Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

NOTE:
This procedure works for setup and installing on any type drive that is read/write.
I have used it for USB flash drives, internal or external hard drives or SSD, SD cards, etc......

This method allows for single or multiple Puppy versions installed on one USB stick.

A single boot loader setup to boot all installed.

Use Gparted program.
Setup the USB stick with 2 partitions.

First one, small 300MB, fat32 format, flagged boot, esp (location for boot loader files, boot partition)

Rest of drive, whatever other partition(s), but one ext3 or 4 format. (location to put frugal installs)

(this is UEFI standard requirement, and some computers, look for a fat32 partition, for boot loader files)

Use the program Frugalpup Installer to do the install of Puppy version(s) and a boot loader to boot them.

Run Frugalpup Installer main program.
On the main window are selection buttons.
Select the Puppy button, to do the install.
Go through install process, selecting to install to the ext formatted partition.
Note:
When selecting the partition to install to.
A window pops up, giving option to make a directory, to put the frugal install in.
I make this directory and usually name it, the name of the Puppy version.
Carefully read that windows info.
Press enter, makes the directory, not the OK button.
complete the install.

When it gets back to the main Frugalpup window.
Select the boot button.
Select the location of the frugal install, on the USB stick.
Select the 1st partition, the small 300MB partition on the USB stick, as location to install the boot loader. (may need to scroll the selection window)
Select the boot loader type.
UEFI
mbr ->legacy bios boot
both

You can install the UEFI for UEFI computers, mbr for legacy bios computers, or both, to boot anything.

The UEFI will also install the needed files, to support secure boot enabled in UEFI.

When you first boot the USB stick, on a UEFI computer, with secure boot enabled.
A process will start, to allow you to install the Puppy security key, to the computer.
It will add this Puppy key, to the other ones, loaded on the computer.

Note:
Not all UEFI computers are the same, for booting from a USB stick.
Some may require secure boot disabled, CSM enabled, or legacy boot enabled, to be able to boot from a USB stick.
So, for those computers.
The mbr boot loader will work, because the UEFI bios, is basically in, legacy bios operation.
Some computer bios setups have option to enable/disable USB booting. That would need to be enabled.

To put more frugal installs on the same USB stick.
Do the complete process again of using Frugalpup Installer, for the new Puppy version.
When you run the boot loader install.
It will make entries, for all installs it finds, on the USB drive.

Note:
There is a newer version of Frugalpup Installer
viewtopic.php?t=337
You may want to download and install it before using it.

NOTE:
This procedure works for setup and installing on any type drive that is read/write.
I have used it for USB flash drives, internal or external hard drives or SSD, SD cards, etc......
.
.

bigpup wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2024 5:53 am

This method allows for single or multiple Puppy versions installed on one USB stick.

A single boot loader setup to boot all installed.

8<------instructions snipped------

When you first boot the USB stick, on a UEFI computer, with secure boot enabled.
A process will start, to allow you to install the Puppy security key, to the computer.
It will add this Puppy key, to the other ones, loaded on the computer.

Note:
Not all UEFI computers are the same, for booting from a USB stick.
Some may require secure boot disabled, CSM enabled, or legacy boot enabled, to be able to boot from a USB stick.
So, for those computers.
The mbr boot loader will work, because the UEFI bios, is basically in, legacy bios operation.
Some computer bios setups have option to enable/disable USB booting. That would need to be enabled.

To put more frugal installs on the same USB stick.
Do the complete process again, for the new Puppy version.
When you run the boot loader install.
It will make entries, for all installs it finds, on the USB drive.

Note:
There is a newer version of Frugalpup Installer
viewtopic.php?t=337
You may want to download and install it before using it.

I got the new version of Frugalpup Installer (frugalpup-41.pet) from https://www.mediafire.com/file/me2y2dpr ... 1.pet/file
And installed it.
What is the Puppy security key?

Just mentioning Ventoy as it can be useful. So can Medicat.

https://www.ventoy.net/en/index.html

https://medicatusb.com/

I have not specifically tested frugal installs with either method but it might be possible. I use Medicat a lot to boot live media due to ease (drop isos in a folder and reboot).

Unless someone beats me to it, I might try looking into how easy/possible it would be to use either of the above for quick and easy frugal installs. A little under the weather right now so not up to testing yet.

What is the Puppy security key?

The Operating System(OS) security key identifies it as a legitimate OS.

This is a requirement of UEFI bios
Computers with UEFI bios have an option to enable secure boot.

Secure boot requires there to be a Operating System(OS) security key, provided by the OS, installed on the computer.
Secure boot looks to see if there is a specific OS security key, before it will continue booting.

Disable secure boot in UEFI bios settings and no security key needed to boot the OS.