Persistent-Home problems (long + details)

[AllParadox]

I am having a problem with saving to a hard drive.

Gritty Details: 13 years as a developer on too many different systems.
Prof. experience: 4 years on HPUnix, 6 years on C/C++, all of it stale
(3 yrs old)
Education: used "search" in Knoppix Forum to find every instance of
"persistent". Didn't understand the responses on half of
them, but read them anyway.

Machine: a boat-anchor I picked up for next-to-nothing
CPU: 800 MHz AMD Athlon
Mem: 320 Mbytes SDRAM, PC-100
Floppy: Generic
CD-ROM: Toshiba CD-ROM XM-6102B
Hitachi CDR-8430 -- has caused a lot of trouble. Spools
down after access, then programs fail because device is
not available, both from MS Windows and from Knoppix.
Video: 3dfx VooDoo3
NIC: 3Com Etherlink 10/100 PIC NIC 3c905-TX
SCSI: Win9X-ME Promise Ultra100 IDE Controller PDC20265
HD: 19.623 Gbytes IBM-DTLA-305020 Ultra DMA2

Partitions: (from QT-Parted)
1: Primary, type=vfat, size=4.87 Gbytes, boot for MS Windows 98
2: Primary, type=Linux-swap, size=760 Mbytes
3: Free space size=13.54 Gbytes

OS: Knoppix 4.02, dated 2005-09-23

FWIW: kernel: Linux 2.6.12
KDE: version 3.4.1

_______________________________


Goals:
1. Use HD files from Knoppix, well enough that I can show my poor
old gray-haired mother how to do it. So far, this is not looking good.
2. Do some high-precision cryptography computations with the GNU
GMP package. Also not very successful.

Initially, I downloaded Knoppix from this site. Burned to CD off my wife's
Windows XP-Pro machine. Have used the same CD throughout.

Boot-up from CD on ye olde boat-anchor: awesome. Love the Autobahn
graphics. I have been using Mandrake, and the boot was just lovely.

Saving anything, anytime, anywhere, was impossible. I had to read two
or three dozen posts before I found out that the HD has to be set to
r/w from read-only in TWO different places before you can use it
(Yes, I was shouting), and has to be done every time you log on.
Never did figure out how to save into anything except a vfat partition.

Fired up QT-Parted
Step 1: repartitioned the HD. Reduced Partition 1 to 4.87 Mbytes.
Step 2: created Linx-Swap partition, 760 Mbytes.

Step 3a: QT-Parted to create a jfs partition from the rest of it, 1,360
Mbytes. QT-Parted would not format it, immediately quit.

Step 3b: QT-Parted to erase the jfs partition and format as vfat, 1,360
Mbytes. Downloaded GPM onto a CD from the other machine.
Copied from CD into second vfat partion. Tried to "configure".
Failed.
GPM "configure" uses "hard links" during its set-up process.
Vfat file-system is incompatible with Unix-style hard links.

Step 3c: QT-Parted to erase the second vfat partion, left the remainder
of the HD "free". Tried to use Knoppix to create a persistent
"/home". Attempted
KNOPPIX->configure->Create persistent KNOPPIX disk image
"Knoppix-configure" cannot find the free portion of the HD.

Step 3d: used QT-Parted to create an ext3 partition, 1,360 Mbytes.
Knoppix->configure->Create persistent KNOPPIX disk image
"Knoppix-configure" will not go past the screen saying that I
need to have a partition with at least 2 Gbytes of free space,
and 128 Meg ram.

Step 3e: used QT-Parted to format the ext3 partition. Went to the HD
icon on the desktop. Mounted ext3 partition. Changed from
read-only to read/write. Toggled off the device read-only.
Tried to copy from CD, and from the vfat partition, into the
ext3 partition. "Copy" failed, with an error message that I
do not have authorization to change anything on the ext3
partition, not even from "root".

Step 3f: used QT-Parted to erase the ext3 partition, then created an
ext3 partition labeled "/", size=1000 Mbytes, and another ext3
partition labeled "/home", size=about 12 Gbytes, the rest
of it. "Knoppix-configure" will not go past the screen saying
that I need to have a partition with at least 2 Gbytes of free
space, and 128 Meg ram.

