Re: Running Squeeze on a 2 GB usb stick?
On 29/06/11 14:50, Mark wrote:
> On Tue, Jun 28, 2011 at 6:16 AM, Scott Ferguson
> <prettyfly.productions@gmail.com
> <mailto:prettyfly.productions@gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> On 28/06/11 14:17, Mark wrote:
> > Hi - I have a work laptop with Windows and since it tracks basically
> > everything I do, I'd like to install Squeeze to a 2 GB usb stick I
> have
> > laying around so I can boot to that instead of the internal hdd for
> > personal use. I plan on doing the Expert Install and was wondering if
> > there is advice on recommended packages other than the base system for
> > my given circumstances? Here's what I was thinking of installing in
> > addition to the base system:
> >
> > -GParted
> > -gedit
> > -Iceweasel
> > -Synaptic Package Manager
> > -Update Manager
> > -Network Manager (or wicd)
> > -A few things under Preferences like Appearance, Screensaver, Power
> > Management
> >
> > Am I silly to think I'll be able to do this on 2 GB?� The laptop has 4
> > GB RAM so I'm not worried about swap space.
> >
> > Thank you for any input.
> >
> > Mark
> If you're willing to do a little work - then yes, under 1.2GB is
> possible. The trick is not to do the build/install on the USBkey (move
> it there after building and stripping).
>
> You will have to sacrifice some unnecessary things on your wish list:-
> Synaptic (learn to use apt or aptitude)
> Update Manager (ditto)
> NetworkManager
> Screensavers and PowerManagement
> Any other "dancing bears"
>
> Process:
>
>
> [snip]
>
> Thank you for so many good replies, especially Scott; I have some good
> links to read now. I went through attempting the Expert installation
> and including a DE (Gnome) ruined it since that includes all the
> packages I wanted control over not installing with Gnome, but this is
> not allowed at time of installation. Definitely the way to go is
> either: (1) install to a larger drive first (like others mentioned in
> this thread) and remove OOo and other space hogs I don't need before
> copying to the 2 GB stick, or (2) get a bigger usb drive. I looked
> on-line and found a 16 gb for $18 so I'm going to go this route.
>
> I managed to create a persistent Ubuntu installation on the 2 GB stick
> really quickly, so that will hold me over til the 16 GB arrives and also
> makes the 2 GB serve a good purpose for now.
>
> Again thank you for all the helpful replies.
>
> Mark
If you first enable the changes to apt so that "recommended" packages
are not automatically installed when you select a package, and installed
gnome using the suggested:-
# apt-get install gnome-core gdm (probably also need just xserver-xorg-core)
Then you'll have a minimal gnome install.
Using the suggested:-
# dpkg --get-selections | more
to find individual packages to remove can sometimes look like removing
one package is going to remove your entire DE... sometimes it will,
sometimes it won't.
If the results of:-
# apt-get -s remove this_package | more
gives a message "run autoremove" - the packages that apt is telling you
are no longer needed and will be removed with "apt-get autoremove" will
*still* work. It's just that they were originally installed as part of a
meta package.
eg. attempting to remove OpenOffice.org can look like it'll also remove
your entire DE - it won't. Don't worry.
Also note that even if it does - you've still got the original .deb
files you installed from in /var/apt/cache/archives - so reinstalling
requires no downloading (super fast). That's one of the reasons I
suggested working with a large drive and copying the trimmed install
when it's done (trimmed). Lot's of space.
Another advantage to trimming your USB DE to the smallest size possible
- is it's then possible to run it entirely in RAM for a very fast DE
(you can also set up a single file swap partition on the Windoof drive).
If - before you install or remove a package you use the -s flag and pipe
the output to a usefully named file in /root. You can then re-install
just the packages you need if required.
eg. you accidentally remove all of OpenOffice.org when you actually want
to keep Write.
In the latter case you probably should consider Abiword anyway ;-)
Make sure you use the noatime option for formatting the partition -
don't worry too much about disk writes to your USBkey - if it's recent,
quality USBkey the MTL will take care of drive levelling, the cheaper
MLCs are good for 10K writes, so even with a lot of disk writes I've
suffered no data losses in over 3 years of operation from one key.
For real world test data see:-
http://www.bress.net/blog/archives/114-How-Long-Does-a-Flash-Drive-Last.html
If you're really concerned - build your stripped down DE on a large
drive, convert it to a live cd:-
live helper (debian package) or
http://www.linux-live.org/?howtos
, and install the live cd to the USB key with Unetbootin (it's a Debian
package).
Cheers
--
"I just have one of those faces.
People come up to me and say, "What's wrong?"
Nothing.
"Well, it takes more energy to frown than it does to smile."
Yeah, you know it takes more energy to point that out than it does to
leave me alone?"
~ Bill Hicks
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