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Linux Core Distribution

208 words.

I got to wondering if there was a way to install just the Linux kernel on a computer without all the useless bells and whistles you usually get in the big Linux distros (which, as far as I can tell, only serve to clone the slow, bloated Windows OS that everyone in the Linux world hates so much — go figure). The closest thing I could find was the (unfortunately) defunct Linux Core distribution.

Basically you burn a small ISO to a CD, from which you can boot into a shell, partition and format your hard drive, copy the Linux source code to it, compile it, and boot it. Perfect! Unfortunately my first attempt resulted in an unusable system, since it wouldn’t recognize my USB keyboard to let me type in the root login. I messed up a build option or something — the number and nature of build options for the Linux kernel is pretty overwhelming.

(You might be wondering why I would subject myself to this kind of torture. It’s research for another one of my crazy project ideas, which I may elaborate on some other time.)

Update: Success! Next I will attempt to get ftp working so I can get and compile a newer kernel.

Next: Obligatory Augusta County Post. Previously: UvSignalProcessor.

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