[arch-general] Extreme Minimalist Challenge
Hi All, I am new to Arch Linux and am hoping that this might be the direction that I need to look for a demo project that I am eagerly seeking to build and I really hope that someone can help me towards the right direction. The project is basically to have the absolutely smallest possible Linux distro (x86_64 based) that would be a type of LiveCD RAM-Based bootable system that has an Xserver and VirtualBox 6.0 but no real desktop running. I want it to boot directly into the VirtualBox 6.0 GUI. The other catch is that I need a system that has an extremely small footprint image and am hoping that the ISO could be between 150 MB - 200 MB in size, but of course even smaller is better. Its an ambitious project and I am seeking help on if Arch Linux may be a good starting point for the basic OS and Xorg server as well as any suggestions or advice that the mailing list might like to provide. Any suggestions or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Best Regards, Lonnie
On 11/17/19 6:01 PM, Lonnie Cumberland wrote:
The project is basically to have the absolutely smallest possible Linux distro (x86_64 based) that would be a type of LiveCD RAM-Based bootable system that has an Xserver and VirtualBox 6.0 but no real desktop running. I want it to boot directly into the VirtualBox 6.0 GUI.
The other catch is that I need a system that has an extremely small footprint image and am hoping that the ISO could be between 150 MB - 200 MB in size, but of course even smaller is better.
Its an ambitious project and I am seeking help on if Arch Linux may be a good starting point for the basic OS and Xorg server as well as any suggestions or advice that the mailing list might like to provide.
Arch Linux is intended to be simple and close to upstream, but it is not fine-tuned to be "small". Among the issues you will run into when trying to use Arch in this manner: - we package headers and documentation by default - we compile packages with as many optional features as we can http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/ is specifically oriented at being the smallest footprint possible. You could also experiment with Gentoo, by configuring the necessary USE flags to disable any features you do not need. I hope this helps. :) -- Eli Schwartz Bug Wrangler and Trusted User
On 11/17/19, Eli Schwartz via arch-general <arch-general@archlinux.org> wrote:
On 11/17/19 6:01 PM, Lonnie Cumberland wrote:
The project is basically to have the absolutely smallest possible Linux distro (x86_64 based) that would be a type of LiveCD RAM-Based bootable system that has an Xserver and VirtualBox 6.0 but no real desktop running. I want it to boot directly into the VirtualBox 6.0 GUI.
The other catch is that I need a system that has an extremely small footprint image and am hoping that the ISO could be between 150 MB - 200 MB in size, but of course even smaller is better.
http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/ is specifically oriented at being the smallest footprint possible. You could also experiment with Gentoo, by configuring the necessary USE flags to disable any features you do not need.
Eli Schwartz Bug Wrangler and Trusted User
Another option worth trying (in my experience): Tiny Core Linux https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny_Core_Linux http://tinycorelinux.net/ And maybe: SliTaz GNU/Linux https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SliTaz http://www.slitaz.org/en/ Just for reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-weight_Linux_distribution Best regards
You could also go straight up embedded with https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yocto_Project . This would let you get a very very small image built. On Mon, Nov 18, 2019, 01:26 riveravaldez via arch-general < arch-general@archlinux.org> wrote:
On 11/17/19, Eli Schwartz via arch-general <arch-general@archlinux.org> wrote:
On 11/17/19 6:01 PM, Lonnie Cumberland wrote:
The project is basically to have the absolutely smallest possible Linux distro (x86_64 based) that would be a type of LiveCD RAM-Based bootable system that has an Xserver and VirtualBox 6.0 but no real desktop running. I want it to boot directly into the VirtualBox 6.0 GUI.
The other catch is that I need a system that has an extremely small footprint image and am hoping that the ISO could be between 150 MB - 200 MB in size, but of course even smaller is better.
http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/ is specifically oriented at being the smallest footprint possible. You could also experiment with Gentoo, by configuring the necessary USE flags to disable any features you do not need.
Eli Schwartz Bug Wrangler and Trusted User
Another option worth trying (in my experience):
Tiny Core Linux https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny_Core_Linux http://tinycorelinux.net/
And maybe:
SliTaz GNU/Linux https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SliTaz http://www.slitaz.org/en/
Just for reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-weight_Linux_distribution
Best regards
Thanks to everyone who responded to my question on building and extremely small distro with just a single app. I will do some in-depth research on all of the possibilities, especially the Yocto Project seems like a very interesting approach, to see if I can take the next steps forward on the project to make a self-booting iso. Have a great day, Lonnie On Mon, Nov 18, 2019 at 9:02 AM Greg Land via arch-general < arch-general@archlinux.org> wrote:
You could also go straight up embedded with https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yocto_Project . This would let you get a very very small image built.
On Mon, Nov 18, 2019, 01:26 riveravaldez via arch-general < arch-general@archlinux.org> wrote:
On 11/17/19, Eli Schwartz via arch-general <arch-general@archlinux.org> wrote:
On 11/17/19 6:01 PM, Lonnie Cumberland wrote:
The project is basically to have the absolutely smallest possible Linux distro (x86_64 based) that would be a type of LiveCD RAM-Based bootable system that has an Xserver and VirtualBox 6.0 but no real desktop running. I want it to boot directly into the VirtualBox 6.0 GUI.
The other catch is that I need a system that has an extremely small footprint image and am hoping that the ISO could be between 150 MB - 200 MB in size, but of course even smaller is better.
http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/ is specifically oriented at being the smallest footprint possible. You could also experiment with Gentoo, by configuring the necessary USE flags to disable any features you do not need.
Eli Schwartz Bug Wrangler and Trusted User
Another option worth trying (in my experience):
Tiny Core Linux https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny_Core_Linux http://tinycorelinux.net/
And maybe:
SliTaz GNU/Linux https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SliTaz http://www.slitaz.org/en/
Just for reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-weight_Linux_distribution
Best regards
participants (4)
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Eli Schwartz
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Greg Land
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Lonnie Cumberland
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riveravaldez