Install Runt Linux to a Flash Drive from Windows

This walk through illustrates how to do a simple install of RUNT linux on a USB Thumb drive and then boot and run it from USB. RUNT Linux is a super super tiny and very basic Linux version and is only recommended for intermediate to advanced Linux users who prefer to do work without using a graphical interface like X. Beware that RUNT by default does not use a GUI. It's a text only based distro.

Distribution Home Page: RUNT Linux

Minimum Flash Drive Capacity: 64MB

Persistent Feature: Unknown

What you'll need to create a Runt USB Flash Drive:

• 64MB or larger USB Flash Pen Drive
• Windows XP or Vista to perform the install
  

How to create a RUNT USB Flash Drive using Windows:

1. Download RUNT Linux
2. Format your USB Pen Drive using a fat partition (NOT fat32).
3. Unzip the file runt-4.0.zip to a folder directory on your computer.
4. Copy the two folders (linux and runtutil) directly to your Pen Drive.
5. Go to the runtutil directory "on your Pen Drive" and run makeboot.bat (This should make the USB device bootable for BIOS systems that support USB boot).
6. Reboot your PC and go into your system BIOS and set your boot order to boot from any selectable USB device. (example USB_ZIP, USB_HDD).
7. Save your BIOS settings. On the next reboot, you should have a sucessful launch of RUNT Linux.

Login name for RUNT: Root

Pass: No password set by default

Use the runthelp or diskhelp commands to get started using RUNT.

We will explain how to add a GUI login and other modules to this distro later.

Notes: If you need to create a boot floppy (no USB boot option in BIOS), run mkfloppy.bat from the runtutil directory.

Posted under: Flash drive installs using Windows, Old USB installs from Windows