How to install Puppy to an existing partition; use Windows or USB

[Sam Hobbs]

I have a SSD spare partition that is about 450 MB. I have formatted it as NTFS but I can reformat it if necessary. I think I want to do a full install of Puppy Linux into it and hopefully dual-boot with Windows 10. My understanding is that with a full install everything is persisted as would happen in a normal Linux system and I can install software into it as a normal system.

I want to do the install from Windows if possible. Is it? If not then I have Ubuntu (non-persistent) on a USB stick; can I use it? I have downloaded fossapup64-9.5.iso. I assume I can access it from the Ubuntu on the USB stick.

If necessary I can create a CD or another USB stick with Puppy Linux in it just to do the install onto the SSD partition but that seems unnecessary.

[bigpup]

If you are going to have Puppy Linux on a computer alongside Windows.
The easy way to do it is use the Lick installer program,
viewtopic.php?t=336
Lick exe file:
https://github.com/noryb009/lick/releas ... -win32.exe
Download to a place you can find it.
In Windows, left click on the Lick exe file to run the program.
Lick runs in Windows and installs Puppy Linux, so when the computer boots, a menu comes up, where you choose which one to boot. Windows or Puppy Linux.
It does a frugal install of Puppy Linux.

Stop thinking installing Puppy the way other Linux OS's install.
Forget full installs.

Two ways to install Puppy Linux:
A live install (for installs to a CD/DVD or USB flash drive).

A frugal install to internal computer drives, USB drives, SSD drives, SD cards, really anything that is not a CD/DVD.
Frugal is just the name, it is still the complete Puppy Linux OS installed in a special way.
A frugal install is all the files in the Puppy Linux ISO placed inside a folder.
To store any changes, settings ,added programs a save file/folder is made the first time you shutdown.
The design of the files in a frugal install, makes it possible, that when booted, everything is loaded into RAM.
Thus Puppy runs very fast.
Also, some features of Puppy only work in a live or frugal install.

SSD spare partition that is about 450 MB.

That is too small for a good install of Puppy Linux.
Fossapup64 9.5 as a frugal install will be around 400MB.
No room to store any added stuff.
A good size partition would be at least 4GB.

Lick installer can install Fossapup64 9.5 to the C partition of Windows and run it from there.
A frugal install of Fossapup64, to Windows, is just another folder.
All a frugal install needs is room to put it and some free space in the partition, the save can use.

[Sam Hobbs]

I have used Lick to create a thumb drive with a Puppy in it.

One problem is that I redid the installation so now I have five choices in the Lick boot menu; one for Windows and two for each of the installs. I see that I can use Lick to uninstall the one that is not valid but I do not know how to determine which one in the Lick list is not valid. They are both the same except one has a "-2" in the version. If the "-2" is not a version number of the Puppy but is instead indicates the second install then it is confusing.

You say that a good size partition would be at least 4GB. The Puppy Linux Home page says 300 MB or less. So there is a contradiction there. If 450 MB is too small for a Puppy Linux then I need something else that can fit in the partition I asked about in the original question. If I install Linux as files inside a folder along other files of another operating system then since I am not limited to 450 MB for that, I want to know what other flavors of Linux I might be able to use. I am not asking what those other flavors are but is that possible?

[mikewalsh]

@Sam Hobbs :-

Nah. You're STILL thinking in terms of a normal, "full" Linux install. Just because it states 300 MB or less, you think that's all the space it's going to take? Think about it; a Windows install will fit onto a standard DVD, thus anywhere up to around 4.5 GB.....but when it installs for real, that swells to well over 20 GB. That 300 MB, I think, probably refers to one of the older Puppies; even Bionicpup64, the previous long-term supported Pup, was at least 350 MB. Fossapup is around 450 MB, though at that, it's still tiny compared to most distros.

Any OS download is always going to be in the compressed state. Every OS developer ever to build an OS tends to quote the ISO download size. We're just as guilty; that 450 MB Fossapup download, when actually 'installed' to the virtual RAM-disk is in fact occupying at least two & a half times that.

