On Wed, 28 Jul 1999, Warren Postma wrote:
> This is a good question. So far I'm investigating possibilities
> myself:
>
> - Using script files to create a pruned filesystem from RedHat Linux
> 6.0 or Caldera OpenLinux 2.2.
> - Adapting the Linux Router Project to my purposes
>
>
> The ways I know of to make a small footprint system lead me to believe
> that I'm going to end up hand-tweaking hundreds of small details to
> get a "picoLinux" built"
It depends entirely on how small you need it. I've successfully set up
systems with 4MB ram and 4MB flash (DiskOnChip) with the kernel and
libraries from a stock Redhat distribution.
I found it easiest to start from scratch, as opposed to pruning an
existing distribution.
> - All symbols stripped from the kernel (and a re-implemented 'ps'
> command since it relies on kernel symbols to print
> out process status information)
> - All debug info and stack frames out of the standard libraries
> - Probably libc5 instead of glibc/libc6
> - Only minimal shell utilities (ash instead of bash, etc)
> - Strip complexity from init
> - Boot to a single logon prompt, no virtual consoles even if Video is
> present.
What I did was take the kernel, libc6, ld.so and ash, and remove init
completely (everything is started from ash).
> - I would also like to have my kernel detect a VGA card and run with
> it, or automatically revert
> to a serial console at 38400 bps if the VGA card is not detected.
> Can anyone help with that?
Linux 2.2 does that for you. Look at the serial console documentation -
it's in there (disclaimer: I haven't tested it myself).
Vidar Hokstad <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> | VH Consulting - Linux and Unix software
<URL:http://www.hokstad.com/> | development and concept design