Step 3g: used QT-Parted to format the ext3 partitions.
"Knoppix-configure" will not go past the screen saying that I
need to have a partition with at least 2 Gbytes of free space,
and 128 Meg ram.
Went to the HD icon on the desktop. Mounted ext3 partition.
Changed from read-only to read/write. Toggled off the device
read-only. Tried to copy from CD, and from the vfat partition,
into the ext3 partition. "Copy" failed, with an error message
that I do not have authorization to change anything on the ext3
partition, not even from "root".

Step 3h: KNOPPIX->root shell
>knoppix-installer
...
...
will not go past screen saying I need 2 Gbytes in partition and
128 Meg ram.

Any ideas on what it is that I might be missing?

Please, in any responses, you will need to give me detailed instructions
if I have to enter anything from the "Konsole". My fingers have better
memory than anything. All my Unix manuals are packed away, and I
do not recall most of the commands.

[TopFarmer]

With QTparted steps 1 to 3d you always say made partiton of 1,360Mb, if it is saying it needs at least 2 gb, why are you makeing 1.36Gb ?

After you change parititon size or any thing are you pressing &commit ? Are you rebooting after partition changes ?

At step 3f you do finaly say you made a partition of 12g. but your errors say differently, and again did you &commit in QTparted and reboot between makeing partition and format ?
"I need to have a partition with at least 2 Gbytes of free space,"

BTW: I'm also new to Linux.

[AllParadox]

Thank you for the reply, and please pardon my errors.

I typed it in once, wrong, then copied it.

The partition size should have been 13,160 Mbytes, or about 13 Gbytes. This should have been sufficient.

I am sort of fastidious about fiddling with the MBR. I had some bad experiences with dual booting from a Caldera Open Linux CD a few years ago, and now I am gun-shy.

Every time I change something and close QT-Parted, I log out and hard boot.

[AllParadox]

To be clear: yes, I used the QT-Parted "commit" button every time before I exited the utility and hard booted the system.

[rwcitek]

To be clear: yes, I used the QT-Parted "commit" button every time before I exited the utility and hard booted the system.
You're on the right track. But in order for me to help you I need a bit more information about your system.

Boot Knoppix, open a terminal window, and cut-and-paste the following into the terminal window:

true ; ( set -x
cat /etc/knoppix-version
cat /proc/partitions
cat /etc/fstab
sudo fdisk -l /dev/hd?
) >& result.txt
BTW the option to fdisk is a lowercase L not a 1 (one.) Please post the output of result.txt.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org

[AllParadox]

Robert: Thank you very much for taking the time to read and respond to my post.

I did as you suggested, and ran the command:

true ; ( set -x
cat /etc/knoppix-version
cat /proc/partitions
cat /etc/fstab
sudo fdisk -l /dev/hd?
) >& result.txt



Here are the contents of "result.text":
_____________________________________________


+ cat /etc/knoppix-version
4.0.2 2005-09-12
+ cat /proc/partitions
major minor #blocks name

33 0 20094480 hde
33 1 5116671 hde1
33 2 779152 hde2
33 3 1333395 hde3
33 4 12860032 hde4
240 0 1942016 cloop0
+ cat /etc/fstab
/proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
/sys /sys sysfs noauto 0 0
/dev/pts /dev/pts devpts mode=0622 0 0
/dev/fd0 /mnt/auto/floppy auto user,noauto,exec,umask=000 0 0
/dev/cdrom /mnt/auto/cdrom auto user,noauto,exec,ro 0 0
/dev/cdrom1 /mnt/auto/cdrom1 auto users,noauto,exec,ro 0 0
# Added by KNOPPIX
/dev/hde1 /mnt/hde1 vfat noauto,users,exec,umask=000,uid=knoppix,gid=knoppi x 0 0
# Added by KNOPPIX
/dev/hde2 /mnt/hde2 auto noauto,users,exec 0 0
# Added by KNOPPIX
/dev/hde3 /mnt/hde3 ext3 noauto,users,exec 0 0
# Added by KNOPPIX
/dev/hde4 /mnt/hde4 ext3 noauto,users,exec 0 0
+ sudo fdisk -l /dev/hda /dev/hdb /dev/hdc /dev/hdd /dev/hde /dev/hdf /dev/hdg /dev/hdh
Disk /dev/hda doesn't contain a valid partition table
Note: sector size is 2048 (not 512)

