System without a "real" file-system
#tags lg,tips,floss

  <p>It possible to run with <em>only</em> swap space. (Boot from a
  CD/USB of course!)</p>

  <ol class="decimal">
    <li>
      <p>Make a 2GB (or however large your file-system is!) swap
      space.</p>
    </li>

    <li>
      <p>Mount a tmpfs and tweak its number of nodes and size ("man
      mount" is your friend here!).</p>
    </li>

    <li>
      <p>Copy <em>all</em> your files to this tmpfs. (This takes a
      while....).</p>
    </li>

    <li>
      <p>pivot_root/chroot to this tmpfs and run from there!</p>
    </li>
  </ol>

  <p>I believe the recent Knoppix has a "toram" boot parameter that
  allows you to do something similar.</p>

  <p>This gives a completely "ephemeral" system---switch off and
  its gone!</p>

  <p>On the other hand you could also run disk-suspend to switch
  off power <em>without</em> losing the system.</p>

  <p>Ext2/3, Reiser, JFS, ... who needs them?!</p>