I have this (vague) memory of reading someplace about
a scheme for placing multiple (and obviously small,
such as Damn Small Linux (DSL)) Linux distros on a
single CD, such that they were all bootable from
that CD. when you booted the CD, something like a
grub menu/prompt appeared, you selected the distro,
and the selected distro then booted (in, I think,
a “live” mode (like Knoppix)?). (and if I could
also then install the distro onto the machine's
HDD, that would be grand.)
does that sound familiar? or am I blowing smoke?
any pointers/clews/suggestions?
( and Yes, I could use multiple CDs. but I want
to try such a scheme if it exists... )
the target machine is a Dell something-or-other,
128Mb RAM, known functional serial port(s?), some
network card (type and functionality unknown),
USB (functional or not is unknown), and — here's
the (1st) kicker — only an 80Mb (yes, mega) HDD.
which is actually Ok for the machine's purpose.
(and, for _this_ machine, getting a bigger HDD
is probably not possible. ;-( )
the HDD currently contains a (broken) SmoothWall
of unknown vintage, originally installed for some
other machine (the RAM and HDD are transplants),
but which can be booted. the machine has booted,
from CD, both Knoppix 3.6(?) and SUSE 9.1 Ok.
I want to overwrite that zorked SmoothWall with
a functional modern distro. since this machine
nominally just sits there and runs tests of our
software, it does not need much. X, OO.org, and
that sort of stuff is, strictly speaking, not
needed (but see below). since it _is_ a test
machine, stuff like gdb(1) and other test/debug
software would be good — and there is also an
argument for Eclipse — but I doubt those are
issues per se?
the 2nd kicker: I would love to convert the staff
away from M$-Worthless. OO.org is a plausible
choice, I've used it (at home) with varying but
improving success on documents from work. there
is no possibility whatsoever of even installing
OO.org on any of the Linux servers, so I have
this grand, if vague, plan to install it on the
test machine as a demo. but of course that does
mean X and other large wodges of stuff... ;-(
( I can jettison this 2nd issue if needed. I have
two other plans for OO.org demos. <evil grin> )
so, besides both DSL and the recently mentioned
Puppy Linux, and maybe CElinux, does any have any
suggestions for other small distros? (plus the
multiple-boot CD scheme mentioned above?)
cheers!
-blf-
--
Experienced (20+ yrs) kernel/software Eng: | Brian Foster Montpellier,
• Unix, embedded, &tc; • Linux; • doc; | blf at utvinternet.ie FRANCE
• IDL, automated testing, process, &tc. | Stop E$$o (ExxonMobile)!
Résumé (CV) http://www.blf.utvinternet.ie | http://www.stopesso.com
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