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I boot normally into LiveUSB. At Exit ― I'm prompted to create a SaveFile.
I created it on a different external HDD with NTFS at /mnt/sdc1/FossaPup/fossapup64save.4fs. When I boot into LiveUSB ― it doesn't use the SaveFile. Am I suppose to do something else?
There is free-space on the USB card ― but it's very slow, so possible to save it there, but not preferable.
(solution here, following the advice here, with details another comment after.
Try just having the save on sdc1 partition.
Not inside a folder.
Any help?
I assume sdc1 has enough free space to hold the full size of the save file.
The things you do not tell us, are usually the clue to fixing the problem.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be older.
This is not what I expected 
Hello @MrAccident
It was a good idea to place ALL your save-sessions in a folder on your system's drive for the performance benefit and for housekeeping..
To get your PUP to recognize its location, merely tell it at boot-time. When the PC starts and gets to the PUP's menu do this:
Edit the selected boot line adding this
Code: Select all
... psave=sdc1:/FossaPup/(Nothing MORE!!!)
Expect your PUP will boot and find its session
@bigpup - Didn't work. SaveFile is at /mnt/sdf1/fossapup64save.4fs - and it booted to fresh LiveUSB.
@Clarity - I don't understand the instructions. "When the PC starts and gets to the PUP's menu" - what menu? And how do I "tell it"? Also, the external-drive's name changes: was "sdc1" now "sdf1"; so I can't know in advance.
@MrAccident, I keep all of my sessions to a folder on this PCs partition named "Sessions". I keep all sessions, for EVERY FORUM DISTRO I use, in the Sessions folder. The following are screens seen at boot to help you follow-along for a successful boot.
This is an Example of all forum PUP's 'Menu' in the order you will navigate:
Then hit proper key to boot the menu item
PUPs will find their sessions
Post back here if there are problems.
Credit to @Jafadmin for the following, which may be useful in this situation.
"You can find the proper UUID's for your disks by running the 'blkid' command in the console.
The reason to do this is that the 'dev' labels are assigned automatically at boot by the bios/initrd and you have no guarantee that the 'sd?' labels will be the same every time you boot. Some hardware will spin up hard disks differently depending on what pnp hardware is connected to the mobo. Using the UUID method solves this.
More explanation: In unix/linux the '/dev' directory is created dynamically every time you boot. There is no guarantee the device handles will be created in the same same order with the same label every time. So the '/dev/sd?' handles are sticky to the boot assignment, and the UUID's are sticky to the actual disk hardware. The disk's UUID will stay the same regardless of whatever pc you plug it into."
Wiz
Signature available upon request
Code: Select all
blkid
/dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs"
/dev/loop1: TYPE="squashfs"
/dev/loop2: TYPE="squashfs"
/dev/loop3: TYPE="squashfs"
/dev/sdc1: UUID="2020-08-13-12-12-41-49" LABEL="CDROM" TYPE="iso9660" PTUUID="74c6faea" PTTYPE="dos" PARTUUID="74c6faea-01"
/dev/sdc2: SEC_TYPE="msdos" UUID="6E11-3D1B" TYPE="vfat" PARTUUID="74c6faea-02"
/dev/sdf1: LABEL="Seagate Expansion Drive" UUID="5C44547C44545ABA" TYPE="ntfs" PTTYPE="atari" PARTUUID="407525b2-01"
Now what?
@Clarity - Now the SaveFile is at /mnt/sdf1/fossapup64save.4fs. And also taking into consideration the info above - what to write instead of ... psave=sdc1:/FossaPup/?
So at the initial menu - it asks as the first option - whether to start FossaPup normally. This is when I hit the e key? And then - where to write exactly? I can't see what you've written in the images.
Can I screw the LiveUSB by doing this? I'm in enough trouble as it is.
MrAccident wrote: Sat Oct 22, 2022 1:31 pm@bigpup - Didn't work. SaveFile is at
/mnt/sdf1/fossapup64save.4fs- and it booted to fresh LiveUSB.
@Clarity - I don't understand the instructions. "When the PC starts and gets to the PUP's menu" - what menu? And how do I "tell it"? Also, the external-drive's name changes: was "sdc1" now "sdf1"; so I can't know in advance.
