Floppy/CD Linux Distributions

Comments in brackets (also known as "square brackets" -- the round ones are parentheses) are mine; others are from the project websites

Most of the files at ibiblio.org have more information in the LSMs

1. Pluggable
   1. MuLinux: muLinux (Linux, really) is a full-configurable, minimalistic, almost complete, application-centric tiny distribution of Linux. [10 modules available]
   2. Giotto: [No plugins yet] giotto follows the idea of a modular floppy Linux. In other words, it tries to provide a common platform for Linux applications that can be run from a floppy, e.g.: Multicard Ethernet Routers; Firewalls; VNC Terminals; MP3 Player; Crypto Servers and Routers
2. Auto-install
   1. Another option is to have a disk that automatically installs a custom-configured Unix. Links for Kickstart (the Redhat version) are located on the "Good Systems Administration Practise" page.
3. Rescue
   1. Roll-your-own
      1. YARD: Yard is a suite of Perl scripts for creating rescue disks (also called bootdisks) for Linux. A rescue disk is a self-contained Linux kernel and filesystem on a floppy diskette, usually used when you can't (or don't want to) boot off your hard disk. A rescue disk usually contains utilities for diagnosing and manipulating hard disks and filesystems
      2. Mondo Rescue: has related tools.
      3. SAR-2.25.tar.gz: Creates a Search And Rescue floppy set (436848 bytes). The floppy is created using *your* up-to-date kernel and utility set, so it is as recent as you like. Configuration files allow customized creation of the SAR set. SAR now includes: a one or two floppy rescue set, files copied via my "holecp" utility (saving space), and my Kiss "simple shell". Contains extensive doumentation and utility programs.
      4. Bootkit-1.01.tar.gz: A dialog driven package for creating and maintaining emergency utility diskettes (69843 bytes)
   2. Tom's Rescue Disk: The most GNU/Linux on 1 floppy disk
   3. RIP: It's more or less designed for non-networked, stand-alone, home pc hard drive boot/rescue/backup!
   4. CrashRecovery: The CRK is based on RedHat Linux. I have always used RedHat systems, thats why. When my system needed maintenance the rescue floppy image which RedHat supplies didn't fullfill my needs. Thats why i created the CRK
   5. picoboot-0.95.tar.gz: A boot/rescue disk containing the Pico text edit and other goodies (1719264 bytes)
   6. rescue02.zip: A rescue disk that you can use in case of a crash (1659317 bytes)
   7. resque_disk-2.3.99-pre9-A.tgz: Linux Resque Boot Disk (2929027 bytes)
   8. Timo's Rescue CD. Timo's rescue cd set provides an easy way to generate bootable cdroms with a ready-to-use rescue system on it
   9. zdisk: The purpose of 'zdisk' is to put a kernel of your choice and a rescue system on one 1.44mb or (695351 bytes)
   10. CatRescue101E.tgz: Generates a compact boot floppy (1917367 bytes)
   11. Brunnis Rescue Diskset: Dialin via modem/ISDN (hisax,mgetty) for remote-rescue. I can't find any current links in English -- try Google.
   12. LIAP: Very modular 2-floppy rescue systems
4. Network
   1. Network Access
      1. Trinux: Trinux contains the latest versions of popular Open Source network security tools for port scanning, packet sniffing, vulnerability scanning, sniffer detection, packet construction, active/passive OS fingerprinting, network monitoring, session-hijacking, backup/recovery, computer forensics, intrusion detection, and more. Trinux also provides support for Perl, PHP, and Python scripting languages. Remote Trinux boxes can be managed securely with OpenSSH.
      2. NucLinux: It's designed primarily to connect to the Internet from a networked machine (as I do at school)
      3. DLX: In addition to that DLX also has a writeable ext2 filesystem of about 130 kb on the same disk to easily store configuration scripts (survives booting, is not on the ramdisk !). Further is DLX fully prepared for the paralell-port ZIP-Drive which allows you to mount 100 mb disks. You can even put large programs like perl5 on the disk because a special directory on the ZIP-disk is mounted as /usr/local/* ! These features make DLX the ideal disk for network trouble- shooting and/or FTPing from a university pc-lab