Disk /dev/hda: 728 MB, 728195072 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 22 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 2048 = 32901120 bytes


Disk /dev/hde: 20.5 GB, 20576747520 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 2501 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hde1 * 1 637 5116671 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/hde2 638 734 779152+ 83 Linux
/dev/hde3 735 900 1333395 83 Linux
/dev/hde4 901 2501 12860032+ 83 Linux
__________________________________________________ ________

FWIW, I am mildly curious about the "hda" unit. I presume that this is the "ramdisk"

Thank you again.

[rwcitek]

Robert: Thank you very much for taking the time to read and respond to my post.
No problem.


I did as you suggested, and ran the command:

true ; ( set -x
cat /etc/knoppix-version
cat /proc/partitions
cat /etc/fstab
sudo fdisk -l /dev/hd?
) >& result.txt

Nice. Lots of good information in there.

So you're running Knoppix 4.0.2. The drive is 20 GB and is on /dev/hde. That's odd but not a problem. My guess is that you have some kind of extra IDE card. The drive has four partitions on it: one win98 partition and three linux partitions, two of those formatted as ext3. Odd that Knoppix doesn't recognize the filesystem on /dev/hde2. /dev/hda is probably the CD-ROM. BTW, I'm assume you are booting using the CD-ROM.

How married are you to the current setup? The reason I ask is because as a first simple pass I'd recommend a different layout which means destroying the existing layout. Here's what I'd try just to see if things work for you:

1) use fdisk to remove partitions 2, 3, and 4 on /dev/hde
2) use fdisk to create /dev/hde2 with ~1 GB as a linux partition
3) format /dev/hde2 as ext3 (e.g. mkfs.ext3 /dev/hde2)
4) create a persistent disk image on /dev/hde2, 100 MB, (e.g. knoppix-mkimage and choose /dev/hde2)
5) reboot and when it asks about the persistent image, choose OK

If you do the above steps, are you able to use the persistent disk image?

Let us know how things go, what works and what doesn't.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org

[AllParadox]

I apologize, perhaps I should have been more clear about this initially.

I have to operate this as a dual-use machine.

Was your suggestion that I erase all my Windows applications and files and start over? There are programs that I use that only run on Windows, and I haven't the time to experiment around with Wine to see if they work.

This was my motivation for using Knoppix at all. If I was going to erase the entire HD and start over, I would have chosen another distribution.

[AllParadox]

Step 3i: used QT-Parted to delete all but the first partition containing my irreplaceable programs.
Note: drive hda is the Hitachi CD-Rom, according to QT-Parted.

Hard Boot
used QT-Parted to create a second partition, about 2G in length.
tried to use QT-Parted to create a third partion. QT-Parted crashed.
Hard Boot
used QT-Parted to create a second partition, ext3, about 2G in length.
committed change and exited QT-Parted.
restarted QT-Parted and created a third partition, ext3, about 12.6G in length.
committed change and exited QT-Parted.
restarted QT-Parted and created a fourth and final partition, linux-swap, about .996G.
committed change.
formatted second partition as ext3.
committed change.
formatted third partition as ext3.
committed change.
exited QT-Parted.
Hard Boot.

restarted KNOPPIX.
mounted partition 3, marked as readable, marked as read/write/.
tried to copy the .bat file off the KNOPPIX disc onto partition 3.
Failed. Could not create the new .bat file.

opened console.
cut and pasted previous suggestion.
result.text contents posted below
__________________________________________________ ______

+ cat /etc/knoppix-version
4.0.2 2005-09-12
+ cat /proc/partitions
major minor #blocks name

