Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

Greetings, and thanks for everyone's efforts in creating yet another great puppy linux distro I've been using puppy since tahr.

I've just created a remaster of fossapup64, after a long period of bionicpup. The only way I use puppy is without a save file, that is, always just load it to RAM (have changed the grub entry, etc, for it to be instant). Then, every few weeks, I remaster it for updates, etc.

I've always remastered using this guide, which fits exactly what I need (eg, add the firewall to init.d, wifi config on frisbee).
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=71349
Perhaps I missed an updated better way of doing this?

For info (unrelated to this question), for whomever it may interest (after learning it in the past, I delete .xloaded from root to prevent it from going into the improper shutdown screen at boot, add a few scripts to the startup folder to power off the HD after boot, edit the suspend.sh for the same, and a few other things)[/size]

However, in this remaster of fossapup, a few minor things are not sticking, and have not been able to find a way to sort this one out.
1- I've changed the layout of icons in the desktop, adding a few, removing a few, realigning other. When it boots again, all that is lost. Was not the case on previous versions. Have tried (on fossa), to go to JWM and change it to custom layout, but of no change after remastering it

2- The retrovol is sometimes loaded at boot, sometimes not (random, in different boots for the same image). This was the case too on bionic, so added a script in the startup folder to run retrovol -hide. If it is already loaded, it will just open the volume window (minor nuisance, but no big deal). However, on fossa it is now selecting multiple sounds cards when loading (both from the HDMI (which I don't want) and the analog (which is the actual thing). I change it on the multiple sound cards window to the right option, but it doesn't stick again on remaster (have also found out that the the slider was for the incorrect option, but changing it to the master volume sticks). The problem with having multiple cards selected is that the up/down volume keys and mute don't work (I've remapped them on JWM btw for them to work after selecting the right card)

3-How to have the keyboard layout and locale stick to a specific option on the welcome to puppy window that always opens at the beginning? Since bionic this too has been like it (not on xenial or tahr). I'm guessing it will be a file in /usr or /var, but have not been able to identify it, and also, not sure how I would include a modified version on the remaster if coming from these folders (the above guide allows for files in /root to be preserved)

Appreciate any hints and help

I've run into a similar case also.
here is some good information : viewtopic.php?f=4&t=612

This is a powerful set of tools to remaster among some other functions. I've had good results using it to remaster complex Puppy sytems with fully installed LAMP's and CCTV systems.

Thanks rockedge
Great tool by nic007. And a lot easier too. It has sorted the retrovol issue. Unfortunately not for the other issues. I've remastered it based on my previous remaster, so it could be perpetuating some errors, may have to try it from scratch. It has also pointed me to where the volume error was happening, there is an alsa file in etc which should have been included in the remaster process.

It is also possible that the other 2 issues are not related to a remaster, but from some new script in woof at 1st boot. It looks like a file in /root/Choices called puppypin (which contains the layout of the desktop icons at any point) is getting overwritten with the default version that it comes with. That's the only real pending issue at the moment. Maybe I'll put a script before X starts to overwrite that with the customized version.

Regarding the keyboard layout I have no idea, but it's negligible (was there in bionic too). There is a keyboard layout file in /etc which already has the correct country code before I have to choose the correct layout on the quicksetup that appears at boot, but it does not appear to be doing anything. Not sure which other file is being changed when pressing OK in this quicksetup.

hi bigpuppyfan

your item 1, desktop icons customization not retained after remaster. Here's a fix:

before remaster:
-rename /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/puppypin-norm to /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/puppypin-norm_orig
-copy /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/puppypin to another location, and rename the copy puppypin-norm
-copy puppypin-norm back to /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/

On a similar note I've been fighting with the fossa remaster script, take a look at this post:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2155

I'd be interested if you have seen anything similiar.

wizard

I wonder if the issues could have anything to do with how Fossapup64 9.5 is separated into more sfs files than normal.

The remaster program is kind of old and has not been updated for the possibility of more than normal sfs files needed.

Fossapup64 9.5
Has the added sfs files:
adrv and fdrv.

Also, it seems to have stuff more differently divided between the different sfs files.
Notice that note at the end!

what the different drvs.sfs give you: .....

puppy_fossapup64_9.5.sfs 97mb
a basic system that boots to desktop. no dri drivers, no apps apart from dillo, urxvt & leafpad

adrv_fossapup_9.5.sfs 229mb
this will give you a regular puppy, abiword, mtpaint palemoon etc

fdrv_fossapup64_9.5.sfs 40mb
this is the firmware separated from the kernel and is easy to edit and change

zdrv_fossapup64_9.5.sfs 27mb
this is the kernel and can easily be changed with change_kernels

note that the puppy.sfs requires a zdrv.sfs & fdrv.sfs, the adrv requires the puppy.sfs,zdrv.sfs & fdrv.sfs.

