Damn Small Linux on usb flash drive

[newyorkrebell]

Hi, i would like to use DSL as a utillity to fix computers and i have it installed on my usb flash drive, works great with computers that have the option to boot from usb. But, some computers don't have that option, so i was wondering if there is a boot floopy that can boot the usb image?

Thanks
-Dom

[Katayamma]

You can make a bootable floppy by going into the kernel source (usually in /usr/src/linux) and doing a "make bzdisk". That will make a bootable floppy disk with the kernel that's currently built.

You should go through the configuration process ( make menuconfig ) to pear down the kernel and trim off all the excess so it'll fit on a floppy. The new 2.6 kernels have a special build designed for a small machine model that makes them perfect for what you need.

Good luck!

[newyorkrebell]

Thanks for the help so far... Couple things, i am running mandrake 10.1 on my computer, if i make a boot floopy through mandrake, i assume that it will work the same? And, once i make the boot floppy, how do i boot the image on the usb flash drive?

Thanks
-Dom

[Katayamma]

If you have lilo configured to point to your flash drive (/etc/lilo.conf), I believe the make bzdisk command will imbed that into the boot floppy so it goes to that device. I'd have to do some research as I've not tried it before.

Another option would be to pull down an install pack with a boot floppy (such as slackware) and use that. Install boot-floppies usually ask where you want to boot off of.

Why don't you use a boot CD?