1. can linux be run from a memory stick?

2. can the memory stick (with linux on it) be used on a windows based pc and use the linux on the stick as well as windows?

3. if all this is possible can software be loaded onto the linux memory stick without it loading files into the windows system so that the memory stick with its software can then be used on different pc's?

1. Yes i.e. Damn Small Linux (DSL)

2. I'm not quite sure I fully understand the question. Typically linux uses its own filesystem and there are several windows drivers to read linux filesystem but they are typically read only. linux can read but has limited write capabilities with NTFS. Both linux and windows can read/write to a FAT32 partition. If your memory stick is large enough you can add a partition and format it with FAT32 for data storage. The downside to FAT32 is your limited to 4GB files. If you are asking can I run linux from windows then yes but you need vmware.

3. Assuming I understand your question then yes using a FAT32 partition as described in question 2.

1. Yes, see: http://www.pendrivelinux.com/

2. I don't think so, but ymmv. I have found that linux.bat or the equivalent is in most live distributions, but it requires full dos to function properly.

3. Yes, I will direct you to imo the best liveCD: Slax. URL: http://slax.linux-live.org/

Regards,

Alunduil

Thanks For That, The Reason I Ask Is Because I Do 3d Modeling With Solidworks And I Want To Use It During My Lunch Break At Work But I Cant Install It On The Work Computer......company Wont Allow It Plus That Would Use My License So Loading It Onto A Memory Stick Would Mean I Could Use It On Any Pc....i Try'd Installing It On My Stick And I Could Only Use It On My Pc At Home Because Of The Registry File Were On The Pc That I Installed It From So Hopefully Running It From A Linux Based Stick (which Is 2gig) Will Hopefully Work
I Hope That Explains It A Bit Better

You may want to try getting the kill bill flavor of Slax then, look at their modules page though.

Regards,

Alunduil

Err..would you mind if I butt in but are you talking about the Sony Memory Stick here or just the normal USB pen drive? =)

its a rundisk 2 gig
can damn small linux run windows based programs?
ive got mandrakemove, knoppix, chubby puppy and feather but the installs are all to big to go on the stick with solidworks

how big is the install for killbill

http Mt-Umunhum-Wireless slash hacks slash USB_Boot_using_GRUB.html


DSL works, also Pebble.

windows executables do not natively run in linux. It might be possible to run via the latest version of wine since the wine database is not current. It is untestest using codeweavers. wine can use a different registry then windows so there is a slight chance what you want is possible. However you might need to look at an actual USB hard drive instead of a flash drive. Note: a special distribution is required for a flash drive since the device is limited in its number of write/erase cycles. A swap partition on a flash drive if used will limit its useful life.

Hmmmmm A Hard Drive Might Be A Better Option.....a Bit Big Tho, But What Must Be Done Must Be Done

Thanks Everyone For Your Help, Im Going To Try Killbill First Since It Say's It Has Wine In It So Ill Let You Know How It Go's

You could install CoLinux on the memory stick and boot it from a bat file but you'd have to configure the network connection machine by machine

@FREEMAN10

1 I'am running linux from a USB harddrive of 2 gigs
I installed Mandrake on it and connect to a diskless thin client
it works like a breeze.

Its a low cost server this way.

2 You wil have to be an administrator to install the bootloader.

3 As already said maybe wine will do the trick.

If you boot Linux, you are the administrator. Big security
issue. If your BIOS will allow booting from USB devices,
CDs or Floppy, you can have complete control of the PC.

If you want to run Windozes and Linux at the same time,
look at VMWare. You can run multiple OSs at the same time.

You could also use an external USB drive like the CoolMax
that use a laptop hard drive. Make sure you get the ones
with the external power supply. The other one don't work.