[SATLUG] Linux on CD

[Sean Carolan]

> Syslinux[1] may help with that - at least the version used by [2]Debian. The
> second URL is a mini-HOWTO for a 256MB version that works for small .iso
> images, with longer instructions that may help with larger ones.  --Don
>
> [1] http://syslinux.zytor.com/index.php
> [2]
> http://d-i.alioth.debian.org/manual/en.i386/apas02.html#howto-getting-images-usb

I have used the syslinux method for putting BackTrack 2.0 (Slax-based
security distro) onto a USB drive.  As I recall, the process went
something like this:

1.  Format USB disk as FAT16
2.  Under Linux or Windows, use syslinux to make it bootable.
3.  Copy entire contents of bootable live CD onto USB disk
4.  Rename the isolinux.cfg file to syslinux.cfg
5.  Make sure whatever box you are booting on has "USB Boot" or some
variation turned on in the bios.

The advantage to doing it this way are that you can also use the disk
for storage, and access your files from just about any OS, including
OSX, Linux or Windows.

Supposedly with Slax you can actually save all filesystem changes and
have them come back at the next boot, but I was not able to get it to
work despite tinkering with it for several hours.