Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

i know it sounds dumb but hear me out. is it possible to remove the usb while using puppy linux? 18.04 to be precise. i'm also booting a saved session if that changes anything

using puppy linux? 18.04 to be precise

Not good enough info.
What is the specific name of the Puppy iso you are using for install to the USB?

Yes it is possible.

The main thing is the Puppy save file/folder has to be on a different drive.
It can not be on the USB you want to remove.

May require some tweaks of the boot loader menu config file.

How specifically did you install Puppy to the USB?

Usually, bigpup is right in that we need to know which Puppy to provide accurate advice. But you have one of the bionicpups. This will work with either and with most Puppys.
amethyst, formerly known as nic007, published a suite of utilities, named nicOS utilities suite, viewtopic.php?t=1694. Download, extract, SFS-Load and run it. Choose its Save2SFS module. It is used to replace your SaveFile/Folder with either an adrv.sfs, a ydrv.sfs or, sequentially, both; and, also works as a substitute for a SaveFile/Folder if you've never created one.
Adrvs and ydrs are automatically copied into RAM on bootup. Thereafter you can unplug the USB-Key it booted from.

But, some initial preparation is in order:
With the media unplugged, Puppy can't access it. If you were SFS-loading applications, such as LibreOffice.SFS, they won't work. But in most cases you can convert an SFS to a pet and install it. Same applies with portables: if they were on /mnt/home, move them to /opt. /mnt/home is the boot medium. /opt is an internal system file. IIRC, AppImages can also be located in /opt.
All links and setting must be made before creating the adrv/ydrv is created. Creating either will 'capture' those within the adrv/ydrv.
The graphic shows Bionicpup64 with a ydrv (colored for emphasis). Also colored is the fdrv.sfs as I replaced the original kernel with one which needed firmware (in the fdrv.sfs).

Caution: If, like bionicpup32 your Puppy was published with either an adrv.sfs or a ydrv.sfs it is best to know what's in it. It's contents will also be captured; but its files could be over-written by conflicting files. Not a problem with bionicpup32 which, IIRC, only has firefox-lite in its own folder in /opt in its adrv. But Fossapup64's adrv has many applications. amethyst gave advice about how to handle that. But I'm not sure what it was. So, also best to check the nicOS-Utilities-Suite thread before proceeding.

Not good enough info.

If the saved session is on the USB, no.

If you boot a live session or have the saved session on a different (usually internal) partition, yes.

I would think you can do this even with a save-file/folder on the USB stick.....so long as you set the save intervals to manual (i.e., only save when YOU tell Puppy to.)

Or am I wrong in thinking this? I'm always willing to learn, guys!

Mike.

No.
The save is only mounted, it is not loaded into RAM.
When something in the save is needed. It is read from the save and only that, is loaded into RAM.
So, the drive it is on, has to be mounted, to access it.

If the save is on the USB drive.
The drive is always mounted.
Cannot be unmounted and removed from computer.

bigpup is correct. The Save is only mounted. Once you have a Save you can't unplug the USB-Key [unless you boot pfix=ram*]. But if you aren't using a Save having substituted either an adrv or a ydrv, you can. viewtopic.php?p=41084#p41084.

Another way is to use amethyst's nicOS-Auto-Base-Remaster, viewtopic.php?t=1694: remastering the base** to include all your customizations, settings and installed packages.

* then, of course, everything in the Save is unavailable.
** base is a good term. I should have thought of it as an efficient way of referring to all the applications, files and their connections included in the puppy_VERSION_NUMBER.sfs.