      4. BrutalWare: Brutalware is two-disks Linux distro with TCP/IP networking (currently only bootp-based) and one supplementary floppy with tons of hacking utilities. Great distribution for use in the school labs and internet cafe's.
      5. PocketLinux: Pocket Linux is an almost minimal, one floppy linux system designed to quickly convert PC workstation into secure linux-based workstation using ssh to connect to remote host (other networking clients are also supported). It supports bootp for determining host IP and other network parameters (there's also manual configuration possible, but bootp is recommended)
      6. FDLinux: [Based on Redhat] is for the simple reason that I can take a small, network-able distribution of Linux that has several useful binaries (ssh, ftp, telnet, ifconfig, e3, links, ipchains, etc.) that can be toted around on a couple of floppies
   2. Router/Firewall
      1. LRP: makes building and maintaining routers, access servers, thin servers, thin clients, network appliances, and typically embedded systems next to trivial. ### Coyote: Coyote Linux is a single floppy distribution for people who have an Internet connection that they wish to share with other computers on a LAN. In addition to connection sharing, it also provides firewall services to help protect the internal network. The goal of the Coyote project is to make it as quick and easy as possible to share an Internet connection.
      2. Floppyfw: floppyfw is a static router with the firewall-capabilities in Linux
      3. Freesco: FREESCO (stands for FREE ciSCO) is a free replacement for commercial routers supporting up to 3 ethernet/arcnet/token_ring/arlan network cards and up to 2 modems
      4. Devil Linux: Modular firewall; you select the packages you want from a config file
      5. fli4l: Fli4l is a single floppy Linux-based ISDN, DSL and Ethernet-Router. You can build it from an old 486 based pc with 16 megabyte memory, which is more than adequate for this purpose
5. Miscellaneous
   1. SmallLinux: Kernel and utilities to run Linux on small machines, 2-3 megs of ram
   2. Xdenu: Xdenu is small Linux distribution kit. The guiding principles have been the ease of use, the ease of installation and small size. Main goal has been to compile an X terminal environment to Helsinki University of Technology campus area. Later serial line communications packages as ppp and term were added
   3. Floppix: Floppix is a teaching tool; it is a very small subset of Debian/ GNU Linux that fits on two 3.5" 1.4Mb diskettes
   4. HAL91
   5. Slackware-based (Misc)
      1. BasicLinux: BasicLinux is a mini-version of Linux that boots from HD, FD or CDrom and runs in a 4meg ramdisk. It was assembled by Steven Darnold, mostly from bits and pieces of Slackware 3.5. BasicLinux contains the powerful bash shell, the easy pico editor, and a variety of useful utilities. With BasicLinux you can dial your ISP and browse the web; or use telnet, ftp or fetchmail. BasicLinux happily networks via ethernet, parallel port, or serial port. You can even use it as a router/firewall
      2. GreyCat: Grey Cat Linux is a small Linux distribution. It's based on Slackware 3.5 and BasicLinux It's intended to be fast and useful. Version 1.9 comes with the standard Linux/Unix utilities, and other software, like a browser, wordprocessor, irc app and webserver. To see the development status of the newer version see the section GCL news
      3. AlfaLinux: Alfalinux is a minidistribuition on two floppy disks much different from other similar products: that is no non-standard/reduced or remaked system parts, no bad overformatted floppy disks, no such things like other similar mini distributions. Alfalinux is a STANDARD portable SLACKWARE (3.5 kernel 2.0.34) on two floppy disks, a real linux that loads himself in RAM. You'll find only standard applications (ex. bash or lynx)and a "clear" system, thinked to be easily personalized such as your home system
   6. LOAF: Linux On A Floppy (LOAF) is a small yet extensible distribution of Linux. As the name implies, LOAF generally fits on a single floppy, but is not limited to just one, or floppies at all for that matter
6. Other listings
   1. ibiblio: List w/short desc. Includes tools (not floppies(?)) not listed here
   2. NucLinux: List only
   3. LinuxLinks: List w/ short description

Created by Tim Nelson