knoppix from scratch?

[spfitz]

I'd like to make a live-cd based on knoppix for diagnostics/rescue of windows systems. I've looked at several of the distributions put out there, but they either lack hardware detection/support or are too large. What I would like is something that is command-line only--that should cut down on the size somewhat. My idea is to just start with the necessary files and get whatever packages I want to add through the regular remastering process. The final compressed image should be under 50MB.

[nelsongs]

Hi spfitz,
Based on the primary specifications you put out I would say that your best bet is remastering the Morphix basemodule to suit your needs. Although Morphix basemodule is used primarely for the boot up procedure (with hardware detection and so) and launching the mainmodule (or asking you to choose the one to launch, if you have more than one) and the minimodules you happen to have on cd, it is by itself a selfcontained basic LiveCD that ends up with a console screen and bash for you to use, if it is everything you've burned on your cd.
One of the ways to build Morphix basemodule from scratch to suit your needs could be as follows:

1 - Edit your /etc/apt/sources.list and add this line to its end: deb http://www.morphix.org/debian ./. Save it and run apt-get update.
2 - Now open a terminal (xterm, for instance) and run this: apt-get install morphing-tools and this: apt-get install morphix-mmaker.
3 - From the terminal run this:wget http://www.ngsys.eti.br/morphix/basemod.xml and this: wget http://www.ngsys.eti.br/morphix/basemodnew.xml. The first is the original spec from which Morphix basemodule was built. The second is one modification I've done in it to build a customized basemodule to suit my needs (I took out some of the packages from the original and added some I needed to be present in my box). So, all you'll have to do is to add the packages you want to use on the original file and save it, renamed or not. I will assume that you renamed it mybase.xml.
4 - Now, run this:/usr/sbin/isomaker -b mybase.xml -r http://www.morphix.org/debian/udeb -p grub-gfxboot-iso-udeb -p morphix-cdrom-misc-udeb -p morphix-grub-menulist-udeb -p morphix-iso-grubtheme mybase.iso.
5 - Burn the generated mybase.iso and you're done. Your Morphix from scratch in five steps!

Please, note that this process takes time. In the beginning you think that your computer is hung up, but believe me, it isn't . The original basemodule and the one I modified are around 40Mb, so entirely under your spec for size.
If you didn't know it and wish to know more about visit http://www.morphix.org for being acquainted with this fantastic tool-distro called Morphix, made up by the brilliant young Dutch Alex de Landgraaf.
Cheers.