33 0 20094480 hde
33 1 5116671 hde1
33 2 779152 hde2
33 3 1333395 hde3
33 4 12860032 hde4
240 0 1942016 cloop0
+ cat /etc/fstab
/proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
/sys /sys sysfs noauto 0 0
/dev/pts /dev/pts devpts mode=0622 0 0
/dev/fd0 /mnt/auto/floppy auto user,noauto,exec,umask=000 0 0
/dev/cdrom /mnt/auto/cdrom auto user,noauto,exec,ro 0 0
/dev/cdrom1 /mnt/auto/cdrom1 auto users,noauto,exec,ro 0 0
# Added by KNOPPIX
/dev/hde1 /mnt/hde1 vfat noauto,users,exec,umask=000,uid=knoppix,gid=knoppi x 0 0
# Added by KNOPPIX
/dev/hde2 /mnt/hde2 auto noauto,users,exec 0 0
# Added by KNOPPIX
/dev/hde3 /mnt/hde3 ext3 noauto,users,exec 0 0
# Added by KNOPPIX
/dev/hde4 /mnt/hde4 ext3 noauto,users,exec 0 0
+ sudo fdisk -l /dev/hda /dev/hdb /dev/hdc /dev/hdd /dev/hde /dev/hdf /dev/hdg /dev/hdh
Disk /dev/hda doesn't contain a valid partition table
Note: sector size is 2048 (not 512)

Disk /dev/hda: 728 MB, 728195072 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 22 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 2048 = 32901120 bytes


Disk /dev/hde: 20.5 GB, 20576747520 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 2501 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hde1 * 1 637 5116671 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/hde2 638 734 779152+ 83 Linux
/dev/hde3 735 900 1333395 83 Linux
/dev/hde4 901 2501 12860032+ 83 Linux
__________________________________________________ _________

[rwcitek]

Step 3i: used QT-Parted to delete all but the first partition containing my irreplaceable programs.
In just a few posts this machine went from "boat-anchor" to a machine containing "irreplaceable programs". Sorry, but this is not the way to learn about an operating system: Linux, MS Windows, or anything else.

Knoppix is great for some initial learning about the OS: boot from the CD and don't touch the hard drive. If you want to learn a bit more, boot from the CD and use a persistent disk image. If you want to have a real dual-boot Linux/Windows system, backup your data (and know how to restore it) or use a spare box, because you will make mistakes that will render your drive useless.

Good luck.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org

[AllParadox]

I see. This has been very educational. In the initial post, I said that I have been trying to use a persistent disk image, but have been unsuccessful.

"KNOPPIX is an O/S that can be run from a CD on a Windows box, as long as you don't use the hard drive"

is very different than

"KNOPPIX is an O/S that can be run from a CD on a Windows box"

I will have to go somewhere else to find my solution.

Thank you all for your time.

[rwcitek]

"KNOPPIX is an O/S that can be run from a CD on a Windows box, as long as you don't use the hard drive"

is very different than

"KNOPPIX is an O/S that can be run from a CD on a Windows box"
Sorry about my short post last time. Rereading my last post I can see how you could possibly come to the wrong conclusion about Knoppix.

What I meant to write was that Knoppix is an ideal way to try out Linux because Knoppix does not require that you install anything to your hard drive. You can boot from the CD knowing that nothing on the drive will be altered. This is especially important if you have Windows installed on the machine and do not want to alter your Windows installation.

That doesn't mean that Knoppix cannot use the harddrive, because Knoppix can. Nor does it mean that if you boot Knoppix on a machine that has Windows installed, that you cannot use the hard drive, because you can. For example, you can use Knoppix to resize partitons (as you have done.) You can also read/write files on a Windows vfat partition, which is how /dev/hde1 is formatted. Also, you can read files from an NTFS partition (just don't create or delete file from NTFS -- very bad.)

So in your case, I was not suggesting that you remove your Windows partition. Rather, I was suggesting that you remove all your existing linux partitions to start afresh. Then create one new Linux partition on which to place an ext3 filesystem and a persistent disk image (PDI). In the end you'll have two partitions: /dev/hde1 with Windows and /dev/hde2 with a linux filesystem. On the linux filesystem you will have your persistent disk image, knoppix.img. When you reboot from the Knoppix CD Knoppix will ask you if you want to use the persistent disk image. If you answer "OK", then you will be able to save your setup and files between sessions.

