[gentoo-user] Kaspersky Rescue Disk

[Michael Sondow]

Hi, Gentoo users.

I'm new to this list, and also new to Gentoo and to Linux in general. Despite that, I think my questions are reasonable ones. They have to do with the Kaspersky Rescue Disk (KRD), which uses Gentoo, as you probably know.

I installed the KRD to a 4Gb USB flash drive, in order to have an antivirus rescue disk if my computer (Asus eeepc 1000HA, Windows XP) won't boot, or has some other problem that makes running one of my usual antivirus programs impossible.

KRD installed fine on the flash drive and runs just like it's supposed to. No problem there. It even connected to my wireless network right off, which sort of amazed me. I did a virus database update and a scan. Great!

Being a curious person, though, I've been using the Gentoo apps provided in KRD (Terminal, Dolphin, Konqueror) to look at Gentoo. I see that many folders and operating system files are present. BASH works, although not all the commands are available.

What I'm wondering, and it's the reason for joining this list and for this email, is: What, if anything, is lacking in KRD Gentoo to keep it from functioning as a full-fledged Linux-like operating system?

Would it be possible, for example, to download any essential files that may be missing? Can application packages be added (a PDF reader, a media player, etc.)? Can missing shell commands be activated or, if absent, be added?

I've been thinking of putting a Linux-type OS onto a USB flash drive anyway, and Gentoo seems to work well (Kaspersky chose it for good reasons, I assume). So maybe I can soup up the KRD and use it as my alternative OS. Is that possible?

Any help with this, even if it's just "You can't do it", will be much appreciated.

Cheers!

Mike