Try replacing the instances of any "sdXX" with the UUID for your drive, then see if Puppy finds your savefile(s). These lines may be located in
different files, depending on boot loader. Look for grub.lst, menu.lst on your LiveUSB. Look for a line that says "psave=", and add your UUID there.
If you don't see a "psave=" line, add it along with the UUID.
Wiz
Signature available upon request
@MrAccident :-
The simplest way is if you copy/paste your Fossapup64 boot entry into your next reply. We can then show you exactly what you need to do to modify it.
Until we see the relevant boot entry, we're playing guessing games, and can only give general instructions as to what to do. We need just that little bit more information.
Mike. 
@MrAccident I've offered 3 screens to assist guiding you. Would you share which of them is confusing you. Any of us, here can guide you thru the screens so that your PUP will boot and find its save-session(s).
Everyone here is giving good advice.
@Wiz57 shows an option (UUID), too, as a substitute for using the partition ID (sdX1). There is even a better way but it is dependent on which FossaPUP64 you are running.
I know you are struggling to get to line where you enter the psave OR you are struggling of what to do after the psave has been typed or ???
What you are doing, here, is useful knowledge for ALL of the distros including FossaPUP64 on this forum (excepting one)
Be as clear as you can and we'll guide.
@MrAccident :-
The simplest way is if you copy/paste your Fossapup64 boot entry into your next reply. We can then show you exactly what you need to do to modify it.
Until we see the relevant boot entry, we're playing guessing games, and can only give general instructions as to what to do. We need that little bit more information.
Mike.
If you do not know what file on the USB install of Fossapup64 has this entry.
Post an image of what Rox file manager shows as the stuff on the USB.
That will tell us what boot loader is being used and what file has the boot entries.
Also can you post this information.
In Rox navigate to /etc/rc.d/
Left click on the file PUPSTATE to open it in Geany showing the contents.
Post what it shows as the entries.
I want to see what Fossapup64 thinks is the location of the save.
The things you do not tell us, are usually the clue to fixing the problem.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be older.
This is not what I expected
MrAccident wrote: Sat Oct 22, 2022 6:00 pm@Wiz57:
Code: Select all
blkid /dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs" /dev/loop1: TYPE="squashfs" /dev/loop2: TYPE="squashfs" /dev/loop3: TYPE="squashfs" /dev/sdc1: UUID="2020-08-13-12-12-41-49" LABEL="CDROM" TYPE="iso9660" PTUUID="74c6faea" PTTYPE="dos" PARTUUID="74c6faea-01" /dev/sdc2: SEC_TYPE="msdos" UUID="6E11-3D1B" TYPE="vfat" PARTUUID="74c6faea-02" /dev/sdf1: LABEL="Seagate Expansion Drive" UUID="5C44547C44545ABA" TYPE="ntfs" PTTYPE="atari" PARTUUID="407525b2-01"Now what?
@Clarity - Now the SaveFile is at/mnt/sdf1/fossapup64save.4fs. And also taking into consideration the info above - what to write instead of... psave=sdc1:/FossaPup/?
So at the initial menu - it asks as the first option - whether to start FossaPup normally. This is when I hit the e key? And then - where to write exactly? I can't see what you've written in the images.
Can I screw the LiveUSB by doing this? I'm in enough trouble as it is.
Looking at this info.
Wonder why it is not having a sda, or sdb drive listed, and that is a big jump to sdf for a drive?
This computer has no working internal drive.
Correct?
Maybe in the computers bios setup is some setting to disable the internal drive or not have it selected to use.
Maybe that could help with this jumping around of what the drives are seen as.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/dev/sdf1: LABEL="Seagate Expansion Drive" UUID="5C44547C44545ABA" TYPE="ntfs" PTTYPE="atari" PARTUUID="407525b2-01"
I also wonder if the PTTYPE="atari" is causing a problem.
Here is the issue with a fix:
https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-1 ... art-0.html
I think you could do the fix by using Gparted and doing a completely new partition table, partition(s) and format.
