Live USB Distro - (CLI only)
 

Hey,

I'm looking for a Linux distro that will fit to a 4GB flash disk (I'm not fussy). On boot up I need it to completely ignore GNOME/KDE etc and load straight into the shell. I will also need to compile some of my own tools into it at a later date. Is this possible?

I did try using a new version of ubuntu, then manually changing the run levels in /etc/inittab (which didn't seem to work or exist).

Any advice? Many thanks :D

Welcome to LQ
Take a look at debian netinstall.
It will give you a minimal system.

Hi there,

I tried debian netinstall. It kinda works, however all I get is a blank brown screen after initial boot? Is this normal?

I will try through a virtual machine directly using the image file and see if it's the same.

Regards,
Nonshatter

not knowing your linux experience
I would say either use a known noX livecd distro
Or make your own live distro

Thanks,
I tested netinstall in a VM and I can now see the installation options. My question now is can I install it to the USB drive so that it boots straight into the CLI (Rather than having to manually select "execute a shell")? Thanks again

Just another Live USB CLI installer to consider.

http://www.mepisimo.com/antix/Testin...ore-686-b1.iso

http://www.mepisimo.com/antix/Testin...-b1.iso.md5sum

Unetbootin will install the live iso and make it bootable on flashdrive. You have a choice of using Debian Squeeze, Sid, Sidux repositories in /etc/apt/sources.list. 2.6.35-3 Liquorix kernels available after apt-get update after install. I installed 2.6.35-3 Liquorix and then I un-installed the 2.6.32-1 Mepis kernel.and made my Antix install all Debian Sidux on my Asus EEEPC 701 SD.

Edit: Sidux is dead?

http://sidux.com/index.php?name=PNph...21668&start=25

the debian netinstall is a hard drive install so may not be best choice for usb distro
a usb distro needs to be:

persistent features
can boot to ram
can be used as rescue
also its read-only when not using persistence and so can be used for many things
most are also remasterable in some way
so you add/remove what you want and make it yours custom

One of the best CLI live distros is GRML small
http://grml.org/

it can also boot from iso right off usb

Thanks for the fast replies. I'll try both and get back to you :D

Both anti-x and grml were just what I was looking for, although I have decided to go with antix as it seems to boot fractionally quicker.

Cheers guys, appreciate it ;)