Don, I have some suggestions for you.
I want to be able to put img of an os on cd for user.
Give them a live CD like Ubuntu, Knoppix, etc. There are plenty to choose from.
I want to be able to run a linux session on a windows machine without having to stuff about with the patition table.
Install LTSP (Linux Terminal Server Project) [1] on your own computer and PXE boot the Windows boxes (or provide etherboot disks for each of the Windows boxes if PXE isn't supported). Each workstation can then log on to your LTSP server. Nothing needs to be installed on the client PC's.
I want to be able to run up a linux distro then hand it out for review of specific issues without having to go thru the install process.
Use the above live CD.
We have 3 hours on Thursdays with the students so I need things "this one we made earlier". The owners of the equipment we have access to within the schools aren't going to be happy if we go changing the setups on their machines and are also likly to wipe out our setup if they do an SOE rebuild.
Or you could provide everyone with a Knoppix CD and a USB key. Any changes the students make will be saved to the USB key. If Knoppix or other live CD's don't have something that you need, you can build your own live CD. I did this for our last Installfest. [1] http://www.ltsp.org -- Later David Kirk
