Linux Live CD

[gx_saurav]

I need to download a Linux Live CD distribution. I don't intend to install it on the hard disk but use it from the Optical drive only or if possible install on a 1 GB Pen drive. My Current Installation of PCLinux OS in external HD is old.

Requirements are..

1) Should be bootable on most of the hardware configuration

2) Customization isn't required, I can use it on default settings too, since it is based on Optical Media, it means I will be using it somewhere like friend's computer only for 10 or 20 minutes.

3) NTFS read & Write support is a must.

There are 3 contenders...Knoppix, Slax & PCLinuxOS MiniMe 2008. With PC Linux OS I will get a full Linux distribution but will it be fast enough & what will be the system requirements???

What I need in the Linux distribution

1) Pidgin, customised according to me

2) Firefox customised according to me

3) An archive utility

4) Notepad

5) Ability to play multimedia content, even a simple media player will do...I m not looking for WMP replacement

6) If possible, something to open Word files

7) PDF reader

8 ) A CD burner

9) Photo Viewer

10) Password manager.

[infra_red_dude]

Slax....

[gx_saurav]

Pen drives are preety cheap these days so I have decided to use a 1 GB Or 2 GB pen drive permanently for this purpose.

I will keep my Windows portable application as well as bootable portable linux on the same pen drive. I will keep my files like PDF, images etc on a separate folder named files on the pen drive.

If I can boot, I will use Linux. If I am not allowed to boot then I will simply use Windows Portable Applications.

Downloading SLAX right now, lets see if it works for me or not.

[mediator]

Yep, thats a nice idea! I have used DSL on my 128 MB coby mp3 player n it works nicely. Neways try knoppix also.

[gx_saurav]

Knoppix is good but cannot run from a pendrive. If it does then I won't be able to save my settings in it without making another partition in the pen drive.

Slax has a better approch. Just paste the new module to update it. Let me try SLAX first, if it fails then only something else.

[infra_red_dude]

My suggestion for you is buy a flash drive, pref. a 4GB one. Make 3 partitions:

1) 1GB ext2/3 Active - Linux
2) 2GB fat32 - Portable Windows Apps + Linux' saved settings
3) 1GB fat32 - Truecrypt encrypted partition for sensitive data

Thats the best arrangment I can think of!

[ThinkFree]

Slax must fulfill you job completely

[nvidia]

Slax was given in digit december 2006 dvd...

[vaithy]

Well,

NimbleX is the 'refined slax' for your purpose.. particulary USB installation is more customized in it..

[gary4gar]

If Art had a name, its name would be Sabayon. The most advanced, scalable and community driven Linux distribution of this odd world, brought to you from a fashion-leading country.
Try Sabayon (http://www.sabayonlinux.org/)

It is distro which offers out of the box experience

It also has XsistenCe
What is XsistenCe
* One Removable Device (USB storage) + Sabayon Linux = your data everywhere. In other words, you can use your Home directory in read/write mode and your data will be stored on your external non-volatile removable device.


which means, you can customize it to your needs & and all settings would be saved.
I did use it when my HDD failed & took 15days for replacement.
it also has some time-pass things like games,Google earth pre installed

so its +1 from me.
Rest it your choice. after all Linux is all about Choice

[NucleusKore]

gx_saurav, go to http://www.nimblex.net and click on the custom nimblex button. The base distro is 200 MB, and as you add apps you will see the size increasing. After you have finished selecting the apps you want the download link is valid for 24 hours. Nimblex is based on Slackware and very fast. For graphics/monitors which have problems with nimblex, there is an option in the boot menu itself where you can first configure the display and then proceed to boot.

When you boot into the live environment, all you have to do is plug in a pen drive, open the home directory on the desktop, and double clik on the install to usb icon. Its completely wizard driven after that, you don't have to break your head.

There is an option for "persistent", where you can save changes you make in settings to your pendrive.

[mehulved]

gx why bother about other distros when you're comfortable with slax?

[gx_saurav]

I just made the USB boot disk from Fedora, it works fine. I am able to save my configs to a slaxconf.mo file. I added the Pidgin & Firefox modules, along with other required modules like java & flash plugin.

Thanks.

[MetalheadGautham]

I suggest you go with infra's idea of a 4 gig pen drive.

But take NimbleX, as its much much better and easier to use and better looking compared to Slax.

[PcEnthu]

gx_saurav, go to http://www.nimblex.net and click on the custom nimblex button. The base distro is 200 MB, and as you add apps you will see the size increasing. After you have finished selecting the apps you want the download link is valid for 24 hours. Nimblex is based on Slackware and very fast. For graphics/monitors which have problems with nimblex, there is an option in the boot menu itself where you can first configure the display and then proceed to boot.

When you boot into the live environment, all you have to do is plug in a pen drive, open the home directory on the desktop, and double clik on the install to usb icon. Its completely wizard driven after that, you don't have to break your head.

There is an option for "persistent", where you can save changes you make in settings to your pendrive.

+1 But the customised User account settings are not configured in the ISO

[jinsujais]

What about dyne:bolic?

[hullap]

@GX
see this http://www.pendrivelinux.com/