One thing I do want to stress is that if you are serious about the Windows partition having "irreplaceable programs" then I would avoid doing anything to the drive before backing up the data and knowing that you can restore that data in the event something goes wrong. Or even better, use a spare machine that does not have anything important on it. I have read too many posts about people repartitioning drives or otherwise fiddling with the drive at a low level and then discovering that they can no longer boot into Windows or read the filesystem. A brief search these forums will yield dozens of such posts.

Remember, with Knoppix you are root. You have full and complete access to everything on the drive and every other piece of hardware. A simple mistake can wipe the entire drive and take all your Windows files with it. Using qtparted is one way. Using fdisk is another. Another is by typing a simple command as root. For example, here's a quick way to blank your drive, starting with the partition table:

cat /dev/zero > /dev/hde
Your partition table will be gone before you lift your finger off the Enter key. Sure there are ways to recover it. But why go through that painful process if you don't have to.

Let us know what you try and how things go. Good luck.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org

[TopFarmer]

I'm currently booted with CD and have a persistant image so my modem will work with out reloading drivers each time. I do duel boot with Win98.

My partition for the persistant image is way larger then needed {20g}, it is useing only 623Mb.
Depending on just what size and how many programs you want to download and install , would keep the PI partition 2-4g (?). I do have a swap partition and an extra fat32 partition to save files for both OS's.

It seems that an ext3 partition will not be accessable via the desktop, it is own by root (likely can be changed but do not know how) , while the FAT32 partition is owned by user.

To make my PI after booting went to K (start)-KNOPPIX-configure-create a persistant image, saved to my est3 partition. I have read one should beable to load the PI with a cheat code but does not work for me. When it start booting a window will pop up asking if you want to install (HOME), (System) or (int), I must choose (System) then select OK and enter.

rwcitek is correct in his warnings on possible Win98 /hdd corruption.

[AllParadox]

Response, in part, to "rwcitek's" post of 2005-12-16, above.

First, the persistent image/partition issue:

Step 3j: a repeat of step 3c?, IIRC. It is rude to request advice, then refuse to try it, so here goes. Used QT-Parted to delete everything except vfat partition hde1. Created new Linux partition out of the remaining space on the HDD. Formatted the new partition.
Hard boot back to Knoppix.
When I try to create a persistent disk image, the first thing Knoppix asks me is where I want to put it. It then gives me a window that only shows the first partition, vfat.
Same result and same problem as the initial attempt.

Step 3k: pulled out my old Linux Mandrake 8.2 CDs (note: Mandrake is now named "Mandriva"). Started Mandrake install process. One of the first things that Mandrake does is to try to partition the HDD with "DiskDrake". Used DiskDrake to erase all but first partition, vfat. Created three new partitions: IIRC, 2 Gbyte ext3 "/" partition, 12 Gbyte ext3 "/home" partition, and 1 Gbyte Linux-Swap partition. Used DiskDrake to format "/" and "/home" partitions.
Terminated Mandrake install.

Restarted Knoppix.
Tried to get Knoppix to create a persistent disk image. This time, Knoppix found the third partition. Started process. Once again, Knoppix hung at 96% of initial step, with no apparent messages. Knoppix did create a file, KNOPPIX.img. Have tried several times to boot with:
KNOPPIX home=/mnt/hde6/knoppix.img
but this has never succeeded. It has always created "home" on the Ramdisk.

After some experimentation, I have discovered some differences. If I right-click the HDD icon, go to "actions" and select "Change Read/Write mode", it asks me to verify as before, then performs the change. This is enough. Changing the device toggle in the icon properties sub-menu no longer has any effect. Going to the Root console and changing permissions with "chmod" also works. My fingers remembered what I did not.

FWIW, there is something very wrong with the partioning. None of the tools I have used so far is able to see it or fix it. Knoppix just does not see the first Linux ext3 partition, after the vfat partition. If I stick the Linux-Swap partition second, and make the third partition "/", Knoppix will still not find it.

I am now able to copy in the "gmp-4.1.4.tar.bz2" file, and as user, unpack it.

