iso;-) SMALLEST linux that uses latest systemd/kernel, for hobby study of booting!

I run VirtualBox on an OLD Asus eeePC 1000HA 2G Atom N270.
My focus is on just booting to command-line shell (w/net)
but latest kernel (boot options=parameters=commands)
and a distro that runs systemd! I like the size of TinyCore
but it doesn't have systemd.

if that was a question for which distro will suit your needs, i say archlinux.
command line only (if that's waht you want), uses systemd & latest kernel.
start here.

welcome to LQ, by the way!

Arch is also a bother to set up. I've just looked at Distrowatch and a good choice would seem to be Manjaro Net-edition (an Arch derivative).

I got manjaro-net 628mb .iso but I can't get to the grub boot options (holding shift [nor tab] didn't help).
It does offer a "Boot options" line, but seems to ignore what I enter. (I can use F3 to choose text only)
My goal/intent is to enter: nomce blacklist i2c_piix4 vga=769 single
and remove quiet. I can see the "Kernel command line" via dmesg.
Also, what happened to urpmi? Can I use apt instead of pacman?
Thanks!!!

LFS-systemd is probably one of the smallest when stripped accordingly. You will have to build it yourself.

Originally Posted by Jjanel what happened to urpmi? Can I use apt instead of pacman?

i don't know what urpmi is. rpm package management? in that case, same as for apt:

you could use apt if you completely re-engineered your manjaro install (it wouldn't be manjaro anymore), or you could just try to install apt and use it (alongside pacman?) until your system breaks.
but what would be the point?
if you really need that complete control over your system, i guess LFS is your only choice: build it from scratch.

Originally Posted by Jjanel I got manjaro-net 628mb .iso but I can't get to the grub boot options (holding shift [nor tab] didn't help). It does offer a "Boot options" line, but seems to ignore what I enter. (I can use F3 to choose text only) My goal/intent is to enter: nomce blacklist i2c_piix4 vga=769 single and remove quiet. I can see the "Kernel command line" via dmesg. Also, what happened to urpmi? Can I use apt instead of pacman? Thanks!!!

Urpmi is used by Mageia & ROSA linux. Neither are particularly small by default, I believe Mageia can do a netinstall so might work for your needs if you used the developer edition of Mageia 6. Mageia 5 decidedly lacks in the most recent kernel. No idea about ROSA, never used it.

Apt is available on Debian derived distros. Debian does offer an excellent netinstall image, so it would fit your needs nicely if you enable backports (in order to get a current kernel).

Back to: I can't edit the grub boot options (holding shift [nor tab] didn't help).
It does offer a "Boot options" line; I tried 'quiet=0' (to over-ride 'quiet', which I thus can't delete), but that displays only a few msgs (tho I do see my quiet=0 via dmesg|grep command); modprobe.blacklist=i2c_piix4 does work. Also vga=786 (cuz netbook's WHOLE screen is x600)

Maybe Manjaro [latest -net; the **.iso**, NOT an *installed* manjaro which DOES use grub2]
doesn't use GRUB [?] (it seems to use isolinux under /bootmnt)
https://forum.manjaro.org/t/booting-...g-grub2/3132/2

LFS is a great idea, but my current focus/resources is too minimal to build...
Maybe even systemd [or rc*] is beyond what I initially want, at the moment:
just grub2 -> init=/bin/sh [that made boot hang;-( but 'single' does the trick!]
i.e.: minimum pkgs! (just N<tab><enter> got my network up! +dbus.service)
TIA again!

i just want to recap, you are having this problem in a virtualbox vm running on a linux install on an eeepc netbook?
so the barebones install is ok, and you're trying to install manjaro inside a vm?

Sorry, I kinda ramble in many directions...
No, my old eeePC 1000HA has XP (sp2). I use it for Firefox (web browsing).

My goal/interest is: to study (as a hobby) BOOTING (to *JUST* a shell)
various Linux distros (esp. widely-used/current ones)
using the minimal (=no-cost) old hardware I already have. And slow internet, so small!
Each is like opening a gift ;-) And each glitch is like a fun puzzle! Learning heaven.
I like understanding each intricacy in-depth.
I'm already familiar with user-level Unix, & not "into" apps/GUIs.
I'm intrigued by http://kernel.org/doc/Documentation/...parameters.txt
Next focus for me is probably grub, then systemd.

I've enjoyed downloading .iso's (a few of the hundred+ distros available)
and easily booting (in VirtualBox), to just a shell, to look around.

I personally have a distaste for systemd as it is pretty much the polar opposite of the unix-like philosophy, and there is also a security problem that has been pointed out to me regarding it's behaviour.

Network service crashes under attack, systemd restarts it everytime, leaving your linux-box vulnerable to an infinite amount of attacks. This is why service crashes should trigger alerts that email/msg you to take a look, and FIX IT! Not blindly restart it endlessly....

Just passing on good info!

biosboy4

yea, looks like systemd is aiming to be as complex as the WHOLE kernel, lol!

My desire came from a dream of RHCE [make that "nightmare" ]

Ok, how about this instead: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...31#post5575531

Originally Posted by Jjanel yea, looks like systemd is aiming to be as complex as the WHOLE kernel, lol! My desire came from a dream of RHCE [make that "nightmare" ] Ok, how about this instead: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...31#post5575531

If you want to study systems development in earnest (you mentioned booting), you're on the wrong site. The Linux community spends as much time invested in politics and ideology as they do hacking(coding).

If you're interested in OS from a more academic perspective, try the site below. You'll find how-to's for things like rolling your own bootloader and explanations of how kernels actually work there.

http://wiki.osdev.org/Main_Page