ok so this isnt linode specific, but it is linux specific.. i think

so i have an interesting ask.. i have an external hdd, i wanna make it bootable.. BUT i want it to load a bootmenu, and that menu has say, Knoppix (linux boot), winxp install, and a few things like that.. is that dooable?

Was thinking somethign a long the lines of a small section put a kernel/lilo in it with some sort of boot menu, (none of this i know how todo) and then have it boot from images maybe? (isos would be good but i dont like my chances,) to the respective stuff?

I think it would be a good resouce, granted tat im always stuck with the task of "Fix my computer its broken"

cheers
Internat

Err, just run a boot manager eg grub.

Interesting idea, but IMHO I don't see how that would be too useful if you want to use several different pc's. When you boot an OS from the external drive, the OS's will have to deal with new hardware everytime you use a different machine. I know this is true of winXP, but I'm not sure about a Knoppix install (I've never installed knoppix to a hdd.)

I would think it more advantageous to boot from a Knoppix CD and still have your external drive hooked up so that you can access utilities or backup data or whatever. That way the knoppix boot disk will deal with all the hardware bs, which it does very well.

I've never tried running an OS from a USB drive, but I imagine it can be pretty sluggish. Another thing that I just thought about... most computers will boot from a CD, but not all will boot from a USB device. I actually have 2 or 3 fairly new pc's that don't have that option at all.

Back to your real question... like gmt said, grub will work... but I'm not sure about booting iso's.. I've never tried that.

umm.. obviously u missing the part that said winxp INSTALL. basicly i want it as a recovery device, i plug it in, and i can insstall on the computer whatever os i want installed.. etc etc etc

cheers
Internat