Linux on a stick

For Windows users who want a have a play with Linux

If you have a USB stick and your PC/Laptop can boot from a USB device then pop over to:

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/category/new-usb-linux-tutorials/

You can choose various Linux flavours which are installed onto a USB stick and made bootable
I have tried PCLinuxOS (MiniMe). Look greats and works great. I can even access my windows folder and files
There is also Damn Small Linux and Ubuntu

Good thing is, you don't risk stuffing up your HD partitions and MBR

openSUSE for the win! I still have Ubuntu on my gaming PC, but openSUSE seems to beat it in performance and quality, it also looks nicer and can be installed remotely on a windows machine.

whoah I will have to try this out. I've been wanting to mess around with compiling BlitzMax stuff on Linux but I didn't want to mess around with my harddrive setup in order to dual boot Windows and Linux. If this USB approach works for me then I no longer have any problem.

Anyone know which configuation file to edit when Linux boots?
I want to cut out an Ethernet card check which takes too much time on bootup

Is there a typical file to edit, or, does it depend on the Linux flavour?

I am testing out PenDriveLinux (Debian) which I boot from a USB stick. The nearest I have found is a menu.cfg file with stuff like:

kernel /casper/vmlinuz
	append initrd=/casper/initrd.img boot=casper toram username=user hostname=pendrivelinux

However, vmlinuz and initrd.img are binary files. How would I find out what parameters are available?

This my be of help (but its for ubuntu) http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=89491

Bleeeh. I had a spate of going through a lot of these things and they mostly highlight how far away from just working like it needs to Linux is. If the screen-res is right, the mouse buttons won't work; If the mouse works the sound is dodgy; If the mouse, sound and screen-res are right, all your changes will fail to be remembered next time you boot, if it boots at all.

Somebody wake me when Mepis gets there.