If you want something to comfortably fit in just 450 MB, and still have room to function and actually run and "do stuff", your only options are going to be something like Tiny Core.....and I wouldn't recommend that to a beginner, because it's not exactly noob-friendly. It assumes you already have a working knowledge of Linux; its installer is text-only (no friendly GUI, I'm afraid).....and the TinyCore community don't like raw beginners.

To answer your other question, no; NO OTHER DISTRO, apart from Puppy, will allow you to run it from within a directory/folder. That feature is unique to Puppy. Without exception, they're all written to expect an entire partition all to themselves......of at least 10 GB or more, minimum.

Mike.

[Wiz57]

@Sam Hobbs
Hi Sam,
I boot a few different Puppies, in addition to Windows XP, all on one partition of the hard drive
on this old Acer Asipire One netbook. Each Puppy is frugally installed in its own "folder",
Windows name for directory. So, for instance, I have a ScPup32 with LXDE desktop installed
in C:\LxPupSC..."installed" in my cases means I simply extracted the ISO file into this folder
using 7Zip while running in WinXP...then I edited my C:\menu.lst (which was derived eons ago
with Grub4DOS, another story though) to point the grub bootloader to the "new O.S install" of
LxScPup...I didn't have to partition the hard drive at all, Puppy does a good job handling the
NTFS of Windows XP, never had an issue.
Hopefully this will open another option for you. Note that if using later versions of Windows
you may need further assistance, especially in handling UEFI...don't hesitate to ask. Also,
you can use your bootable USB Puppy, while booted into it, to do a similar installation to the
hard drive.
Wiz

[Sam Hobbs]

Think about it; a Windows install will fit onto a standard DVD, thus anywhere up to around 4.5 GB.....but when it installs for real, that swells to well over 20 GB. That 300 MB, I think, probably refers to one of the older Puppies;

See Windows 10 system requirements. It says:

Hard disk space: 16 GB for 32-bit OS or 20 GB for 64-bit OS

It does not say 4.5 GB. The Puppy Linux should specify how much drive space will be required when installed.

I checked the thumb drive I installed Puppy onto. Looks like it uses about 1.4 GB but I increased the persistent space (whatever it is called) from the default 500 MB to 1 GB.

To answer your other question, no; NO OTHER DISTRO, apart from Puppy, will allow you to run it from within a directory/folder. That feature is unique to Puppy. Without exception, they're all written to expect an entire partition all to themselves......of at least 10 GB or more, minimum.

In about 1987 I had an IBM PC XT 286 (IBM Personal Computer XT - Wikipedia) with a 20 MB (not GB) hard drive and about 2 MB of main memory. It was capable of supporting Xenix - Wikipedia installed on the hard drive. I can understand you thinking I am foolish for hoping that 450 MB hard drive space was enough but it amazes me how much software has grown in size. Yes, GUIs require more code, but that much? Really?

[williwaw]

In about 1987 I had an IBM PC XT 286 (IBM Personal Computer XT - Wikipedia) with a 20 MB (not GB) hard drive and about 2 MB of main memory. It was capable of supporting Xenix - Wikipedia installed on the hard drive. I can understand you thinking I am foolish for hoping that 450 MB hard drive space was enough but it amazes me how much software has grown in size. Yes, GUIs require more code, but that much? Really?

You didn't say what you intend to use the puppy for, or the age/specs of your hardware. there are older (and smaller) puppies you might find useful

[Sam Hobbs]

You didn't say what you intend to use the puppy for, or the age/specs of your hardware. there are older (and smaller) puppies you might find useful

Sorry. I have an Asus M52BC desktop computer with an AMD FX-8300 Eight-Core Processor and 16 GB RAM. I just want the Puppy for educational purposes. I do not expect much from it. I know I can get a Linux that is text-only but I am hoping to be able to use some kind of GUI for things like a GUI text editor.

I am also working on installing Ubuntu into a portable drive and it might help to have a Puppy in a (the) partition in my SSD for doing the install into. I am having problems with the UEFI Secure Boot signing and I am not sure what to use for that; that is a separate problem in another forum but that might be what I can use the Puppy for.

