Linux dist on usb memory stick

Cyth · 03-13-2003, 05:38 AM

Hi all,

I have an idea to boot a kernel from a floppy and then mount the actual filesystem from a usb memory. I only have internet access in school, but they're running windows - a linux dist on a usb stick would solve this(update with cvs, send/recieve mail etc.).
Anyone has any good suggestion or perhaps showstoppers for this project? (wouldn't it be cool, btw?

Is usb memories robust, are they truly 'volatile'?

cheers,
Cyth

nakkaya · 03-13-2003, 04:04 PM

i may me wrong but place you boot part on the disk and the others on the usb drive by playin with fstab may do the jop

rickenbacherus · 03-13-2003, 04:19 PM

I agree with nakkaya. I don't think Linux would care where it got the filesystem from BUT you would have to have USB enabled right away. USB is not loaded until near the end of the boot process.

You could also use a bootable CD distro at school such as Knoppix:
www.knoppix.net
It doesn't require anything to be installed to the hard drive and does an excellent job of detecting hardware. A slow processor would not be as much of a factor as too little memory.