User:Cynyr/Sandbox/Jumpdrive

=Intro= This is a guide on making a custom bootable jumpdrive using gentoo.

=Requirements=
 * sys-apps/busybox
 * sys-fs/squashfs-tools
 * Jumpdrive big enough to hold everything
 * Formatted with something your kernel can mount.
 * If it is a Linux filesystem, no reason to be using squash, but the space needed will be much larger.
 * sys-boot/grub

=Optional requirements=
 * A uclibc changeroot
 * $MIRROR/gentoo/experimental/x86/embedded/stages/stage3-x86-uclibc-2008.0.tar.bz2 was used.
 * This helps keep the size of the initramfs down, as we build build busy box in it.
 * A i686 or x86 changeroot to hold the install wanted on the jumpdrive.
 * This provides a large range of compatibility. I'm fairly sure other archs would work in a similar manner.

=Process=

Partition
Use [Fdisk] to create one large partition spanning the entire drive.

Format
Format jumpdrive, adjust the device for your jumpdrive mkdosfs -F32 /dev/sdb1 or on smaller than 4GB drives mkdosfs -F16 /dev/sdb1