Amazing, thanks wizard!
Was curious and went to Bionic and looks like this puppypin-norm file is a new thing, which explains the issue.

In the meantime, have found out a way to sort my sound card issue in the previous remaster. Running the alsa wizard creates a asound.conf file. All it needed was for it to be included in /etc in the new remaster. Wasn't needed before, but similarly there must be some new script

Feel I'm getting close to the KB layout at boot, have been looking inside the quicksetup file, but haven't figured out yet how the default parameter is set.

As for your thread, personally I've not had those problems or similar. I had read it earlier and was going to reply, but wanted to explore the nicOS tool a little more. Have you tried remastering with it? Might be worth a shot. Though I have found how that a few files went missing from /usr/share when I did it, hence all the above.

Or try remastering it this way (after all my case was not completely a remastering problem, just some issues from new scripts, so appears to still be solid - it merges the adrv, fdrv into the main sfs):
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=71349

But also, to me it appears that it may be some issue in JWM (like the keyboard key opening mtpaint - did it somehow find its way into the JWM hotkey)? Sorry, I'm far from being an expert - but hopefully when you remaster with one of the above options, with /root remaining unchanged, those issues will disappear. Just a tip - delete .xloaded from /root if you do the 2nd method (it's just a flag) and make zdrv separate when it asks

wizard wrote: ↑Sat Feb 13, 2021 3:15 pm

hi bigpuppyfan

your item 1, desktop icons customization not retained after remaster. Here's a fix:

before remaster:
-rename /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/puppypin-norm to /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/puppypin-norm_orig
-copy /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/puppypin to another location, and rename the copy puppypin-norm
-copy puppypin-norm back to /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/

On a similar note I've been fighting with the fossa remaster script, take a look at this post:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2155

I'd be interested if you have seen anything similiar.

wizard

Hi, bigpuppyfan

Just a few notes regarding my nicOS-Utility-Suite. The main object developing the remaster script was to make things more user-friendly. Although it's broadly based on Puppy's standard remaster script, some improvements have been made (like rectifying the ALSA configuration issue for example). My script was tested on 32-bit Puppys up to Bionic. Personally, I don't have 64-bit Puppys and I do not have Fossapup. Now, as the development of Puppy goes on, some things change along the way (like you have noticed with the puppypin issue of fossapup). Developers try to adapt Puppy's standard remaster script for their new releases. My script is a "one-for-all" script and as you can imagine, it's very difficult to produce one script which will work perfectly for all Puppy's, old and new (almost impossible). My script will incude the contents of all drives in the remastered base sfs (except the zdrv and fdrv which will be kept seperate). So the contents of any adrv and ydrv for example, will be included if you have booted with them.

I suggest you have a look at the Save2SFS-tool which is also part of my suite. This can be seen as an alternative to remastering. This method leaves your base sfs untouched and your system changes are saved to either a ydrv or adrv.

bigpuppyfan wrote: ↑Sat Feb 13, 2021 10:44 pm

Feel I'm getting close to the KB layout at boot, have been looking inside the quicksetup file, but haven't figured out yet how the default parameter is set.

I have made a Japanese edition of Fossapup64 (iso).
A Japanized Fossapup64 thread
https://sakurapup.browserloadofcoolness ... 54cad0341d
The procedure is as follows:

1. boot without a save file and make changes you want (sound and network settings are left untouched)
2. shutdown to save the session
3. copy the contents of the save file to a working directory
4. go to the working directory and duplicate /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/PuppyPin as /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/PuppyPin-norm
5. copy /usr/sbin/xorg-autoconf from the original iso to the working directory and edit the file to change the keyboard layout to what you want (lines 1226 and 1268, "jp" in my case)
6. use mksquashfs command to make a new adrv sfs from the contents of the working directory
7. copy the contents of the original iso to another working directory and rename the original adrv sfs as ydrv sfs
8. copy the new adrv sfs to the working directory
9. use mkisofs command to make a customized iso

A customized iso made in this way is meant to be used as a whole. It is not meant to be used as a minimal system which does not include standard apps of Puppy.

/usr/sbin/xorg-autoconf is responsible for the generation of /etc/X11/xorg.conf. If we would like to have the keyboard layout set properly at first boot, we will need to have /usr/sbin/xorg-autoconf edited beforehand.

