Linux on a CD: Distros, and your favorite tools

[Thrash123]

Ok, so I'm building myself a Live CD for data retrieval and security work. I have Linux BBC (Both the ISO and the source code) downloaded, and I'm halfway through Slackware linux incase BBC doesn't turn out OK (I read a tutorial on OSNews about making a live CD from a slackware install).

Any other ideas on distros and making one? Are there any good CD based distros you would recommend?

There is one stipulation, however. It has to fit on a 185 meg mini-CD :) Linux BBC works great for this, as the ISO isn't even 50 megs.

Next, what tools would you recommend for the job? I'm not even going to list all the tools I've got already, so just go ahead and recommend what you think is a must :)

[Crazy_Ivan]

Distro's...
Still the best one IMO is Knoppix
Full-cd image, doesn't need harddisk, latest KDE
here (http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html)
And there will be a DVD version soon

[Thrash123]

DVD version is a No-no. I need something I can pop into just about any machine. Plus, I don't want a bloated GUI such as KDE. BBC has a stripped down version of blackbox, which owns.

[Freon]

this Knoppix looks great. i guess you can store your files on a NTFS partition, otherwise i don't see the point :hmm:

[Crazy_Ivan]

Knoppix can't write to NTFS, as is the casw with most of the Linux Distro's

and Thrash
1: Knoppix is on CD only now, DVD will be an option in the future
2: You have text-only mode too

[Thrash123]

I know it's not out on DVD yet, but having it on DVD is a moot feature I don't need.

Text mode is all well an good, but there are times when I need to load up a GUI with multiple terminal windows. Not to mention run some apps that are X11-only.