[JASpup]

I would recommend using the UUI tool, booting Puppy via USB, and deciding how you want to install it after you've gotten use to using it that way.:

https://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal ... -as-1-2-3/

[one]

I repeat what @bigpup wrote:

Code: Select all

bigpup » Mon Nov 29, 2021 3:49 am
....................................................................
Fossapup64 9.5 as a frugal install will be around 400MB.
No room to store any added stuff. 

My bionicpup32 frugal install uses 274 MB - the OS will be expanded into RAM (which you have plenty, 16 GB).

Fossapup64 takes 409 MB - so it will fit also into your 450 MB partition.

That is all a pristine frugal install will need - beside a bootloader to start puppy - if your only goal is:

[...] I am hoping to be able to use some kind of GUI for things like a GUI text editor.

Puppy has Abiword, geany, leafpad already builtin ...

Of course more room will give you opportunity to install/save more.

peace

[bigpup]

You say that a good size partition would be at least 4GB. The Puppy Linux Home page says 300 MB or less

Puppy still offers some of the smaller versions to use. So that is still a good statement, but could use a little clarity.

if all you do is install Puppy to a partition, with only enough room for the install.
You will not be able to run it and do anything.
There needs to always be, some free space, for the operating system to use.

I have used Lick to create a thumb drive with a Puppy in it.

One problem is that I redid the installation so now I have five choices in the Lick boot menu; one for Windows and two for each of the installs. I see that I can use Lick to uninstall the one that is not valid but I do not know how to determine which one in the Lick list is not valid. They are both the same except one has a "-2" in the version. If the "-2" is not a version number of the Puppy but is instead indicates the second install then it is confusing.

All the entries in the boot menu are valid.
You have two installs of Puppy.
Why do you think they should only have one boot menu entry?
If you tell us what the entries specifically say.
We can tell you why there are two entries for each Puppy install.

Yes the "-2" is indicating the second install.

Have you tried to boot the computer using this USB?

Do not ask multiple things in a post.
Keep the post only talking about one specific issue or problem.
It gets very confusing asking about multiple issues and giving answers or info.

JUST START a new post about a different question of issue.
No limit on number of new posts you can make in the forum.

[williwaw]

I am also working on installing Ubuntu into a portable drive and it might help to have a Puppy in a (the) partition in my SSD for doing the install into. I am having problems with the UEFI Secure Boot signing and I am not sure what to use for that; that is a separate problem in another forum but that might be what I can use the Puppy for.

Because the larger distros installers often want to "help" you with partitioning, I find it just as easy to do the frugal puppy install after the Ubuntu.
once you get the Ubuntu loader working, you could then configure it to boot a puppy by editing a grub text file.
alternately, you may have the option to bypass the installation of a bootloader when Ubuntu installs and use something different

If you wish to replace or not use the bootloader Ubuntu provides, see viewtopic.php?t=3360 download it to your usb and select the ssd as the target drive after your Ubuntu is installed and your frugal puppy subfolder is set up

it is also possible to configure your usb bootloader to boot distros on your external ssd should you wish to look into different bootloaders later.
If you want your external ssd to boot it's self on a uefi machine, you will need to set up the ssd with a smaller fat32 partition in addition to any linux partition configured on the ssd.

[mikewalsh]

@Sam Hobbs :-

We all have something of a misconception as to Puppy 'sizes' when it comes down to it.

Yes, the Fossapup64 ISO IS just 409 mb in size......but it doesn't actually run like that. If you mount the Fossapup64 9.5 ISO, then respectively mount the adrv, the fdrv, the main_puppy_base_sfs & the zdrv, then merge the contents of those four directories together in a new, empty directory (which is essentially what aufs does at boot), you will end up with what exists within the virtual ramdisk filesystem when Fossapup64 is loaded into RAM.....some 1815MB. Add the kernel into that, and the approximate size is around 1820MB in total. THAT is the amount of space Fossapup64 actually occupies in the loaded condition.

