USB Flash Drive Bootable Lightweight OS

Question

I am looking for an operating system that:

• Under 100 MB
• Can be booted from and run on a USB flash drive
• Minimal or no changes to my computer's files, main OS, etc.
• Preferably Unix based
• Portable
  • Can run on a variety of hardware
  • Leaves minimal trace (don't want to clog people's computers)
• Free

I'm willing to try almost anything because this is just an adventure I'd like to have with some small flash drives I've found, so feel free to suggest anything from command line only systems to crazy experimental projects.

So far I've found:

• Tiny Core Linux
• Damn Small Linux

Answer 1

You could try Nanolinux - at 14 MB disk space I think you will find it will fit with space to spare. It includes, (quote from the web site):

• Dillo browser
• FlWriter text processing program
• Sprsht spread sheet program
• FLTDJ personal information manager
• FlMusic CD player
• FlRadio internet radio
• FlChat IRC client
• Antipaint paint program
• Fluff file manager
• NXterm terminal emulator
• Flcalc calculator
• FlView image viewer
• Fleditor
• Games: Tuxchess, NXeyes, Checkers, Blocks, Sudoku, Mastermind
• Mount tool, system statistics
• Software package download and install utility
• NTFS support
• Grub package for hard disk install
• OSS sound, Truetype fonts, UTF-8 support

Nanolinux runs completely from RAM in about 64 MB.