GMP is still not working, but at least now I am not having hard link problems. For some reason, the "GMP configure" process is now crashing silently. More work ahead there.
_________________________________________________

Second: the irreplaceable "boat-anchor".

I have grown very, very weary of going to chat rooms, or more recently, web forums, and asking for help with Linux problems. Every time, some participant wants to know machine-specific details. I worked on a system help desk for four years; I understand the need. Every time, I post the details. Every time, some contemptuous participant makes a condescending remark about how slow, or old, or small, my equipment is. To many of you, this is a boat-anchor. Fine. Let's just get it out of the way and move on. To me, it is an awesome piece of Equipment. Right now, on E-Bay, there is a Cray J20 for sale. Cycle speed on the Cray is 200 MHz, in comparison to my Athlon's 800 MHz. The comparison is somewhat apples-to-oranges, but nothing like the 486-25 that I ran my office on, back in the 1990's.

I am aware of, and accept, the risk. This machine is not invaluable, just not replaceable. I cannot afford to go out and purchase all the Microsoft software that is on it right now, particularly Access and Word. Still, I need to be doing the numerical analysis research. I do not want to intentionally erase the entire HDD. If, by some mischance, that happens, then so be it. I have accepted the risk.

I also own an older Compaq Laptop, 1.8 Ghz with XP-Home on it. I actively avoid connecting the Laptop to the internet, or any other Windows machine connected to the internet, out of a real terror of losing everything to a worm or virus. I would not consider fiddling with partitions on my Laptop.
______________________________________________

Finally: I have read, with considerable interest, some of the other threads in this forum.

When I was working, I supervised a team. One of my team-members ran his own ISP from Linux. For the rest of them, I was a Unix SME (Subject Matter Expert). Once upon a time, I could make AWK and grep scripts sing. With the passage of time, it all mingles together with the other OS's. In an even earlier position, I programmed in Assembler. I have many problems, but being clueless is not on the list.

One of the regulars here complains repeatedly about clueless topic subjects, i.e. "Help, I am a newbie." Even more frightening, he apparently tries to punish these evil miscreants.

I spent more than ten clock hours reading posts similar to my problems before posting. This did not include any of the hours in attempts to make my install work. I had never heard of a "persistent disk image" before I came here. Nothing about my initial contact with this site gave me any insight about it.

The flip side of complaining about "not enough info" is that long, detailed, posts must be read, and re-read for comprehension.

I appreciate "rwcitek's" concern about my destroying valuable work. I did not appreciate the lecture about what I should be doing with my machine, and the risks I was taking, apparently ignoring the information I put in my initial post.

At this time, I cannot recommend to any "newbie" that they use Knoppix.

First, the practical difficulty of finding useful information here is daunting. I had a very good idea of what I was looking for, and it took me days. For a Windows user, unfamiliar with Unix or Linux, to do this would have been impossible.

Second, the risk is unacceptable that I introduce someone like my mother to Knoppix. (Now elderly, she is still quite sharp, and is exclusively a Windows users. She took a course in WorkPerfect and prefers it to Word.) Eventually, she might come to this site for help when I am unavailable, and be treated to the kind of abuse that I have seen heaped on other supplicants.

[rwcitek]

Used QT-Parted to delete everything except vfat partition hde1. Created new Linux partition out of the remaining space on the HDD. Formatted the new partition.
Hard boot back to Knoppix.
When I try to create a persistent disk image, the first thing Knoppix asks me is where I want to put it. It then gives me a window that only shows the first partition, vfat.
Same result and same problem as the initial attempt.
Sounds like you did everything right. Don't know why it didn't work. It could be that knoppix only scans /dev/hd{a,b,c,d}. I suppose there's a reason your machine uses /dev/hda for the CD-ROM and /dev/hde for the HDD.

Some options I can think of:
1) use the vfat partition (/dev/hde1) to save the PDI. If there's not enough room, use qtparted to resize /dev/hde1
2) swap out your existing drive with a cheap IDE drive, 2 GB or larger. At our local Goodwill, they practically give those drives away.
3) rearrange your hardware to make the IDE drive come up as /dev/hda
4) something else

If it's any consolation, I use a Knoppix CD and a PDI on a USB stick as a portable computing environment. So, it can be done.

