S15Pup64 from USB flash: how to enlarge Save file?

[WN2A]

Hello,

Just started using S15Pup64 (22.02-240602.iso) from SourceForge. Really Nice thus far!
Background Info: Enviroment and What Works:
Laptop: MacBook Pro i7 ($20 at Hamfest). No OS included,fine by me. Created a bootable USB Flash using StickPup. The Macbook HDD refuses to become bootable, so I just boot off the USB Flash. I will just use the MacBook's HDD as a repository for now.
Wireless: A small problem at first, couldn't find adaptor. Just copied the Slacko 6.3.2 (32bit) /lib/firmware/b43 directory into S15Pup64's cooresponding directory. Use Dougall Network Wizard to setup, no problem!
Installed devx_s15pup64_22.12.sfs from Sourceforge. gcc perfect.
Libreoffice 5.1.3_64 (sfs), Palemoon 33.1.1 (sfs), Wine.9.3-portable64.rar.xz and a bunch of Linux and Windoz apps all very fine.

So What Doesn't (or the way it should):
At ShutDown, I save the session. Problem is, I am running out of space, not on the USBFlash, but on the save file. It is limited to 1.9GB (Flash is 64GB) and the save file is called S15pup64save66.tar.gz. I tried to use Resize Personal Storage, but it comes back with a message "Sorry, Puppy is not using a personal persistant storage file....If you have installed Puppy to a Hard Drive or installed such that personal storage is an entire partition, then you will not have a s15pup64save.2fs either".

I thought the save files were supoosed to be .2fs,etc and resizable, not a the tar.gz file. So any suggestions, folks?
I know I must have messed up somewhere, maybe on the first shutdown ?

73!
WN2A

[cobaka]

Hello @WN2A

My experience with Puppy Linux is limited to non-Apple hardware.
That notwithstanding - the following may help.

Some info here is very "newbie" - you probably already know this.
(A) If you have two or three 'USB' drives on hand you can install/boot to/from these and 'step around' your present installation.
This means you can experiment with 'getting' your system to make a 'save' file on a bootable USB drive.

(B) I find the method of installing Puppy Linux described here works well:
-> https://www.forum.puppylinux.com/viewto ... tips#p1788
This is MikeSLR's manual "frugal" installation using the ROX file manager.
At the beginning Mike says:

Don’t Panic. This post assumes you know nothing. It takes longer to read than to do; and took far longer to write.

This is certainly correct - he describes every step of the process in detail. You'll read/use Mike's instruction once, find it works and (if you're like me) never need to refer to his "how-to" again. It's that simple.

(C) About the boot-loader.
After you install the operating system files you must install a boot-loader.
I use GRUB-4-DOS: Menu -> Setup -> GRUB-4-DOS bootloader config <accept/go/click - etc.>

In the GRUB-4-DOS bootloader select the storage device where you installed the Puppy OS files (using Mike's method).
Check two boxes on the right. "Search only within this device" and "Legacy Compatible Menu List". Then <accept>
After a few seconds you should see confirmation that the bootloader has been installed on the first partition of your thumb-drive.
You MUST set the boot-flag on the bootable drive before you can install the bootloader - but if you forget, GRUB-4-DOS will remind you.
When you re-start your PC, make sure you have only one USB device (the one you just configured) plugged into the USB port on your PC.

(D) My experience:
After I boot my PC from a newly configured device Puppy Linux will run through some setup process.
Here, I configure my Ethernet, firewall (etc) then I shut down. Click:
Menu -> Leave -> reboot (or shutdown).
Here is the point of interest: When Puppy shuts down it will create/write your "save" file.
Follow the prompts as directed - everything should work and the config you gave a few moments before will be "there" when you re-boot.
Loaded from the save file.

Most everything I wrote before needs no explanation - I just don't understand how/why you ended up with a *.tar.gz file.
In the snapshot (below) you can see the save file "fossaPup64save-mobius" in my "SYSTEM" directory.
.

my_save_file.jpg (93.4 KiB) Viewed 931 times

.
Note that it's in the directory /mnt/home/SYSTEM. (You may give this directory some other name. I use "SYSTEM"
"SYSTEM" must always be ONE LEVEL down in the directory structure.
So - 'save' is there, along with puppy_fossapup64_9.6.sfs and all the other operating system files.

