Finnix For Linux

Finnix is an open source, self-contained and minimal distribution of Linux based on the testing branch of the award winning Debian GNU/Linux operating system and tailored for system administrators who are looking for a bootable CD to manipulate boot records, disks, networks, as well as to install other OSes.

The distribution can be downloaded from Softpedia or from its official website as Live CD ISO images of approximately 150MB in size, designed to support the 64-bit (x86_64), 32-bit (x86) and PPC (PowerPC) hardware platforms. It can be deployed to either CD discs or USB flash drives.

Being tailored for system administration tasks, the operating system features a comprehensive boot menu on the Live CDs, allowing the user to start the live environment on 64-bit or 32-bit architectures, run the Memtest86+ utility to test the computer’s memory (RAM), or boot the FreeDOS OS.

It is possible to run the HDT (Hardware Detection Tool) to view detailed information about the computer’s hardware components, run the iPXE component to install an operating system over the network, or run the Smart Boot Manager tool for rebuilding broken boot records.

You can also start the live session in 32-bit or 64-bit using the text mode, debug mode or failsafe options, as well as to boot an existing operating system from the first disk drive. The system boots very fast on a mid-range computer, in about 5 seconds, and does not feature a graphical desktop environment.

Summing up, Finnix delivers exactly what it promises, an extremely fast and self-contained live operating system designed from the ground up to be used by system administrator or advanced users for rescuing broken system, repairing boot records, as well as to mount and manipulate disk drives.