Very mini linux [OT]

[Duncan Anderson]

On Thursday, 16 March 2006 14:12, Thomas Beckett wrote:
> Sorry if this is too off topic for the ubuntu list.
>
> I have been asked if it is possible to create a linux boot floppy
> similar to the rescue floppies (tomsrtbt hal91 etc) that simply boots,
> ftp folders from the fat16 drive to a site on our network and shuts
> down.
>
> The problem is that the machine it is to run on is an old leco
> chemistry automation machine. This machine is based on a 286 (i think)
> and only has 3MB ram so HAL91 for example will not work as they
> require at least 8mb for the ram drive.
> I understand the basics of making boot floppies but all the ones ive
> made in the past have used a ramdrive and this cant happen in this
> case.
> Does anybody know anything about making VERY small floppy systems. It
> will need to have the file system uncompressed on the floppy and I
> imagine just be a very skinny kernel (will using a 2.0 or 2.2 series
> kernel make it smaller?), the nic module, the vfat module and then the
> ftp program and busybox.
>
> Ive tried googling for mini distros but all i get is reference to
> either floppy distros that i cant use or damn small linux etc.
>
> Does anybody know of any resources that might be able to help me?
>
> Many thanks
>
> Tom

It seems that ELKS is your best bet. Downloadable floppy images may be found 
at:

http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=3232

cheers
Duncan

	
	
		
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