wrote
> If this is the wrong group to post to, I apologize.

Looks ok to me.

> I am trying to find a minimalist Linux distribution with some unusual
> requirements. My aim is to build a toolkit for use in repairing
> infected Windows systems, running in a lightweight Linux environment
> bootable from the same partition as Windows. This means here are my
> requirements:
>
> 1) The entire root filesystem must be running from the initrd
> ramdrive. Preferably the distribution should be ~5 MB or smaller.

Wow, that is small. I was going to suggest DamnSmallLinux (DSL), but even
that weighs in at about 50MB, though I'm sure there are versions stripped
down further.

> 2) It must be able to auto-detect local hard drives and read/write
> NTFS partitions.

Last time I looked, NTFS write support was still very dangerous. Has it
reached production reliability, or is it still only for the very
adventurous?

> The distribution does not need very much functionality, as it will be
> used only as an "outside-Windows" environment. So it doesn't need
> much except basic libraries and an NTFS read/write driver. No
> development or administration tools even.
>
> I can satisfy each of these requirements individually, but have not
> yet found a way to satisfy both at once.
>
> For example, ttylinux:
> http://www.minimalinux.org/ttylinux/
> satisfies requirement #1. But it doesn't seem to detect my local hard
> drives and getting an NTFS driver working with it has been
> unsuccessful.
>
> Any new Debian-based distro using kernel newer than 2.6.20 can satisfy
> requirement #2, but I really want to strip it down further.
>
> If I am going to build my own, how does Debian autodetect local hard
> drives and NTFS partitions --- and what is the minimal configuration I
> would need to accomplish this?

You need to get to grips with the Debian Installer ("d-i") for this - this
is where all the work goes on with detecting hardware (even if you're not
actually doing the detection during an install). I tried and failed dismally
to contribute to d-i, there was a chasm between my abilities and the most
idiot-friendly d-i documentation. It may have improved, and you're probably
a lot more savvy than me if you write to NTFS partitions ... google for
"Debian Installer wiki" to get started.

Good luck,

CC

On Wed, 21 May 2008 08:11:17 -0700, Swandog46 wrote:

> If this is the wrong group to post to, I apologize.
>
> I am trying to find a minimalist Linux distribution with some unusual
> requirements. My aim is to build a toolkit for use in repairing
> infected Windows systems, running in a lightweight Linux environment
> bootable from the same partition as Windows.

If it's not a stupid question why do you want to boot it off the HDD
rather than using Knoppix which can mount and read - not sure about write
- NTFS.

--
John Stumbles

Time flies like an arrow
Fruit flies like a banana
Tits like coconuts