Jerry Geis wrote:
Hi all,
Is it possible to take the 686 CentOS 5, install that in virtual machine, install a custom kernel that is the 486 flavor, take that image and put it on a 8G CF card - insert that into a small form factor 486 class machine and have that work?
I am hoping the extra instructions in a 686 (MMX, SEE etc) are not used by any libraries that I would be using (just standard stuff) and the new 486 compiled kernel would not be using those instructions either.
Can this possible work? I am hoping to not use debian i386 basically.
first, you'd need to reconfigure that linux running in a VM to run in whatever hardware your embedded platform provides (network, disk, etc).
second, you'd not only need a new kernel, but also any usermode packages that are -i686 or -i586 would need recompiling. there's more than you might think.
check out http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/ that will run on nearly -anything- with very minimal resources. the standard version fits on a 50MB live mini-CD (those credit card shaped things).