WARNING this would delete everything on the drive.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Any entry you add to the boot loader menu entry that requires location info use /dev/sdxx/ and not /mnt/sdxx/
At this point in the boot process, drives are seen as a device not a mount point.
The things you do not tell us, are usually the clue to fixing the problem.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be older.
This is not what I expected
This drive the save is on.
Was encryption ever used on it?
The things you do not tell us, are usually the clue to fixing the problem.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be older.
This is not what I expected
@bigpup :-
The "big jump" to sdf might be due to an internal card-reader.
I had this exact same issue on the old rig. I would always get sda/sdb, no problem.....but as soon as I went to plug any USB drive in, it almost always jumped to sdg. The kernel appeared to "see" the card-reader as occupying "device nodes" sdc, sdd, sde & sdf. Even so, on occasion it would then go and mount random USB drives ahead of these.....which made it a nightmare to set-up any sym-links to the external Seagate USB drive I was using at that time.
I got round that problem by using the wee 'Udev Rules' app jafadmin had at that time recently written, which had this exact scenario in mind. This used the UUID obtained from the 'blkid' command, followed by writing a wee script which was placed in /etc/udev/rules.d, and was auto-read by the OS at boot-time, mounting the specified drive as it did so.
Mike.
This drive the save is on. Was encryption ever used on it?
I don't think so.
If you do not know what file on the USB install of Fossapup64 has this entry. Post an image of what Rox file manager shows as the stuff on the USB.
PUPSTATE:
Code: Select all
PUPMODE=5
PDEV1='sdc'
DEV1FS='iso9660'
PUPSFS='sdc,iso9660,/puppy_fossapup64_9.0.5.sfs'
PUPSAVE=''
PMEDIA='cd'
#ATADRIVES is all internal ide/pata/sata drives, excluding optical, excluding usb...
ATADRIVES='sda sdb sdc sdd sde sdf '
#ATAOPTICALDRIVES is list of non-usb optical drives...
ATAOPTICALDRIVES=''
#these directories are unionfs/aufs layers in /initrd...
RW_LAYER='/pup_rw'
SAVE_LAYER=''
PUP_LAYER='/pup_ro2'
#The partition that has the fossapup64save file is mounted here...
PUP_HOME=''
#(in /initrd) ...note, /mnt/home is a link to it.
#this file has extra kernel drivers and firmware...
ZDRV='sdc,iso9660,/zdrv_fossapup64_9.0.5.sfs'
FDRV='sdc,iso9660,/fdrv_fossapup64_9.0.5.sfs'
ADRV='sdc,iso9660,/adrv_fossapup64_9.0.5.sfs'
YDRV=''
#Partition no. override on boot drive to which session is (or will be) saved...
PSAVEMARK=''
PSAVEPART=''
PSAVEDIR=''
PSUBDIR=''
PUNIONFS='aufs'
DOIMODS='yes'
DOMIBS='no'
This computer has no working internal drive. Correct?
Not functioning - yes; not working (physically) - I'm not sure at all. Initially it showed the original FossaPup boot screen; and then said something about a journal missing; than it stopped showing that.
...by using Gparted ... format... this would delete everything.
Than of course no. It's better to put the SaveFile on the USB.
@mikewalsh
copy/paste your Fossapup64 boot entry into your next reply.
Don't know where that is.
@Clarity
I've offered 3 screens to assist guiding you.
I said that I can't see what you've written there.
@Wiz57 shows an option (UUID), too, as a substitute for using the partition ID (sdX1). There is even a better way but it is dependent on which FossaPUP64 you are running.
FossaPup 64 9.5. I though the subforum is about it, so didn't write it.
I already asked the exact question: "Now the SaveFile is at /mnt/sdf1/fossapup64save.4fs. And also taking into consideration the UUID info - what to write instead of ... psave=sdc1:/FossaPup/?"
I have to know EXACTLY what to do, because I don't understand any of these methods; if one letter is going to be off ― it's not going to work.
Everyone here is giving good advice.
That is right. But I can't put all of this TOGETHER. That's why I asked all these questions.
@MrAccident I am sympathetic to your attempts.