@bigpuppyfan

Looks like I have it all sorted out by using the shotgun approach of replacing both the /root and /etc directories as outlined by catdude in the link you referenced. Here's the overview:

-run standard remaster
-replace /tmp/root with /root
-copy /tmp/root/Choices/ROX-Filer/PuppyPin to /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/PuppyPin-norm
-copy /tmp/root/Choices/ROX-Filer/PuppyPin to /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/PuppyPin-sml
-replace /tmp/etc with /etc

Here's a couple of things I do to make remastering a little easier:
All standard puppy remaster scripts put the files in puppylivecdbuild so I added the following section to my grub4dos menu.lst file. You may need to modify based on the partition where puppylivecdbuild is created (mine is on sda1).

# Linux bootable partition config begins
  title Puppy Linux build test
  rootnoverify (hd0,0)
  kernel /puppylivecdbuild/vmlinuz pmedia=atahd psubdir=puppylivecdbuild pfix=fsck
  initrd /puppylivecdbuild/initrd.gz
# Linux bootable partition config ends

When my remaster is done all I have to do is reboot and choose Puppy Linux build test from the grub menu and the remaster boots.

For fossfa 9.5, I have a script that executes the steps in the overview above.

How to use 95fix.sh:
-run standard remaster
-at the message telling you that /tmp/root has been created, STOP, then click 95fix.sh (using rox), wait for message
-you will get a message that /root copied to tmp/root, click OK and continue the remaster
--at the message telling you that /tmp/etc has been created, STOP, then click 95fix.sh (using rox), wait for message
-you will get a message that /tmp/etc has been modified , click OK and continue the remaster as normal

That's it. When it's done you should have a remaster that is a duplicate of your running modified pup

@amethyst Your tool is great, thanks for sharing it . It sorted my alsa issue and pointed me in the right direction. As I first used it to remaster a remaster, it perpetuated some errors, I think nothing to do with your tool. Did not know about that Save2SFS function, definitely going to try it out

@thinkpadfreak Fantastic, that has sorted it, thanks a lot! Prior to your advice I only managed to go all the way to xkbconfigmanager, had edited it with no success

@wizard Glad to hear the other method has sorted it out, and thanks for the hints. In all my remasters had never fully replaced the etc folder, only putting rc.firewall in init.d and a wpa supplicant file - for some reason thought it would otherwise create some conflicts with the startup script, so very helpful to know it works well after all

Thanks all for your help!

Just a small update - I've remastered from scratch this time (after using the above tips and other necessary changes). Both methods, the one outlined by catdude (which I have always used) and the new NicOS tool, have worked flawlessly. Some files that somehow were missing on my prior remaster on /usr have remained, so it had been some problem unrelated to NicOS.

In addition, NicOS, besides being much easier, has reduced the base sfs size by about 30 MB (probably due to the max compression setting). Even the thinkpadfreak's solution to the keyboard layout has persisted in the remaster without needing any additional steps (other than of course editing xorg-autoconf). Impressive! Definitely my method of choice from now on. It also has a very easy edit sfs option, which I've used to introduce a small script to the base sfs afterwards without having to "remaster".

Hi, bigpuppyfan. Thanks for the feedback with regards to the nicOS remaster tool. It's good to know that it still works well even with a new 64-bit Puppy.

Frugal fossapup v9.5 with working browsers vivaldi v3.6.2165.36 and Brave v1.20.103., but the built Custom ISO using "95fix.sh" script does not save browsers setting and display setting.

hi esos,

thanks for the feedback on 95fix.sh. You can open it as a text file and see that is does only four things:

-copies 2 puppypin files that capture the desktop icons and background
-copies the entire contents of /root
-copies the entire contents of /etc

I'm using firefox in a directory in /home (outside the save file) and that one does retain all settings. The only things I can think are happening with the browsers are:

-the settings are not kept in /root or /etc
-the standard remaster is modifying the settings after 95fix.sh copies them

I don't create an iso and instead just copy the created puppy files to a new machine. When I've done that, puppy comes up like it's a new setup (no save file) and let's me configure. I also press ctrl/alt/backspace and run xorgwizard to reset the video. That doesn't solve your issue if running from a CD on the same computer, but the video settings would need to change when using on a different computer.

The display settings should be in /etc/X11/xorg.conf. Try copying that file to a location not in the save file, then compare it to the same file from the created iso. That should tell us if the remaster script is changing it.

wizard

duplicate post

bigpup wrote: ↑Sat Feb 13, 2021 3:55 pm

I wonder if the issues could have anything to do with how Fossapup64 9.5 is separated into more sfs files than normal.

That could be part of the issue. However, this could be solved by creating an iso with the sfs merged. Another issue with the puppy remaster script is that for certain directories it takes things from the original iso rather then the user changes. If I recall correctly this might include the /etc directory and the /root directory. It is possible that the remaster script captures some changes in these directories but likely not many.

The reason for this behavior is to avoid copying private information onto an iso that someone might share with others. It is also often the case that many of the default settings are sufficient and specific user configurations aren't need. For this reason a more minimal iso can be achieved by not copying all the changes in the /etc folder.

