Linux Looking for very minimal OS, just boot shell

Discussion in 'Tech Support' started by MarkW7, 6 Apr 2010.

  1. MarkW7

    MarkW7 Total Noob

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    Hey,

    I need to boot a linux OS off a USB, and all i want to be presented with is a linux shell.

    Where i can do

    ./file.sh

    Then that's it - in the script i wrote it'll auto reboot.

    Everything needs to be complete in about 30 seconds.
     
    MarkW7, 6 Apr 2010
    #1
  2. Elledan

    Elledan What's a Dremel?

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    Look at embedded distros.
     
    Elledan, 6 Apr 2010
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  3. Zoon

    Zoon Hunting Wabbits since the 80s

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    Puppy linux will probably do what you want. It and DSL are both around the 50mb mark.

    Here's a list of various small distros in case any are more suitable for you http://www.linuxlinks.com/Distributions/Mini_Distributions/

    Alternatively you can probably install a minimal version of Debian from the netboot disk, or FreeBSD from its netboot disk, onto your USB stick, for no more than 200 - 300 mb.

    On modern hardware my FreeBSD 8 servers are at CLI ready for login within I'd guess around 30 or 40 seconds from boot loader.
     
    Zoon, 6 Apr 2010
    #3
  4. MarkW7

    MarkW7 Total Noob

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    I couldn't find just a link to the .iso of DSL, so i opted for puppy linux.

    I don't want this GUI though, all i need is a CLI so i can type one line of code.
     
    MarkW7, 6 Apr 2010
    #4
  5. UncertainGod

    UncertainGod Minimodder

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    A basic install of Archlinux will give you nothing more than a CLI that will boot up quit fast indeed.
     
    UncertainGod, 6 Apr 2010
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  6. Zoon

    Zoon Hunting Wabbits since the 80s

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    Okay well stop puppy automatically loading X and it'll dump you to CLI instead!

    Check out /etc/inittab and read what it says.

    Generally you'll find a line that says:

    Runlevel 5 being X11, it initiates this by default.

    Change to:
    Then reboot. Let me know how it goes.
     
    Zoon, 6 Apr 2010
    #6
  7. Glider

    Glider /dev/null

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    Get the Gentoo minimal install, and slim it down by removing the portage tree and stuff like that...
     
    Glider, 6 Apr 2010
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  8. yuusou

    yuusou Multimodder

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    Get the ubuntu mini iso and install to a pendrive with grub on the pen as well, when asked what software to install, just skip, it'll install an Ubuntu even more minimal than Ubuntu Server, pretty much kernel and apt/aptitude, nothing more.
     
    yuusou, 6 Apr 2010
    #8
  9. MarkW7

    MarkW7 Total Noob

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    I can't get Puppy linux or DSL to work.

    Tinycore doesn't let me access the sda1 partition.
     
    MarkW7, 6 Apr 2010
    #9
  10. Zoon

    Zoon Hunting Wabbits since the 80s

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    Well you'll need a pretty full distro for the driver support in that case I guess.

    If your flash disk is several gig, then you won't have a huge problem with the Ubuntu Live distro installed on a USB disk.

    Using the same method as above, you can prevent it from booting into a GUI. There may be specific instructions available for Ubuntu on how to do that - google is your friend.
     
    Zoon, 7 Apr 2010
    #10
  11. Dogers

    Dogers What's a Dremel?

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    Dogers, 9 Apr 2010
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