I hope this rather detailed note helps

cobaka (woof! & AR-K)

[cobaka]

@WN2A

Thinking about this a little more:

Can you use the ROX file manager to look into a the directory /mnt/home/YOUR-SYSTEM-FOLDER (whatever name you gave it)?
Your system folder should be one level 'down' in that partition. In my posting below you can see how I did this in the screen-grab:

/mnt/home/SYSTEM

On your PC, in that directory, do you see a "pup-save" filesystem?
It should be similar to the one you see in the screen-grab I sent in my first posting.

That's all and woof!
cobaka

[WN2A]

Wow . This is great information, so I will go through it carefully.
I did get a different Flash drive to work perfectly, so that is looking good. I will go over your info and see if I can get the original flash to work the same.
Thanks---WN2A

[Clarity]

Hello @WN2A

Do you have free space on your PC system drive (not the USBs)?

If so, I can offer you a trouble-free use of your USB for not only this distro, but all future forum distros. You'll set up ONLY ONCE and it will work for all current-future distros available across the forum in an effortless manner.

[WN2A]

The results so far: S15pup64 22.12
(1) USB Flash that does produce a proper s15pup64save-******.2fs save file, which can be enlarged as desired.
But
(2) USB Flash Drives that only save it as a tar.gz (S15pup64save66.tar.gz) , which does not allow for expansion as far as I know.
Very weird. I used gParted, for all flash drives, FAT32 partitioned, Boot and LBA Flags set. Stickpup was used to create each bootable USB flash.
Each one did boot, and as far as I know, everything works great under S15pup64, except for the type of save file.
I have never seen a " tar.gz " before used as a save file. Weird.

Thanks for the above advice.
cobaka: I will parse through your advice and see if anything can help. I have been using the Slacko Puppy Linuxes (for years!) and found Slacko 6.3.2 (32-bit) to be one of the most stable, reliable OS's. But now I am finally upgrading to 64bit.

Clarity: Yes, I do have lots of space availble on sda1 (HDD), but for whatever reason, I cannot make it bootable. I have another(almost identical) MacBook Pro with a HDD that is bootable. It runs the Slacko 6.3.2 (32-bit) perfectly. Maybe this is another weird Macbook Pro quirk. Maybe I shoulda picked a used Dell at that Hamfest ?

73!
WN2A

[Clarity]

@WN2A, bear with me in this reply as I am going to tell you a best practice I have found over years. It wont go into all the advantages but I think you'll understand.

With space on my system drive, I keep ALL persistence ("save-sessions") for ALL distros in a partition on my system drive. Reason: RELIABILITY and consistence performance on bootup and shutdown...always!

On every PC, I create a partition on my system drive where ALL sessions are saved. I do the following:

1. I use Gparted to carve out a section of a system drive and I label it Persistence

2. I use a filemanager to make a folder on the partition and the folder name is Sessions

Now, for the LIFE of this PC, ALL sessions are known and found on that partition in that folder. Things are now simple with clear, at a glance, understanding.

Here's mine of this PC where ALL sessions are stored

Code: Select all

# tree /mnt/sda7 | more # Show Persistence partition contents
/mnt/sda7
├── GIT for Professionals.pdf
├── Sessions
│   ├── FDog
│   │   ├── multi-fd64save-2024-02-27T04-19+00-00-base.sfs
│   │   └── multi-fd64save-2024-02-27T04-19+00-00-save.sfs
│   ├── SAVE Session Parameters.
│   ├── SAVESPEC backup.txt
│   ├── dpupbw64save-v1004_pristine
│	o
│	o
│	o
There are 9 additional forum distro sessions in the folder

This is done as a best practices approach derived 6 years ago after much USB grief and other aggravations. Works for ALL forum distros ... with ALL saves in the 'Sessions' folder for all distros.

Thus, I advise you to carve a portion of your system drive for a partition that you will keep all distro sessions within.

After you do this, I will offer a guide on how to boot any forum distro such that you can save ALL sessions within that partition's folder.

If you want the 2nd part of my offer to you, let me know.

Everything I offer intends to make life simple and easy for forum distro use and understanding.

System Drive.jpg (16.45 KiB) Viewed 842 times

[WN2A]

Problem Solved