What is the best OS that can boot from a 512MB USB Flash Drive?

[vern]

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A custom Debian install would work great.

The main thing to remember here is that this is Linux ... it can be as small or as big as you want it to be.

[mraljoriz]

kana untang OS na dili virus prone kau USB bya, then if mainfected na, aw defeats the purpose na of having a mobile, clean OS

A Linux based OS will do you just fine as it is virus prone. For the truly paranoid there's a virus scanner that can be downloaded to it but it will only scan for windows virus. Linux viruses are a rarity due to its secure file system.

[darkhero]

Another limitation is that flash memory has a finite number of erase-write cycles. Most commercially available flash products are guaranteed to withstand around 100,000 write-erase-cycles, before the wear begins to deteriorate the integrity of the storage.

source : Flash memory - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

palihug kog apil factor ana nga detalye when it comes to choosing the right os.

naay mga linux distro nga gi-design para ma-minimize na nga limitation kung sa usb nimo siya i-install.

nakasulay ko before, ubuntu on a 1 gb stick, naa pa around 200+ mb nga space para ma-save ang files/configs etc2x, mao akong gigamit nga installer kay hasol kau magdala2x ug cd

EDIT: payter kau para backup/recover ug files sa windows nga na-dedo. definitely a must have sa mga computer technician kay pde pud siya para hardware check without installing anything sa hdd.

[dab_s_bad]

tinycore linux! [only 10Mb]

Tiny Core Linux, Micro Core Linux, 10MB Linux GUI Desktop, Live, Frugal, Extendable

[doomsweek]

Linux viruses are a rarity due to its secure file system.

I think NTFS is pretty secure too, but I'm not so sure since I'm no expert in this field. I think the problem lies in how most Windows programs need administrator priveges to run properly; coupled with the fact that most Windows users are logged on to an account with administrator priveleges most of the time. It has been like this until Windows XP(?). Windows Vista introduced the UAC which is like sudo for Linux, but an annoying version of it.

IMO, until all the Windows developers stop making programs that need administrator priveleges to run properly, even when you could have it the other way, virus infection levels for Windows-based system would still rise.

[emailroy2002]

tinycore linux! [only 10Mb]

Tiny Core Linux, Micro Core Linux, 10MB Linux GUI Desktop, Live, Frugal, Extendable

wow! 10mb, haha.. unbilibabol!!

unsay aps ani? text pad ra guro

[lubsick]

from my experience bro Puppy linux will do -> Puppy Linux

[burikoy12]

from my experience bro Puppy linux will do -> Puppy Linux

+1 for Linux Puppy. Mao ni mainstay sa ako USB Flash Drive nga 1GB. Very fast, complete OS.
Here are some Puppy variants that I like (subjective jud ni so proceed with caution):

Saluki (XFCE interface-windows-like but better kay ready siya for compiz blingbling)
Macpup (E17 ang UI, good-looking pup)
Any NOP variant (solid performer)