Importance and use of these files
 

Hi,

I am using Debian Lenny and I am trying to make Debian system as lean as possible by removing all the unnecessary packages. So far I have been able to make my Debian system 210MB in size. Now using "du" utility I found the following files which seems to be quite large:
Now based on my research I have found that it is not dangerous/fatal to remove the above files from the system because "apt-get update" will re-create those if they are missing.

Now I was wondering that if I can somehow compress these files or make these files disappear somehow I can get around 60 MB of free space. However I do understand that these files might be require every time whenever "apt-get" gets called.

Can anyone shed some light on these files and give some idea as to how can I avoid using these (or at least some of these) files without breaking the Debian package management system?

How small is your hard drive? I wouldn't muck about with the package management files for no reason.

I am working on an embedded system and I am trying to make Debian fit on it. I have around 150 MB of space.

Well, you could make a non-updatable Debian system. q;o)

I'd be really surprised if someone hadn't done this already.

Also, check out monowall. It's FreeBSD-based, but it fits on like 32 MB or so.

Yes, that struck my mind too. If I am not able to find any other solution than I will probably make it non-update system although I would prefer to have an option which can let me update the system...:)

I'd be really surprised if someone hadn't done this already.

Using anything else other than Debian is not an option.

Aha! Why not use Damn Small Linux? How big is it when installed?

OUt of curiosity would you post the list of packages in your 'stripped' Debian ? maybe someone here will spot other items that are not necessary.

I also run localepurge on my Debian boxes to remove man pages for languages I do not read.. this is handled automatically and does save a bit of space.

A custom kernel could also save you space.. strip out the items you do not need for your system when compiling.

[QUOTE=farslayer;3400181]OUt of curiosity would you post the list of packages in your 'stripped' Debian ? maybe someone here will spot other items that are not necessary. [QUOTE=farslayer;3400181]

Thank you first of all for the your offer to help me out.

Sure here is the list. Note that there are some packages like usbmount, wireless-tools, cpp, etc. that I understand are option but I need them in my system. I have marked those packages with Green color.
Also here is a list which shows the install size of the above packages which has been very useful for me to single out the bloated ones.
Already done that. debfoster, localepurge, deborphan, custom kernel, etc.

Any help in reducing the size even by few MB would be a step in forward direction at this point of time.

I'm surprised that you would have gcc and things for compiling on what would be an embedded system..
Wouldn't you do any necessary compiling on another box, then copy your compiled modules / apps over to the embedded system ?

pcmciautils - Is there actually a PCMCIA slot on the embedded system ?

locate --- database of the directories on your system.. not needed if you can wait for find when searching. you also have the size of hte database, and overhead of the indexing

manpages - why bother with manual pages at all on an embedded system, look em up online
man-db - same reason
info - Documentation viewer
netcat nifty network utility for doing interesting things..
minicom - serial communications program

libfreetype - Font engine shared library files.. I don't see X anywhere shouldn't need this.

links - text based web browser..

fdutils - please tell me there isn't a floppy drive on your embedded machine.. :)


ed / nano both are editors one of then could go..

Of course I don't know the purpose of your device, so...

I should throw a disclaimer here as well.. in case removal of one of these breaks the system.. so count yourself notified.. but I don't think anything I've listed would be an issue.

Yes I agree but this is an exception in this case. Also let's say I remove it, can you suggest removal of any other packages that might further free up some space.

Yes, you can add-on a PCMCIA card to plug your wireless-card.

theres a brief list.. just edited the previous post.. bumping to send notification

Could you remove aptitude (9648 Kb) and make do with apt-get?

Edit: And dselect (2164 Kb) could be removed.