Good luck and let us know how things go.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org

[rwcitek]

It is rude to request advice, then refuse to try it, so here goes.
Since it's rude to tell someone what should work without showing how it can be done, here goes.

Here's how I used a Knoppix CD and PDI on a Windows 98 machine.

Booted from the CD using this boot command:


boot: knoppix noprompt noeject 1

Once in single user mode I ran this code:


fdisk -l /dev/hda
cat /etc/fstab
mount /mnt/hda1
ls -l /mnt/hda1
knoppix-mkimage # choose the defaults
cat /dev/cdrom > /mnt/hda1/k402.iso
ls -l /mnt/hda1

Here's a transcript:


+ fdisk -l /dev/hda

Disk /dev/hda: 16.1 GB, 16105807872 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1958 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 1 1958 15727603+ c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
+ cat /etc/fstab
/proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
/sys /sys sysfs noauto 0 0
/dev/pts /dev/pts devpts mode=0622 0 0
/dev/fd0 /mnt/auto/floppy auto user,noauto,exec,umask=000 0 0
/dev/cdrom /mnt/auto/cdrom auto user,noauto,exec,ro 0 0
# Added by KNOPPIX
/dev/hda1 /mnt/hda1 vfat noauto,users,exec,umask=000,uid=knoppix,gid=knoppi x 0 0

+ mount /mnt/hda1

+ ls --color=auto -l /mnt/hda1
total 1696
drwxrwxrwx 3 knoppix knoppix 32768 Feb 22 2005 My Documents
dr-xr-xr-x 21 knoppix knoppix 32768 Feb 22 2005 Program Files
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 29 Feb 22 2005 autoexec.bat
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 40494 Feb 22 2005 bootlog.prv
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 51336 Feb 22 2005 bootlog.txt
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 93890 Apr 23 1999 command.com
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 60 Feb 22 2005 config.sys
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 69383 Feb 22 2005 detlog.txt
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 1012 Feb 22 2005 frunlog.txt
-r-xr-xr-x 1 knoppix knoppix 222390 Apr 23 1999 io.sys
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 22 Feb 22 2005 msdos.---
-r-xr-xr-x 1 knoppix knoppix 1676 Feb 22 2005 msdos.sys
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 9929 Feb 22 2005 netlog.txt
drwxrwxrwx 2 knoppix knoppix 32768 Feb 22 2005 recycled
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 1503 Feb 23 2005 scandisk.log
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 115365 Feb 22 2005 setuplog.txt
-r-xr-xr-x 1 knoppix knoppix 5166 Feb 22 2005 suhdlog.dat
-r-xr-xr-x 1 knoppix knoppix 585760 Feb 22 2005 system.1st
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 40960 Feb 22 2005 videorom.bin
drwxrwxrwx 41 knoppix knoppix 32768 Feb 22 2005 windows

+ knoppix-mkimage # choose the defaults

+ cat /dev/cdrom > /mnt/hda1/k402.iso

+ ls --color=auto -l /mnt/hda1
total 104096
drwxrwxrwx 3 knoppix knoppix 32768 Feb 22 2005 My Documents
dr-xr-xr-x 21 knoppix knoppix 32768 Feb 22 2005 Program Files
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 29 Feb 22 2005 autoexec.bat
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 40494 Feb 22 2005 bootlog.prv
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 51336 Feb 22 2005 bootlog.txt
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 93890 Apr 23 1999 command.com
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 60 Feb 22 2005 config.sys
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 69383 Feb 22 2005 detlog.txt
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 1012 Feb 22 2005 frunlog.txt
-r-xr-xr-x 1 knoppix knoppix 222390 Apr 23 1999 io.sys
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 728190976 Dec 24 09:07 k402.iso
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 104857600 Dec 24 08:51 knoppix.img
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 22 Feb 22 2005 msdos.---
-r-xr-xr-x 1 knoppix knoppix 1676 Feb 22 2005 msdos.sys
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 9929 Feb 22 2005 netlog.txt
drwxrwxrwx 2 knoppix knoppix 32768 Feb 22 2005 recycled
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 1503 Feb 23 2005 scandisk.log
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 115365 Feb 22 2005 setuplog.txt
-r-xr-xr-x 1 knoppix knoppix 5166 Feb 22 2005 suhdlog.dat
-r-xr-xr-x 1 knoppix knoppix 585760 Feb 22 2005 system.1st
-rwxrwxrwx 1 knoppix knoppix 40960 Feb 22 2005 videorom.bin
drwxrwxrwx 41 knoppix knoppix 32768 Feb 22 2005 windows


