I have a 32GB Flash/Pen/Thumb drive (Whatever they should be called) <grin>

I've been playing with DSL, but am absolutely new to linux and not having good luck. I want to try another on my USB Drive. My only interest is in Word Processing. I don't do Music or Pictures.; I just want to put my drive into the company computer, work on my files and not leave a "foot print". What Linux OS would be easy for a linux Novice? (I've been using computers since my Vic 20 and Comodor 64, but never had anything to do with "Languages" other than Basic.)

Thanks for your time.

Rym Rytr (Rhyme Writer)

Browse through http://www.pendrivelinux.com/ lots of options and how-to's for Linux on flash based devices.

OK, I got Pendrive started on my 32 Gig USB Drive and part of the instructions say:
"Reboot. Change Boot Menu or BIOS to boot from the USB Drive."
Since I want to use the USB Thumb Drive on the Office Computer, I can't access the boot menu.

So that means that I would need to access the my USB from inside Windows.

I'll continue to look at the instructions, but would appreciate any further info.

Thanks for your time.
Rym Rytr

Interestingly enough, most office computers don't have a BIOS password believe it or not.

So just hit F8, F1, Delete, etc... to start up the BIOS, and give USB the precedence over the HDD or CD/DVD drive in the boot order, then hit F10 to save and it should boot right into it if you imaged your flash drive correctly.

You don't make much sense..

It means exactly as it says. Make sure the computer is set to boot from a USB drive.

If you don't have access to change BIOS/boot settings on your office computer, why would you bother installing a live distro to a USB key for work purposes in the first place? Your 'footprint' -- which you seem keen to avoid, would already be set, since you would have to log into windows to even use the USB key in the first place..

Please clarify.

You can do it without rebooting or altering the BIOS:
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/2007/04...nt-slax-linux/

Thank you Brian! I've also invested in "Linux for Dummies" and hope to teach this old dog...

JMBrink and Camh,
As for F8 and "Live Distro", I work in County Government. The computers are on a network (an Intra, not Inter -net) with high security. We are under penalty of law that we may not use the computers for any personal use. We can't download anything. When the download begins, there is a message that states that you do not have authorization to download to this computer. We are even restricted from using company e-mail for private use.

My intention in purchasing DSL on a Thumb Drive (and now Pendrive on a larger drive) was, I thought, so that I could operate from the USB Device, (for word processing only), and not find myself unemployed at 64 years of age, because I violated State and County Regulations.

Thanks again for your help with an ignorant newbie.

Rym Rytr

i need to access unbootable windows pc. I want to put a linux on a USB drive. What distro do i need that i can put on USB that will access a windows unbootable HD?

Thanks

Well, if you mean unbootable, by meaning the partition(s) and/or MBR is corrupt, then there's a few different ways to go about it. Honestly though, depending on what you are looking to do, a flash drive ISO image is probably not your best way to go about it. My best suggestion if this is indeed the case, use either the "Desktop" version of Ubuntu (doesn't really matter what version as long as its 6.06 Dapper Drake or later), or go with a live bootable Windows CD called MiniPE. Its a Windows Pre-installed Environment (PE), that was wrote based off a version of Windows XP with a number of pre installed apps to do anything from recover partitions, restore unsecurely deleted partitions, anti-virus, all kinds of different tools. If you are looking to truly address and fix corrupted data, I would say MiniPE is the way to go, but thats entirely up to you.

You can download miniPE at http://www.minipe.org. You will have to download a rar file. Just use WinRAR, WinZip, Stuffit Expander, etc... to extract it. It will ask you for a password. The password is "thecavern" (all lowercase, no quotes of course ).

Hope this helps.