Try it for yourselves if you don't believe me.

I got an inkling of this when I built the original chrooted Iron69 browser package for use under Darry's 431 'Phoenix', based on Tahrpup32 605. The total package size came out to a hair under 1170 MB.

I've never understood quite how the various Puppy system utilities report amount of RAM used, but they don't reflect anything like the true picture. From what I understand, the frugal install will implement this differently.....but if you were to install Fossapup64 as a 'full' install, this is the amount of space it would occupy.

I'm now waiting to have my calculations 'shot down' by the 'big guns'..! Tell me I'm completely 'off-base', explain to me where I've gone wrong, and I just might accept it.....if what I'm told actually makes sense.

Mike.

[williams2]

Tell me I'm completely 'off-base', explain to me where I've gone wrong

Sounds right to me.

If a Live or frugal Pup needs more ram, pfix=nocopy should give you almost as much ram as a full install would.

[Sam Hobbs]

My bionicpup32 frugal install uses 274 MB - the OS will be expanded into RAM (which you have plenty, 16 GB).

Fossapup64 takes 409 MB - so it will fit also into your 450 MB partition.

Thank you for that. I was going to try installing Fossapup64 because I suspected it might work. It is good to know that your bionicpup32 is an alternative. It is my understanding that UEFI Secure Boot requires 64-bit but that is a separate issue or at least will not be an issue if Fossapup64 works.

[Sam Hobbs]

I said the partition is 450 MB but it is actually 471 MB, formatted NTFS. I went ahead and tried to install Puppy into it and it got there in a flash.

For the save file it suggested 32 MB and said the max space available is 55 MB. So I made it 55 MB. The partition has 467 MB used and 4 MB free. It works. It is fast because it is a SSD partition.

Size	File
239,190,016	adrv_fossapup64_9.5.sfs
41,168,896	fdrv_fossapup64_9.5.sfs
58,466,304	fossapup64save-ssd.4fs
1,598	grub.cfg
1,372,644	initrd.gz
101,199,872	puppy_fossapup64_9.5.sfs
13,808	README.txt
6,575,264	vmlinuz
27,963,392	zdrv_fossapup64_9.5.sfs

[mikeslr]

You don't have a great deal of flexibility with only a 55 Mb SaveFile. But if you know some tricks, it's more than enough.
The first trick you should know is use your SaveFile only to hold customizations and settings. Puppys run as Root --meaning administrator-- so they have authority to access any drive/partition. But by default they don't do that automatically. You would first have to manually mount a drive/partition. Except, there's an application you can install named Startmount, https://oldforum.puppylinux.com/viewtop ... =50845&i=1, only 8.2 Kb, which will enable you to configure Puppy to automatically mount any partition on bootup.
With another partition mounted automatically, you can avoid the problem of your applications trying to save data to space too small to hold it. Open Puppy to /root (click the "files/Home Icon" at the top-left: in Puppy that root is like Windows Documents and Settings folder. Leave that Window open. Click the desktop drive icon of another partition to open a window to it. To keep things neat and tidy, I suggest creating a folder. Mine's named "my-stuff". Right-Click an EMPTY space and from the pop-up-menu select New>Directory, and give it a name, e.g. my-stuff. Now Left-Click that folder to open a window to its contents --currently none. Go back to your other window and Left-PRESS, hold then drag the 'my-documents' folder into 'my-stuff' and select move. Left-Press, hold, then drag it back to /root and select Link(relative). Applications will offer to save-to and open-from 'my-documents'. It will just be on your other drive.
Puppys can use portable-applications, SFSes and AppImages. Like Windows 'portables', all of these can be run from anywhere. You'll find some specifically created for Fossapup64 here, viewtopic.php?t=1239, but a lot more that will run from almost any Puppy here, viewforum.php?f=7. For example, you'll find on the latter SubForum portable Web-browsers and Word-processors. Links to many of Mikewalsh's portables are from this post, viewtopic.php?p=48734#p48734.

