I have been running Ubuntu 8.04 (Dotsch/UX) out of 4gb flash with BOINC 6.10.56 but some BOINC projects now require a newer version of BOINC. I cannot upgrade and stay in 8.04 on account of latest boinc uses dynamic libs and 8.04 is too old to upgrade to newer libs with latest CUDA. I have several rigs that are part of a BOINC farm like this one here that all boot with 4gb flash.

IANE on ubuntu, but I could install 12.04 onto a hard disk if there is an easy way to then build a 4gb flash boot.

Thanks for looking!

Seeing how bigger USB thumbdrives aren't that expensive, why not get a bigger one?

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Yea - probably could switch to USB. I am currently using CompactFlash in an IDE to CF adapter that plugs right onto the motherboard on these old systems. I think some can boot USB.

OK, I found this article about minimum installation

http://maketecheasier.com/install-a-minimal-ubuntu-on-old-laptop/2012/02/24

and a 40mb download for the minimal install 12.04 even.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD


It will be painful, but I suspect I can get the 32bit libraries (for 32 bit apps) and also the cuda library. I will see how far I can get. maybe there is a boinc support group at that newbie ubuntu help site. Hopefully apt-get is included in the min imstall.

I'm trying to find the link in my browser history but can't. I found it at the Ubuntu site. It's a link to a site called something like easy-USB-boot.org. They simplify the job of creating a bootable USB drive and may have something for compact flash too.

They offer a selection of several different Linux distros and versions including the very latest. I don't think it can get any simpler than their method.

If you dig you might find custom BIOS that allows boot from USB. Not saying I've seen it, just saying it's a possibility that might be worth investigating.

If you must stick with compact flash (in the event the BIOS won't boot USB) then tear off the bits and pieces you don't need and trim Linux down to a size that fits. Newer versions all seem to want to install an Apache daemon for example... who needs that? There's lots of bloat you can trim off. I suspect you run those rigs headless but if not and if you must have a desktop then ditch gnome/kde and go with one of the small desktops.

Hopefully apt-get is included in the min imstall.

I can't imagine it not being there but if it isn't then remember apt-get is just a frontend for synaptic which will most definitely be there. It's not as easy as apt-get but you could use it to install apt-get...