(old)Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

Acer A1, 2 gb usb, frugal 5.2

I just completed a new install of 5.2 using the Universal Installer from CD to an ext3 formatted usb drive on a one 1.5 GB partition. After I established the settings and installed Firefox I chose "save to partition" instead of to a file without thinking. I was not asked to name the save file and on reboot I see no mention of lhe loading of any save file; however my saved configuration comes up fine.

Now I want to investigate where that save file went.

Problem #1 - booting with puppy pfix=ram does not work. Puppy loads just like without it including my sdb drive mounted.

Problem #2: there is nothing I can find that looks like a save file.

Pfind brings up no pup_save; "cat /etc/re.c/PUPSTATE ..." yields "sdb1,est3,/" but note that there is no save file named.

I have reviewed http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=77464 but in that case they could investigate with pfix=ram and I cannot.

I am stumped.
.

Okay, my guess is that by choosing partition you have actually done a Full Install (rather than frugal). In this mode the Linux RootFs takes up the whole partition, Puppy has no need for a savefile because alterations are saved directly to the filesystem.

In Frugal mode Puppy uses a the layered file system, superimposing the savefile and various SFSs.

You can verify this with the cat /etc/rc.d/PUPSTATE command. Pupmode gives the game away! Pupmode 2 is a Full install-

more info at-
http://puppylinux.org/wikka/FrugalOrFullInstallation

and

http://www.puppylinux.com/development/h ... works.html

BTW

in Lucid savefile is called lupusave* and Slacko its slackosave*

darkcity wrote:Okay, my guess is that by choosing partition you have actually done a Full Install (rather than frugal). In this mode the Linux RootFs takes up the whole partition, Puppy has no need for a savefile because alterations are saved directly to the filesystem.

Not possible; puppy will not do full install to usb drives.

Ok I am learning how to use some new terminal commands and do a screen shot. Here is some more data (attachment):

Also I am finding more info about Pupmode=7 which signifies that the save file is on the entire partition (I am not sure what it is named). A couple of other posts suggest it can create problems with large file downloads so I should probably reinstall this Puppy to a file. It has been interesting though in learning a bit more about the "under the hood" workings of PL.

And what about the pfix=ram not working?

Frefel- here's a thread for YOU!

I chose "save to partition" instead of to a file

This is an option for saving to a USB flash drive. (only works on Linux formats)
It does not make a save file, but uses the free space on the partition to act like a save file.

Solution 1:
One solution is not to use a "pup100" file at all. When you purchase a Flash drive, it is invariably pre-formatted with a FAT16 filesystem, and we normally leave that as-is. However, if we replace that with a ext2, ext3 or reiserfs filesystem (a Linux filesystem), then the entire partition can be used for personal data storage.
Meaning that you have the entire drive available for personal storage, nothing to resize later. Furthermore, writes to Flash during a session are eliminated, regardless of how big the partition is, and regardless how small your PC's RAM.

http://puppylinux.com/development/howpuppyworks.html

what about the pfix=ram not working?

Not 100% sure, but I would say it is because you do not have a save file to not load.
The partition option, for saving, just uses the partition free space.

rjbrewer wrote:

darkcity wrote:Okay, my guess is that by choosing partition you have actually done a Full Install (rather than frugal). In this mode the Linux RootFs takes up the whole partition, Puppy has no need for a savefile because alterations are saved directly to the filesystem.

Not possible; puppy will not do full install to usb drives.

I stand corrected, its pupmode 7 not 2. this mode described only briefly on http://www.puppylinux.com/development/h ... works.html

In Phil's case, Puppy will run in PUPMODE 7, but how is that determined? What is the logic behind it?

The PUPMODE is a number where each bit ( ... 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0) is a flag:

BIT-SET DECIMAL-WEIGHT MEANING
0 1 using tmpfs top layer (/initrd/pup_rw) of union.
1 2 boot partition (PDEV1) has puppy sessions saved in it.
2 4 pup_xxx.sfs file exists on boot partition (PDEV1)
3 8 pup_save.3fs file exists (sessions saved to file).
4 16
5 32
6 64 multisession flag.

mode 7 =
using tmpfs top layer (/initrd/pup_rw) of union.
boot partition (PDEV1) has puppy sessions saved in
pup_xxx.sfs file exists on boot partition (PDEV1)

but NOT
pup_save.3fs file exists (sessions saved to file).
multisession

here's another thread about mode 7-
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=7309

So as bigpup says, it uses layered system, but not a savefile - (most) changes stored directly to partition.

Thanks everybody.
It was an interesting excercise. I say that because I re-installled Puppy with the Save to a file instead of a partition - something I am accustomed to and something much easier to monitor..

I learn a lot as well.

Frugal with savefile is probably the most flexible option ; -)