Read their specific instructions. But in general, after moving them 'out of' /root/Downloads --which is in RAM-- to your other partition:
For portables, Right-Click the 'tar.gz' file and select UExtract. Then move the portable's folder where you want it. Left-Click the portable folder to 'enter it'. Some will have a script which (when left-clicked) will create a menu entry. All can be started by file-browsing into their folder and Left-Clicking their wrapper-script (if present) or binary (if not).
To open an SFS, you can Left-Click them and select "SFS-Load" on the fly. You'll be asked if you want to copy it to your Home partition. Select NO-- you don't have enough room. But you can configure them with your customization and settings, save those, then unload the SFS by Left-Clicking SFS-Load again.
AppImages are not 'executable' when you download them. It's a security feature. To make them executable Right-Click one, Select Properties, and put check in each of the boxes under Exec.
Have to break for breakfast but while I'm munching someone can explain how to create a menu entry to AppImages.
You can download large pets/debs extra and install them. BUT DO NOT EXECUTE A SAVE. When you first install, packages are only installed to RAM. Menu>Exit>Restart-x (AKA Graphic Server) will cause Puppy to re-catalog what constitutes its operating-system-in-RAM. Not all applications can be run this way. But many will.
PaDS, viewtopic.php?t=933 and "Create Portable AppImage", viewtopic.php?t=590 can be used to create SFSes and/or AppImages of even large applications involving many packages. These also can just use your RAM while building.
But, if you try to Save applications to your SaveFile beyond its physical capability of holding them the SaveFile will likely be corrupted, unusable and present boot-problems.
Someone can also explain how to create a 'backup SaveFile' stored on your other partition; and how to boot 'pfix=ram', so that you'll always be able to boot into a Pristine Fossapup, delete a corrupted SaveFile and substitute your backup.

MikeWalsh, in particular makes extensive use of applications not located on his Puppys' home partitions.

p.s. If the ISO of a Puppy bears the designation 'uefi' --such as bionicpup32-- it can be booted from computers using that mechanism. But, like everything else it may depend on your computer.

[mikeslr]

A frugal Puppy running from a hard-drive by default will execute a Save every 30 minutes. It expects that won't be a problem. With only 55 Mbs of RAM it is. Ask how to turn that off.
I have to go out. If no one has answered by the time I get back, I'll explain why and how.

[Sam Hobbs]

You don't have a great deal of flexibility with only a 55 Mb SaveFile. But if you know some tricks, it's more than enough.

That is good. I suspected I could use the other drives/partitions but I did not see anything initially. I was going to look for possibilities.

A little clarification might help. For me and I assume for most beginners it is not clear what you mean by save. I think you are referring to what happens when we do a shutdown or whatever. It is not clear how to do a save while running. I know there is a save icon in the desktop but I cannot find something describing it. Is that what we use for an explicit save?

Except, there's an application you can install named Startmount

Sounds good. I will get that.

With another partition mounted automatically, you can avoid the problem of your applications trying to save data to space too small to hold it. Open Puppy to /root (click the "files/Home Icon" at the top-left: in Puppy that root is like Windows Documents and Settings folder.

The procedure looks complicated but obviously I just must take it step-by-step. It will be exciting to get it to work.

Puppys can use portable-applications, SFSes and AppImages. Like Windows 'portables', all of these can be run from anywhere.

Good. I was hoping so.

[mikeslr]

Well, you now have Fossapup64 frugally installed with even a SaveFile using only 471 Mbs. It can do pretty much what Ubuntu Focal Fossa does. Focal Fossa requires a minimum partition of 8.6 Gbs with 25 Gbs being recommended. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Insta ... quirements. A little bit of history will help you understand how that is possible, and especially why it is important to modify how the SaveFile functions. That modification, itself, is easy.

