Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

Hello everybody:

This question could be non important, but It's interesting for me, to work faster when doing a backup.

When I want to save my configuration, I restart the system and copy the file "vanilladpupsave.4fs" directly or using the included backup programme (UTILITY- PUPSAVEBACKUP for frugal pups)

It is necessary restart the system before copying this file or it is updated instantanealy and there is no necessity to reboot ?

Thanks a lot.

Depends on the pupmode it is running in.

Program Pup-Sysinfo -> Sys-files -> PupState will tell you what pupmode you are running in.

If you have a save icon on the desktop.
Most likely it is running in pupmode 13.
So the changes are not directly written to the save as they happen.
They first are stored in the saveramdisk (an area in RAM)
When you click on the desktop save icon or do a shutdown.
Then the stuff in the saveramdisk is written to the save.
(This limits number of writes to a drive).

So for this mode of operation.
Click on the save desktop icon.
Let it update the save.
Now use the Pupsave Backup program to make a backup copy of the save.

If running in pupmode 12.
The save is directly written to with any new changes as they happen.
So that save is always up to date.
Can be copied at any time to have the updated one.

The Pupsave Backup program is designed to make backup copies while still using the save.

If you make a manual copy of the save.
Best to do it when it is not being used.
At least do not have any programs running, but the desktop.
That should make sure nothing is trying to access the save while you are trying to copy it.

I notice you are putting the backup in the same directory the frugal install is using.

It is better to make a directory specifically to hold backups.
Never know what could happen to the frugal install directory.

Even better to store them on a different partition or even a different drive.

A backup copy is for when things go wrong.
What goes wrong could be anything.

bigpup wrote: ↑Mon Feb 06, 2023 1:18 am

Even better to store them on a different partition or even a different drive.

My practice is to do both. Make a backup copy in the install directory, then copy it to completely different drive (or several drives). The advantage is that the backup can be renamed and chosen at startup if something is installed or altered in the present savefile that breaks the system. Then it's simply reboot and choose the backup, immediately make another backup from the backup! Delete the broken savefile. This is the frugal install at its finest.

geo_c wrote: ↑Mon Feb 06, 2023 2:05 am

bigpup wrote: ↑Mon Feb 06, 2023 1:18 am

Even better to store them on a different partition or even a different drive.

My practice is to do both. Make a backup copy in the install directory, then copy it to completely different drive (or several drives). The advantage is that the backup can be renamed and chosen at startup if something is installed or altered in the present savefile that breaks the system. Then it's simply reboot and choose the backup, immediately make another backup from the backup! Delete the broken savefile. This is the frugal install at its finest.

That's what I do:

Basic security copy rule: 3 copies:

First copy.- near and with fast access
Second copy.- Secured in other Hard disk
Third copy.- On an Internet host ( drive)

This way your work is saved.

"The time you "spend" doing a back up is saved by 1000 times when problems arrive"

Have a nice week

@bigpup Thanks a lot for your help, but I cant find this info.- It's possible that is because with Vanilla dPup some elements had been deleted, I don't know, but I haven't got a save icon on my puppy, so I imagine it only save info when restarting.

Thanks a lot.

bigpup wrote: ↑Mon Feb 06, 2023 1:06 am

Depends on the pupmode it is running in.

Program Pup-Sysinfo -> Sys-files -> PupState will tell you what pupmode you are running in.

If you have a save icon on the desktop.
Most likely it is running in pupmode 13.
So the changes are not directly written to the save as they happen.
They first are stored in the saveramdisk (an area in RAM)
When you click on the desktop save icon or do a shutdown.
Then the stuff in the saveramdisk is written to the save.
(This limits number of writes to a drive).

So for this mode of operation.
Click on the save desktop icon.
Let it update the save.
Now use the Pupsave Backup program to make a backup copy of the save.

If running in pupmode 12.
The save is directly written to with any new changes as they happen.
So that save is always up to date.
Can be copied at any time to have the updated one.

The Pupsave Backup program is designed to make backup copies while still using the save.

If you make a manual copy of the save.
Best to do it when it is not being used.
At least do not have any programs running, but the desktop.
That should make sure nothing is trying to access the save while you are trying to copy it.

but I haven't got a save icon on my puppy, so I imagine it only save info when restarting.

Most likely it is updating the save directly as something changes. At the same time it changes.

@pp4mnklinux You probably should change to pmedia=usbflash.