An offer to reduce ALL of these question to 'none'
IFF
you know who to copy a IMAGE (eg. 'something.img') to a USB
AND you are willing to start a fresh USB
I can guide you thru a successful methods with little to no complexity that will spring-board your running FossaPUP64 and do save-session management...easily.
Further, the method would be useful for all of the forum's current PUPs/DOGs...without fail. You will make the USB once and use the same USB for all future forum ISOs you might test or use productively.
If the internal hard drive is non-functional, then of course whatever savefile/savefolder has been located on it in the past
is not accessible. Therefore, the only option is to choose an alternate storage media, whether that be a second internal
hard drive/SSD or USB drive, and start all over to create a new save.
@Clarity
Please, hold off on confusing MrAccident more, it may be that using SG2D or Ventoy would just scramble all of the attempts
to aid we've rendered. Thanks!
Wiz
Signature available upon request
@Wiz57 ??? WHAT ???
... start all over to create a new save. ...
This is a pathway I am in agreement with, but your comment about 'confusing' is 'way' off target! Apparently you did NOT read my offer.
@Clarity:
What do you mean by the word "forum"?
I don't know what you mean by a "fresh USB" ― but I meant that if FossaPup LiveUSB will automatically detect the SaveFile - if it's gonna be on it ― then I can do that; but I prefer that it will be on the External HDD - because the Flesh Card is very slow to load.
My general situation ― is that my basic Internal 1T SSD - isn't functional. To even try to salvage the file from it and reformat it ― I have to wait to get the 2 backup SSDs I've ordered, and I can't get them as well; it's a period of an extremely bad luck; so this also doesn't work. So in the mean while ― I at least want to be able to have a SaveFile - not to start over all the settings - every time I reboot the computer. It's definitely not something permanent.
MrAccident wrote: Sun Oct 23, 2022 6:30 pm@Clarity:
What do you mean by the word "forum"?
I don't know what you mean by a "fresh USB" ― but I meant that if FossaPup LiveUSB will automatically detect the SaveFile - if it's gonna be on it ― then I can do that; but I prefer that it will be on the External HDD - because the Flesh Card is very slow to load.
My general situation ― is that my basic Internal 1T SSD - isn't functional. To even try to salvage the file from it and reformat it ― I have to wait to get the 2 backup SSDs I've ordered, and I can't get them as well; it's a period of an extremely bad luck; so this also doesn't work. So in the mean while ― I at least want to be able to have a SaveFile - not to start over all the settings - every time I reboot the computer. It's definitely not something permanent.
Well, it would appear you are in quite a tight spot! The savefile you have on your current internal SSD is for all purposes unaccessible for the foreseeable future.
My suggestion is if you have another USB thumbdrive, or perhaps USB external hard drive, boot your LiveUSB FossaPup, make your changes, then shutdown
and make a new savefile on either the LiveUSB drive, the second thumbdrive, or the external hard drive. Creating the savefile on your LiveUSB thumbdrive
may be slower to process but it is the simplest method. If you decide to place a savefile on any second drive, be that thumbdrive or USB hard drive, to load
that savefile on a subsquent boot, you must (MUST) have that drive attached whenever you bootup. Since it isn't something permanent, I would recommend
using your LiveUSB thumbdrive to hold your savefile.
Wiz
Signature available upon request
@Wiz57:
All this is exactly what I had in mind. The External HDD is through USB. That's where I saved the SaveFile at Shotdown (/mnt/sdf1/fossapup64save.4fs) from LiveUSB session. I wasn't thinking about the unfunctional SSD at all - for the SaveFile. I think that @bigpup said that if I'll save it on the SAME LiveUSB drive ― it may automatically be recognized; maybe I misunderstood him.
PUPMODE=5
PDEV1='sdc'
DEV1FS='iso9660'
PUPSFS='sdc,iso9660,/puppy_fossapup64_9.0.5.sfs'
PUPSAVE=''
PMEDIA='cd'
This info from your PUPSTATE file says you are booted in pupmode 5 which will not use a save file.
When you boot using the Fossapup64 USB install.
Do you see a boot menu with several selections?
If yes.
Make sure to select the first entry.
That should give you a normal boot and use a save, if it finds one to use.
Note:
Do not use the boot menu entry:
"fossapup64 9.5 - RAM only"
I know, bad wording to describe what this does.