Way back in the 'Dark Ages*' Puppy was originally created to run on a Windows computer from a CD. What it did was access the CD, copy some files into RAM, and thereafter continue to access the CD when necessary. It didn't have to write to the computer's hard-drive at all. It just used the computer's RAM and the hardware relating to monitor, keyboards, wifi etc.. That's exactly what a Frugal install continues to do. The only difference is that Puppy's system files have been relocated to your hard-drive rather than having to access them from a CD/DVD.
To preserve changes --settings, customizations, new applications-- those have to be written someplace. [Many Puppys can still be run from a CD/DVD writing such changes back to it. But I'm not sure about Fossapup64].
When USB-Keys became inexpensive and popular, booting from them rather than from a CD/DVD became possible. At that time, however, there was some concern that after a certain number of 'writes to' a USB-Key it would 'burn out'. I think the estimate was 100,000 which might seem a lot. But most systems are constructed to write immediately. Type the word 'word' and you've used 4 writes. A 500 word letter is estimated to involve 2,500 writes. It's not the number of letters which matter; its the number of times the USB-Key has to be accessed.
What Barry Kauler --the creator of Puppy Linux-- did was devise a system modifying Puppy so that it would keep every change in RAM and only write to the USB-Key on the User's manual demand, at a fixed interval (default 30 minutes) and if the last Save was less than that 30 minute interval 'Ask' on shutdown/reboot. On all Puppys, Menu>System>Puppy Event Manager, Click Save Session tab, opens a GUI that enables you to change the interval and set "Ask at shutdown". But that doesn't work when Puppy is run from what it "knows" is a hard-drive.
Shortly after Barry modified Puppys, someone figured out how to trick them into 'thinking' they were booted from a USB-Key even when they are on a hard-drive. To do that requires editing the arguments used by the boot-loader's configuration file.
I think you used Lick. If so, that configuration file is named lickgrub.cfg. It's just a text file. Having booted into Fossapup you can file-browse to it, Right-Click it and open it in geany or a text-editor.
You'll see a listing something like this:

menuentry 'FossaPup 64' {
search --set=root --file /Fossapup64-9.5-uefi/vmlinuz
linux /Fossapup64-9.5-uefi/vmlinuz pfix=fsck psubdir=Fossapup64-9.5-uefi
initrd /Fossapup64-9.5-uefi/initrd.gz
}
Look at the line beginning with linux. It may have this argument "pmedia=atahd" or say nothing at all about pmedial. Either change that to read or add the argument to read:
pmedia=ataflash.
Save the change.
As previously indicated, you will still have to change the Save interval. It should be '0'/zero=Never. And put a check mark in the 'Ask at shutdown' box. When you reboot, a Save Icon will appear on your desktop enabling you to manually Save whenever you want. At shutdown a GUI will open with two boxes "Save" "No Save". "Save" is highlighted so that all you have to do is press Enter. But the default configuration is "No Save": all you have to do is noting and Puppy will shutdown/reboot in 60 seconds without executing a Save.

-=-=-=-=-=-
* Dark Ages. You're probably familiar with the concept 'Dog Years' with the Rule of Thumb that every year of a dog's life is analogous to 7 years of a Human's Life. To keep up with new hardware, the new software that will run under it, and the security provisions which try to keep miscreants at bay, a new Linux kernel --think engine-- is published at least once a year, with sometime over 100 minor revisions published until the next new kernel. Every human year is like 10 years in the life of computer technology. 38 years have passed since 1987. Do you have any real understanding of what challenges you ancestor's 380 years ago faced? Consider how disoriented they would be if they were transported to our era. And they were Human, members of the most adaptable species ever. In comparison, computer operating systems are just 'idiots operating at the speed of light'.

[Sam Hobbs]

Thank you for all the explanations and instructions.

I think you used Lick. If so, that configuration file is named lickgrub.cfg. It's just a text file. Having booted into Fossapup you can file-browse to it, Right-Click it and open it in geany or a text-editor.

Yes I see a lickgrub.cfg in my Windows

Code: Select all

C:

It really helps to know where that boot stuff (menu) is at. I have one Puppy that I need to remove from the menu. I could edit the file in Windows but I do not know how critical it is to get the correct line endings and encoding. I can ask about that in a separate discussion.

[Sam Hobbs]

It really helps to know where that boot stuff (menu) is at.

