Home > Linux > Multi-distro Linux Live CD

Multi-distro Linux Live CD

  Submitted by Alan Linux 17 Comments

With CD Shell, it’s possible to boot multiple live distros from the same piece of media. Load up a CD or DVD with combinations of Damn Small Linux, DBAN, Slax, or other “live” distributions and always have the right tool for the job.

About The Author

Eugenia Loli

Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.

Follow me on Twitter @EugeniaLoli

17 Comments

  1. 2004-12-01 11:00 pm
    Anonymous

    7 distros on 1 Live CD, as seen on Distrowatch.com Weekly – http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20041129#1

    If you are a fan of mini Linux live CDs, you might be interested in “Multi Distro”, a compilation of several bootable mini live CDs on one disk. The latest version includes no fewer than seven distributions; these are http://distrowatch.com/slax SLAX 4.2.0, http://distrowatch.com/beatrix BeatrIX November 04, http://distrowatch.com/damnsmall Damn Small Linux 0.8.4, http://distrowatch.com/insert INSERT 1.2.16, http://distrowatch.com/sam SAM 1.1, http://distrowatch.com/geexbox GeeXboX 0.99, and http://www.tux.org/pub/people/kent-robotti/looplinux/rip/ Recovery Is Possible . The CD also comes with Memtest86, a memory diagnostic program. All these options are neatly arranged in the initial GRUB menu – just take your pick and boot whichever distribution you fancy trying out today. The project doesn’t seem to have an official web site, but the latest ISO image, version 2.0, is available for free download from here:

  • 2004-12-01 11:04 pm
    Anonymous

    In regards to the “Multi Distro”, I forgot to mention that I have tried it out & it is really cool. If other Live CDs are boring or passé, then this one is sure to be impressive. If you have the bandwidth, give it a shot.

    Here is the last link corrected

    ftp://ftp.iasi.roedu.net/mirrors/multidistro/2.0/

  • 2004-12-01 11:13 pm
    Anonymous

    This is so cool

  • 2004-12-02 12:04 am
    Anonymous

    This is amazing! Someone please create a bittorrent for this!

  • 2004-12-02 2:38 am
    Anonymous

    Interesting.

  • 2004-12-02 3:07 am
    Anonymous

    When will the day come when there are 1000 live distros on some advanced storage media and a user will have to decide which one is best suited to his work…or may be…well he will have to keep rebooting in different ones…

    1000s distros with little differences are only creating confusion…forking is usually not very healthy…and OSS gives uncontroallble forking..

  • 2004-12-02 5:33 am
    Anonymous

    forking is usually not very healthy…and OSS gives uncontroallble forking..

    And bad forks die. Life continues. News at 11.

  • 2004-12-02 6:40 am
    Anonymous

    Geexbox runs very good and makes sure you allways have your dvd player (Mplayer) at hand.

  • 2004-12-02 9:12 am
    Anonymous

    hi

    any body kno how to create ur own multi distro with cd shell or using some other method??

    i searched the cdshell site but found nothing there regarding how to create a multi boot linix dvd/cd

    thnx

    deepak

  • 2004-12-02 9:23 am
    Anonymous

    What I’d really like to have is a CD or DVD that is both bootable AND can be updated using packet writing. Does anyone know if this is possible, or why not? A limitation of standards, or just lack of tools?

    AFAIK bootable means using “El Torito” standard, and having packet write ability (use the disk for random read/write like a huge floppy) means using UDF filesystem (other filesystems possible with packet writing? Don’t know). Are these mutually exclusive?

    It would be really useful to have a CD or DVD that you can boot, AND update/modify random bits on the same disc. So far, I’ve never seen or heard of that anywhere. Bootable Flash disks/USB key devices come closest, but have really small capacity (and expensive, and can’t be copied for $2 per disc). And AFAIK, not every PC can boot from these USB disks.

  • 2004-12-02 1:12 pm
    Anonymous

    suse done a very nice live cd, i prefer it to knoppix

  • 2004-12-02 1:20 pm
    Anonymous

    of course i expect my user prefs to be centrally managed.

    lol

  • 2004-12-02 1:42 pm
    Anonymous

    This is what I am looking for ;) I want to integrate 2-3 versions of Slax (Popcorn, killbill, Hacker when it will come out) to one single CD.

  • 2004-12-02 4:30 pm
    Anonymous

    Well this makes me glad that I haven’t downloaded geexbox yet, because now I can download this and get several distros all at once.

  • 2004-12-02 6:03 pm
    Anonymous

    I’m accustomed to downloading live CDs only to find out that whenever I start burning them, new versions are posted on Distrowatch. Now, that’s a waste of time and blank CDs. It would be great if CD Shell could be released two or three times a year, instead of the weekly or daily release cycle of most of these mini distros.

  • 2004-12-02 7:14 pm
    Anonymous

    Kevin,

    All you need to do is be self controlled enough to only download it three times a year. How often they release needn’t affect the frequency at which you upgrade.

  • 2004-12-03 12:12 pm
    Anonymous

    @Kevin, 2 tips: 1) Check main site/Distrowatch, download & burn in one go, to minimise time in between, and 2) Just use rewritable CD/DVD’s, instead of recordables. Cycle these between a couple of versions/distro’s, and overwrite old/not needed anymore with new ones. Or, if you can’t do without your weekly snapshot, skip the burn step entirely: try network install, or PC emulator + ISO image.