On reboot I was able to start booting from the CD and continue from the HDD:


boot: knoppix bootfrom=/dev/hda1/k402.iso dma

When Knoppix asked about the PDI, I selected OK.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org

[prndrvr]

I am a firm believer in none to knoppix in 5 minutes!!!

I came across the disks back in 2002 or so when I was still playing with mandrake and redhat. In between re-installs of Win2000 or WP or wahatever I would install a linux load.. play with it for two hours and then format and install windows never to see linux again until the next complete crash and rebuld of windows every other month or so.

Around the same time that I became familiar with the disks I cam across a P1 133mhz with 128megs of ram and I kept a running load of knoppix3.2 on this box for years and got plenty of good linux / unix os directory file structure training. VI training too!! Anyway.. I still had no monitor and ultimately when I had to canabilize the harddrive on that old gateway.. well it was tossed out and knoppix was shelved for a while.

My interest hadn't wained though and I continued to download and burn a variety of live CD's designed to perform specific functions or a be all-in-one like knoppix. I have collected and saved unitl finally!!!

I came across an abandoned (dusty, unplugged and behind a desk ) Compaq Presario 5150 AMD K62 350mhz with 396mhz ram. Something was wrong with the 2gig drive ti had but no worries... I have five 6gig drives acting as paper weights at home.

I replace the drive and find that it boots well and best into knoppix 3.4 ( I wanna try 3.8 again as I love Thunderbird and Firefox ). I did a TOHD=/dev/hda1 "poor-mans-install" and have saved myconfig=/dev/hda1 as well. I found that a 40gig USB drive could be detected quite easily and I created my persistant knoppix home here.

******** My PH Findings ************

1. When attempting to create an .img file on a disk without formatting it completely.. you are not giving the option to do without AES256. I noticed in a "Format all?" you are prompted for AES or not. When you choose not to format but to create a smaller image on the disk.. AES256 is forced.

2. AES256 PH image creation takes a fricken long time!! When I opted for a 5gig slice it wrote to 97% and then hung for three hours.. I went a movie and came home and it was asking me for a 20 character password

>>
...at one point in my many attempts through the process I halted it while it was at 97 percent.. It will attempt to boot to the persistant home but it will prompt you for the 20 char password and you won't know it because you didn't set it in the wizard.

>>
...after trying to increase the .img slice to 20gig for a larger /home I found that the AES256 process ran over night and still hadn't completed.

3. I decided to devote this external usb to the knoppix machine and allowed the persistant home to consume the whole disk and format for Ext2... this took about 2 minutes whne you select "No" on AES256.

after restaring and booting with the command: knoppix fromhd=/dev/hda1 myconfig=/mnt/hda1 home=/mnt/sda1
All of my files are writeable.. I have a unique MOTD for SSH users who login. I am running the SAMBA, APACHE and SSH servers. I am working on the FTPD config.. now that I have disks to write to I want to be able to remotely send.

..I must say that I had some difficulty in getting a proper format between QT Part and Fdisk and the Persistent Home. Whith the sda1 or esternal usb drive.. it helps that you can unplug and replug the device for remounting and so forth. But after a reboot or two and three or four cracks at commiting a partition table I have an awesome and stable system with 26 gigs of storage 2gig swap and all running off of a screaming leagacy machine.

After two days of configuration and upgrades... I am starting the clock and I will post a ridiculously long uptime to this thread sometime in the distant future.


//dhurley

[johnrw]

true ; ( set -x
cat /etc/knoppix-version
cat /proc/partitions
cat /etc/fstab
sudo fdisk -l /dev/hd?
) >& result.txt

Nice!

Robert, Knoppix 5.3 is coming soon. Just a heads up for you.