It makes it boot not using the save.
That will always boot not using the save, even if you made a save when you shutdown.
Note:
It may be running in pupmode 5, because it did not find the save.
But do need to make sure you are using the correct boot menu entry.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I can see you probably used some USB installing program that setup the drive with an iso9660 format
That will basically setup the USB drive like a CD/DVD install
The things you do not tell us, are usually the clue to fixing the problem.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be older.
This is not what I expected
Yes have all the files on the same drive.
Fossapup64 stuff and the save.
That should solve this drive id issue.
If you boot from the drive everything is on.
That drive has to be properly identified to the boot process.
The External HDD is through USB. That's where I saved the SaveFile at Shotdown
If this is a USB connected drive.
I do not think you would get any better access speed, than the other USB fossapup64 is installed on.
Unless they are using different type USB ports. USB1, USB2, or USB3. Those do differ in access speed.
Could do a frugal install of Fossapup64 on this external HDD.
Install a boot loader on it to boot Fossapup64
Boot the computer from that drive.
Running from Fossapup64 USB.
Do a frugal install. (manual copy of all the files in the Fossapup64 iso into a directory/folder named fossapup64)
Use Grub4dos Bootloader Config to install the boot loader.
I have an external HDD connected by USB.
Have 16 different Puppy versions on it as frugal installs.
Installed Grub4dos boot loader on it to boot them.
The things you do not tell us, are usually the clue to fixing the problem.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be older.
This is not what I expected
@bigpup - wait... can I install it on NTFS? I can only put the SaveFile on it? And I probably can't create a small Partition - if the drive is mostly full of files, without reformatting it. If I can't - then I'll have to use the LiveUSB for now.
So for the rest of replies:
Do you see a boot menu with several selections? If yes. Make sure to select the first entry.
Yes I always see the menu, with the normal boot as the first, Only Ram etc. I always either click Enter on the first option, or it just goes to that automatically.
It may be running in pupmode 5, because it did not find the save.
That's almost certainly the case.
...you probably used some USB installing program...
Yeah, almost certainly that I used some basic instructions.
I do not think you would get any better access speed, than the other USB fossapup64 is installed on.
No, the External HDD is a Hard Drive, LiveUSB is a simple Camera Flash Memory Card ― hence the slowness.
Yes, a frugal install can be made on any format.
No problem making a folder on the ntfs formatted partition and putting the files from the Fossapup64 ISO in this folder.
Just make sure there is enough free space in the partition for the files.
You do not need to make a separate partition for the frugal install to be placed in.
I suggest naming this folder fossapup64, because the Grub4dos boot loader config looks for directories/folders with pup in the name, so it knows to make a menu entry for them.
A good idea is to put the fossapup64save also in this fossapup64 folder.
The things you do not tell us, are usually the clue to fixing the problem.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be older.
This is not what I expected
Hi @MrAccident,
What stands out when looking at your screenshots:
viewtopic.php?p=70139#p70139
You are using fossapup64_9.0.5, which is a pre-release before the official final version fossapup64_9.5 (September 17, 2020).
If you make a new attempt use the latest version.
peace
Good catch one! 
Yes, that 6.0.5 was still a development version that still had bugs.
For sure you need to be using Fossapup64 9.5
The things you do not tell us, are usually the clue to fixing the problem.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be older.
This is not what I expected
@one - Thanks. I'll also do a new LiveUSB from it, after installation.
@bigpup: Alright, I downloaded a new ISO of FossaPup64 9.5. Copied the content to /mnt/sdf1/FossaPup64/. Have put the Boot Flag on the drive. Installed a BootLoader.
Just last question ― is it possible to have a SaveFolder instead of SaveFile, on NTFS? Cause it keeps expanding in size.
MrAccident wrote: Tue Oct 25, 2022 3:05 pmJust last question ― is it possible to have a SaveFolder instead of SaveFile, on NTFS? Cause it keeps expanding in size.
NO ... That filesystem is not supported in PUPs for folders; only for savefiles.
ONLY ext2/ext3/ext4 filesystems have been extensively tested and supported for session folders use in forum PUPs..