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Why Do Save Folders Have Two SubFolders? (when OverlayFS is used)

Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2024 2:12 am
by JusGellin

Why does the puppy save file have two folders:
One called upper which has a lot in it.
One called work which doesn't have anything in it.

Thanks


Re: Why Do Save Folders Have Two SubFolders?

Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2024 2:38 am
by rockedge

This is how the OverlayFS works. Other Puppy Linux's use AUFS to create the file system stack and do not use this scheme

You will notice that FirstRib and Kennel Linux also use overlayfs for the file system stack creation and have similar directories. All of the session changes are stored in upper


Re: Why Do Save Folders Have Two SubFolders?

Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2024 4:28 pm
by geo_c
rockedge wrote: Tue Jul 30, 2024 2:38 am

This is how the OverlayFS works. Other Puppy Linux's use AUFS to create the file system stack and do not use this scheme

You will notice that FirstRib and Kennel Linux also use overlayfs for the file system stack creation and have similar directories. All of the session changes are stored in upper

Reminds me of a question always in the back of my mind.

When I copy my upper_changes from one install to another, I ususally don't include the work folder, because it seems if my memory is clear, that sometimes including the work folder from one drive to another causes an Xfce policy kit notification (not necessarily an error) when booting on the copied install. So I normally don't copy the work folder and delete the one in the target install before booting, if it's already there.

Is this a correct understanding of mine? What is the recommended approach for migrating upper_changes in regards to the work folder?


Re: Why Do Save Folders Have Two SubFolders? (when OverlayFS is used)

Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2024 6:06 pm
by rockedge

@geo_c You can discard the /work directory when moving, saving, renaming an /upper_changes. It is only being used as a temporary cache during system runtime. It is created automatically on system start if not present during the file system stack creation during the boot stages.