http://www.linux-live.org/

Linux Live is a set of shell scripts which allows you to create own LiveCD from every Linux distribution. Just install your favourite distro, remove all unnecessary files (for example man pages and all other files which are not important for you) and then download and run these scripts to build your custom Live Linux.


.  Example
	

Visit www.slax.org for an example of working Linux Live CD created by using these scripts. The LiveCD is based on Slackware GNU Linux distribution and contains almost all usefull software for running full-fledged desktop, including Xwindow graphics user interface and K-Office, all this in 190 MB iso download! See screenshots, you'll like it :)


.  Download
	

Current version of Linux Live scripts 5 is Linux Live 5.4.6 (released 25th of May 2006). It doesn't work with old 2.4 kernels, only with 2.6 ones. Unpack the archive to /tmp, login as root and run ./runme.sh. You need unionfs and squashfs support for your Linux Kernel (required kernel modules only for 2.6.16 are included in linux live scripts.) If you don't like to setup it yourself, download precompiled Linux kernel 2.6.16 with unionfs and squashfs modules included, and with alsa sound drivers and madwifi drivers.


.  How does it work
	

It boots by using initrd, then it creates union in /union and adds /changes to it as a read-write branch. After then, it mounts the whole packed filesystem from the CD and inserts it to union, and finally /union is chrooted. Your distro won't even notice that there's something behind... See unionfs introduction for more info. You can also contact me with your suggestions to make linux live scripts even better.


.  Links
	

At first, I need busybox with ASH shell to be able to execute my scripts from small initrd image. The most important software is unionFS. It allows me to make all img files "pseudo-writable". The CD is booting in non-emulation mode by using isolinux. MO files (aka modules) are created and compressed by using squashFS tools.


.  License
	

This software is released under GNU General Public License. Because it's licensed free of charge, there is no warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of the program is with you. Should the program prove defective, you assume the cost of all necessary servicing, repair or correction.


.  Changelog
	

The following changes have been made in linux live scripts 5.4.6:

* modified unsquashfs to force overwrite of existing files (added -f option)
* mo2dir now uses unsquashfs, so it works even without squashfs support in kernel!
* modified mo2dir dir2mo and other scripts to work from ./tools/ directory even without installing the scripts and even if ./tools/ is not current directory
* fixed some typos in error messages
* fixed load= parameter which were broken by changes made in 5.4.5
* modules are now found in /base /modules and /optional directories and all its subdirectories!
* load= and noload= now officially work as regexp, you may use * which is translated to '.*'. Moreover if you have subdirectories of modules, you may load or noload all the trees by a single argument