Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

Is there a way that I can boot Linux Mint iso and specify where to save changes?
This is my current boot stanza. Boot okay, but no save. I'd like to add wifi driver, and reboot.

menuentry "linuxmint-22.1-xfce-64bit.iso" {
	set isopath="/iso/linuxmint-22.1-xfce-64bit.iso"
	set uuid="bb94d387-3044-473f-b27a-fb922738805b"
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root $uuid
	loopback loop $isopath
	linux (loop)/casper/vmlinuz boot=casper iso-scan/filename=$isopath noeject noprompt splash -- psave=sda2:linux-mint-save
	initrd (loop)/casper/initrd.lz
}

I create linux-mint-save directory, and tried putting psave=sda2:linux-mint-save, didn't work.

Also tried to read this, trying to pick something that I could adapt.
viewtopic.php?p=140623#p140623

I create linux-mint-save directory, and tried putting psave=sda2:linux-mint-save, didn't work

No "save directory" like in PuppyLinux. You have to create extra a persistence partition for linux mint.
Alternative you can convert LinuxMint with FirstRibIT like puppy frugal install with save directory.viewtopic.php?t=12030

esos wrote: Mon Mar 17, 2025 3:10 am

I create linux-mint-save directory, and tried putting psave=sda2:linux-mint-save, didn't work

No "save directory" like in PuppyLinux. You have to create extra a persistence partition for linux mint.
...

Yes, you need a partition labeled writable (as it should be named nowadays (later Ubunu versions), it used to be named in the past 'casper-rw', why do they always change things ).
Then, boot stanza:

menuentry "linuxmint-22.1-xfce-64bit.iso persistent" {
	set isopath="/iso/linuxmint-22.1-xfce-64bit.iso"
	set uuid="bb94d387-3044-473f-b27a-fb922738805b"
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root $uuid
	loopback loop $isopath
	linux (loop)/casper/vmlinuz boot=casper persistent iso-scan/filename=$isopath noeject noprompt splash --
	initrd (loop)/casper/initrd.lz
}

Also it should work by using a save-file, tell me if you want that and I can possibly help.
edit: tested now with save-file and it works but only when it's located on a FAT32 partition, to create 1GB savefile :

dd if=/dev/zero of=writable bs=1M count=1024
mkfs.ext3 -L writable -F writable

edit: as FAT32 has a limitation of the size that the savefile can be (4GB), I'd say that a writable labeled partition (ext2/3/4) is better.

@fredx181

That works Fred, thanks!

Dumb dumb me, I created a FAT32 partition called "writeable" and also a savefile called "writeable".
So, 2 devices both called "writeable" are shown...
Anyway, it works, I managed to put wifi driver - hence using this Linux Mint to post this reply.

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Does this mean if I only created persistence partition (not necessarily Fat32, but any-type - ext3, ext4) labeled "writeable", it would have worked too?
(I'll try later, but you probably already know the answer).

dcung wrote: Mon Mar 17, 2025 5:55 pm

Does this mean if I only created persistence partition labeled "writeable", it would have worked too?

Yes, only a partition 'writable' labeled (btw, I forgot initially to mention it should be a Linux formatted filesystem, not FAT).