And that was intended as a statement, not a question.

I could edit the file in Windows but I do not know how critical it is to get the correct line endings and encoding.

The file is a text file (no BOM) and has Windows line endings (CRLF). I edited it in Windows and it is likely safe to edit in Windows if someone wants to do that.

[mikeslr]

It really helps to know where that boot stuff (menu) is at.

And that was intended as a statement, not a question.

I could edit the file in Windows but I do not know how critical it is to get the correct line endings and encoding.

The file is a text file (no BOM) and has Windows line endings (CRLF). I edited it in Windows and it is likely safe to edit in Windows if someone wants to do that.

You may be lucky. Better to edit it using a Linux text-editor like geany or leafpad. Window used to have the annoying habit of changing lower-case text to uppercase text and Linux is case-sensative.

[Sam Hobbs]

I am still processing the reply from about 5 hours previous to the following reply. I think my save file has gotten to be about as big as it can get so the following seems to be the priority.

I think you used Lick. If so, that configuration file is named lickgrub.cfg. It's just a text file. Having booted into Fossapup you can file-browse to it, Right-Click it and open it in geany or a text-editor.
You'll see a listing something like this:

menuentry 'FossaPup 64' {
search --set=root --file /Fossapup64-9.5-uefi/vmlinuz
linux /Fossapup64-9.5-uefi/vmlinuz pfix=fsck psubdir=Fossapup64-9.5-uefi
initrd /Fossapup64-9.5-uefi/initrd.gz
}
Look at the line beginning with linux. It may have this argument "pmedia=atahd" or say nothing at all about pmedial. Either change that to read or add the argument to read:
pmedia=ataflash.
Save the change.
As previously indicated, you will still have to change the Save interval. It should be '0'/zero=Never. And put a check mark in the 'Ask at shutdown' box. When you reboot, a Save Icon will appear on your desktop enabling you to manually Save whenever you want. At shutdown a GUI will open with two boxes "Save" "No Save". "Save" is highlighted so that all you have to do is press Enter. But the default configuration is "No Save": all you have to do is noting and Puppy will shutdown/reboot in 60 seconds without executing a Save.

I have the following in my lickgrub.cfg.

Code: Select all

## start section fossapup64-9.5-3
menuentry 'fossapup64 9.5 SSD' {
search --set=root --file /fossapup64-9.5-3/vmlinuz
linux /fossapup64-9.5-3/vmlinuz pfix=fsck dofsck psubdir=fossapup64-9.5-3
initrd /fossapup64-9.5-3/initrd.gz
}

menuentry 'fossapup64 9.5 SSD (no save file)' {
search --set=root --file /fossapup64-9.5-3/vmlinuz
linux /fossapup64-9.5-3/vmlinuz pfix=ram savefile=none psubdir=fossapup64-9.5-3
initrd /fossapup64-9.5-3/initrd.gz
}

I had added SSD before because I also have a Puppy on a thumb drive.

I never boot without a save file but at least I understand why that would be needed. When I booted it just now I did not see a save button but there was one before.

So do I change:

Code: Select all

linux /fossapup64-9.5-3/vmlinuz pfix=fsck dofsck psubdir=fossapup64-9.5-3

To:

Code: Select all

linux /fossapup64-9.5-3/vmlinuz pfix=fsck dofsck psubdir=fossapup64-9.5-3 pmedia=ataflash

[williwaw]

I think my save file has gotten to be about as big as it can get so the following seems to be the priority.

If you had persistence up until recently, then there are ways to keep a smaller save. specifying the disk type, ataflash, will not change the size of your partition if you have run out of room.

can you take a screenshot of pmount?

[JASpup]

Hi Sam,

Normally, when you boot frugal and do not see the save button, it is because the save file/folder is not in the Puppy directory or has not been made yet and you're LIVE / all-in-ram.

There are other possibilities, but this is usually the case.

pmedia=ataflash won't find your save.

You can copy the save file from your SSD to USB if you want to see the same desktop there.

