Live distro that fits on usb key

Youstolemyname · 15 Oct 2007 at 21:01

I have just got a new laptop from work and want to run a linux live distro while at home and in hotel rooms. All I want to do is surf the web, go on messengers and play mp3s/dvds/divx etc.

However, none of the distros I have tried (knoppix, mint, pclinuxos) have successfully supported wpa2 on my laptop (a hp compaq nc6400). I am about to try kubuntu in the hope that it will. Any other suggestions?

In the ideal world I would like a usb key with a live distro on it, boot from usb and my home network WPA2 key pre-configed on the usb key. Is this going to be possible?

Thanks for any advice, as you can guess I am quite the Linux newbie!

Rich43 · 16 Oct 2007 at 01:07

Linux normally sees usb sticks as additional hard drives.

I cant verify this works but try booting from a ubuntu live cd with the usb stick plugged in and try installing ubuntu to the usb stick.. you would need at least a 2GB usb stick to do that.

Theres http://wubi-installer.org/ which can install linux from windows with no cd's also.

Other ideas are to get damn small linux, although I havnt heavily tested the wireless support on that. It has a option to install to usb stick once booted into damn small linux.

freebooter · 16 Oct 2007 at 01:10

I haven't tried them myself but there are several distros made for usb pens. Have a look at Puppy linux and Damn Small Linux.

gumbald · 16 Oct 2007 at 12:30

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/

Ta-da

MrWhippy · 16 Oct 2007 at 19:32

dsl or dsl-n are both very small (dsl fits in 50Mb), usb bootable distros.

you'd have to ask on their forums about WPA2 support though, i've only used them on hard wired connections myself.

malef!c · 16 Oct 2007 at 19:57

Brill find that pendrivelinux!!!
Working lovely off a thumbdrive........