:

-A 2.6.x kernel
-Hardware detection so I can use it on any machine
-The ability to uninstall whatever came with the distro
-GCC readily available
-Some space left over so I can actually use it as a USB drive

Any suggestions?
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=157683\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

I'm running slax off a 512 USB and have plenty of space left,
I'm not sure if gcc is there to start with, I put the windows install files on there so I could put it on other machnes with DJGCC.
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