The reason we usually use ataflash or usbflash: viewtopic.php?t=2905

I have the following in my lickgrub.cfg.

Code: Select all

## start section fossapup64-9.5-3
menuentry 'fossapup64 9.5 SSD' {
search --set=root --file /fossapup64-9.5-3/vmlinuz
linux /fossapup64-9.5-3/vmlinuz pfix=fsck dofsck psubdir=fossapup64-9.5-3
initrd /fossapup64-9.5-3/initrd.gz
}

menuentry 'fossapup64 9.5 SSD (no save file)' {
search --set=root --file /fossapup64-9.5-3/vmlinuz
linux /fossapup64-9.5-3/vmlinuz pfix=ram savefile=none psubdir=fossapup64-9.5-3
initrd /fossapup64-9.5-3/initrd.gz
}

I had added SSD before because I also have a Puppy on a thumb drive.

I never boot without a save file but at least I understand why that would be needed. When I booted it just now I did not see a save button but there was one before.

So do I change:

Code: Select all

linux /fossapup64-9.5-3/vmlinuz pfix=fsck dofsck psubdir=fossapup64-9.5-3

To:

Code: Select all

linux /fossapup64-9.5-3/vmlinuz pfix=fsck dofsck psubdir=fossapup64-9.5-3 pmedia=ataflash

[Sam Hobbs]

can you take a screenshot of pmount?

I am not sure I understand but the following is an image from a pMount command of the relevant drive.

So yes I probably ran out of room. Is it possible to delete stuff in the save file? If not then can I just recreate one? I realize I will lose everything in the save file. It will probably be good for me to just redo the Puppy and take notes on what I do. I am better prepared now for how to create the Puppy.

[williwaw]

save on a windows partition is limited to a savefile. there are tools to make them smaller. it is generally package installs that make them bigger. browser caches can use up room and the browser should be configured to limit cache size if space is at a premium.

Just curious if you have a second disk on board? with a partition or more space available?
also, if your machine has a USB3 port, a flash drive will give pretty good performance. more than you might expect, as puppy is made to load into memory off a USB.
if your pup is installed on a linux partition, you can have a savefolder, easier to manage.
you can boot off of either disk or usb by using the boot selector for a type of dual boot.

your save file can be copied and saved somewhere and used in a second install. should you wish to convert a save file to a save folder, it would be a good question to post in the fossa subforum.

[Sam Hobbs]

Just curious if you have a second disk on board? with a partition or more space available?
also, if your machine has a USB3 port, a flash drive will give pretty good performance. more than you might expect, as puppy is made to load into memory off a USB.
if your pup is installed on a linux partition, you can have a savefolder, easier to manage.
you can boot off of either disk or usb by using the boot selector for a type of dual boot.

your save file can be copied and saved somewhere and used in a second install. should you wish to convert a save file to a save folder, it would be a good question to post in the fossa subforum.

I think that has been covered previously in this discussion.

Sure, I have a thumb drive with a Puppy in it. I also have a thumb drive with Ubuntu in it. And I have a portable drive with Ubuntu in it. This discussion is about using the small partition I have. Call me stupid for doing it but I think it is an interesting challenge and I hope others benefit from this.

In other forums I was criticized for using a thumb drive. And the thumb drive has the same Puppy as the SSD partition and the SSD is much faster, at least for starting, as you indicate.

[one]

[...]
pmedia=ataflash won't find your save.
[...]

That statement is wrong!

Follow the advice given by @mikeslr:

Menue>System>Puppy Event Manager>Save Session>set Save Interval to 0 (zero) and tick the box saying "Ask at shutdown whether to save or not".

With your little 55 MB savefile in mind you should only save your initial "QuickSetup first-run settings" like timezone and keyboard to not run out of space and corrupt the savefile.

Your original goal was:

I do not expect much from it. I know I can get a Linux that is text-only but I am hoping to be able to use some kind of GUI for things like a GUI text editor.

That goal you have achieved - and if you run your puppy in Ram only without saving at shutdown you can do anything within your 16 GB RAM.

peace