That all said, this behavior is not ideal when one is using the iso for iternal use and at the very least the remaster script should generate a save file for the changes not captured in the iso.

The remaster program is kind of old and has not been updated for the possibility of more than normal sfs files needed.

Fossapup64 9.5
Has the added sfs files:
adrv and fdrv.

Also, it seems to have stuff more differently divided between the different sfs files.
Notice that note at the end!

what the different drvs.sfs give you: .....

puppy_fossapup64_9.5.sfs 97mb
a basic system that boots to desktop. no dri drivers, no apps apart from dillo, urxvt & leafpad

adrv_fossapup_9.5.sfs 229mb
this will give you a regular puppy, abiword, mtpaint palemoon etc

fdrv_fossapup64_9.5.sfs 40mb
this is the firmware separated from the kernel and is easy to edit and change

zdrv_fossapup64_9.5.sfs 27mb
this is the kernel and can easily be changed with change_kernels

note that the puppy.sfs requires a zdrv.sfs & fdrv.sfs, the adrv requires the puppy.sfs,zdrv.sfs & fdrv.sfs.

There are defiantly lots of improvements that could be made to the remaster scripts in puppy.

@s243a

thanks for weighing in on this. The 95fix.sh along with the standard remaster filled my needs. I've created many "fix" scripts over the years for other puppies. Typically when I get ready to use a new puppy version I do all the customization, add pets, etc, then remaster. I don't add any personal files or settings to the setup install, so I want the remaster to be an exact duplicate. I take the remastered pup and install it to use.

I've always thought that an easy way for users to remaster and create a custom "puplet" was a hallmark of puppy. That feature has been touted in every version. I also think that most new users who attempt it using the standard remaster are disappointed when not even their wallpaper and desktop icons make it to the puplet/iso.

wizard

wizard wrote: ↑Sat Feb 20, 2021 1:18 am

@s243a

thanks for weighing in on this. The 95fix.sh along with the standard remaster filled my needs. I've created many "fix" scripts over the years for other puppies. Typically when I get ready to use a new puppy version I do all the customization, add pets, etc, then remaster. I don't add any personal files or settings to the setup install, so I want the remaster to be an exact duplicate. I take the remastered pup and install it to use.

I've always thought that an easy way for users to remaster and create a custom "puplet" was a hallmark of puppy. That feature has been touted in every version. I also think that most new users who attempt it using the standard remaster are disappointed when not even their wallpaper and desktop icons make it to the puplet/iso.

wizard

I think that since woof-CE has become the dominant way to build a puppy that the remaster scripts have became lower priority for the developers. That said anyone is free to do a pull/merge request on GitHub to help update puppies remaster scripts.

In the meantime we can thank Nic (AKA @amethyst ) for the alternative scripts.

Well, sofar I know two puppydogs using "porteus boot style" that you can create custom iso easily.
1. Simplicity: working pulseaudio, remasterable but vivaldi/brave not working.
2. Fossadog: remasterable but no pulseaudio. I can run vivaldi, after reboot the installation is gone.

Porteus: small, fast, remasterable with pulseaudio.
Mxlinux: big iso (complete package: all working)

Thank you to everyone for discussing the problem of missing desktop shortcuts in a remaster of fossapup64-9.5.

And special thanks to wizard for the 95fix.sh.gz solution because there was no way I was ever going to succeed by myself.

I was happy to try - several times - using the instructions by catdude but eventually gave up having proved (again) just how stupid I am!

Cheers

@maggie
No "stupid" to be handed out. I've done remasters for many years and always wanted mine to be exact duplicates of my custom setup including desktop background and icons. The standard remaster has always required manipulation to do that part and it took a lot of reading, help and trial and error to get there. The puppy forum members are great at helping solve problems. Glad you could use the 95fix script. Come back to the forums anytime'

wizard

Many years later!

I struck the same issue as the OP when remastering Fossapup64, went looking and found this thread with the bash script.

When using the bash script during the remaster the first try created a remastered puppy that just boots into a terminal (and XWIN also fails).
Looking carefully at the info presented by the remaster info dialog it doesn't actually mention a 'tmp/etc' folder just '/etc'.
Not familiar with bash scripts but it seems the first section in it tests if the tmp/etc folder exists, and does a copy action if it exists.
This action must have taken place as on the first click it moved on to the second section in the bash script.
And a tmp/etc must have been created as the second click executed the first section in the bash script.

So tried again with just a '1 click' and as described the '2 click' on the bash script during the remaster and this time both remastered puppies worked (the 2 click remaster preserves just about all but the screen resolution).
Can only presume something went pear shaped the first time I tried.

Thanks for the bash script as I really wanted a few remastered copies that were exactly the same.