[SOLVED] smallest linux distro with tcdump/ifconfig utilities.

PoleStar · 03-27-2021, 08:03 AM

Hello,

I need some small linux distro. It should be command line..about 100mb.
When I boot from it I should be able to see network cards and listen to them using tcpdump.

I need it for server installation and interface detection.. that before installing actual OS.

In the past we had such distro.. but I forgot its name.
It was about 130-160mb only.

Thank you

Turbocapitalist · 03-27-2021, 08:48 AM

Well there is Finnix but it weighs in at just over 400MB.

Slitaz is smaller, but I'm not sure it has all the tools you want pre-installed.

wpeckham · 03-27-2021, 09:21 AM

You might check out Core from the TinyCore people. About 10 Meg if I remember correctly, but I am not sure if it has the software you need.

JWJones · 03-27-2021, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PoleStar

In the past we had such distro.. but I forgot its name.
It was about 130-160mb only.

I think I vaguely remember this one, seems to me it was Debian-based, but I can't remember the name. These two are not that small and don't seem to be installable, but the tools seem right.

https://sourceforge.net/projects/live-raizo/
http://www.grml.org/

You could always just do a minimal Debian installation from one of their live disks, and install the tools you need.

shruggy · 03-27-2021, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wpeckham

You might check out Core from the TinyCore people. About 10 Meg if I remember correctly, but I am not sure if it has the software you need.

busybox ifconfig is part of the Core, tcpdump and iproute2 are provided as downloadable extensions. The link describe how to install them in GUI with Apps/Appbrowser which you won't have in the minimal install. The CLI counterparts are tce-ab and tce-load.

PoleStar · 03-27-2021, 10:28 AM

I found a list of package of tinycore(dont know the version).
That list has tcpdump in it.. so Far I haved tried 10 tinycores with no luck..

shruggy · 03-27-2021, 10:32 AM

If you mean this list, they are extensions. You can install them with Apps/tce-ab/tce-load.

PoleStar · 03-27-2021, 10:33 AM

double post

dd

PoleStar · 03-29-2021, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JWJones

I think I vaguely remember this one, seems to me it was Debian-based, but I can't remember the name. These two are not that small and don't seem to be installable, but the tools seem right.

https://sourceforge.net/projects/live-raizo/
http://www.grml.org/

You could always just do a minimal Debian installation from one of their live disks, and install the tools you need.

found it

grml64-small_2018.12

shruggy · 03-29-2021, 12:38 PM

Why not grml64-small_2020.06?

PoleStar · 03-29-2021, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shruggy

Why not grml64-small_2020.06?

I don't know...
I felt like every one was abandoning tcpdump.. so perhaps going back in time I would have better chance..
That was the general pattern I used to look for distro..

Nothing technical.. about it.