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utu
03-24-2014, 12:57 AM
Partitioned 2 Gb SanDisk to 1200 Mb fat32, 800 Mb ext2; labeled ext2
as persistence; echoed "/ union" >> /media/persistence/persistence.conf.
Desktop time was already set to local; changed format to %l:%M %P.
Used external wifi to add b43, GParted & ttf-mscorefonts via Synaptic;
borrowed Knoppix's repositories for b43 & ttfs.
Added LibreOffice, Leafpad & Terminal to panel; set panel to auto-hide.
Removed Lock Screen & Minimize Windows from panel; added volume control.
Reduced browser cache limit to 25 Mb; adjusted fonts & underlines.
Added ChezHoye, changed homepage & added bookmarks.
Changed desktop image to Japanese print, adjusted background color;
removed Install Icon from desktop.
Added synclient TouchpadOff=1 to /etc/X11/Xsession.d/45x11-Synaptic
& ok to /etc/rc.local
Added Count & Channel apps to ~/.bashrc not /etc/profile.
Adjusted terminal font & foreground.

To do list:
Needs boot time parameter 'persistence' added for each boot.
May need terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp to restart screen.

With some effort the Debian.Live iso makes a fine LiveUSB with persistence.
The Debian.Live product's persistence approach, although elegantly simple, is
keenly obscured by its documentation. The iso carries Debian's disdain for 'non-free'
wifi drivers to an excruciating extreme. This may be overcome by temporarily applying
Knoppix's 'non-free' repository definitions to Debian.Live's Synaptic. Included
applications are not the very latest: Linux 3.2, LibreOffice 3.5, IceWeasel 17,
PCManFM 0.9.10, but that may contribute to the very stable and smooth feel of the system.

The basic system is contained in a normally ro compressed form on a squash
filestem in a fat32 partition; persistence is provided by a non-compacted rw overlay
in a second ext-formatted partition. There are adequate device assignments such that
numerous non-compact overlays might conceivably be compacted and transferred to
squashfs devices on the fat32 partition, but that's not currently advertised or developed
in any way that I know-of.

The trick to Debian.Live is as follows: make a second partition of est2, 3 or 4;
label that partition 'persistence'; provide a 'persistence.conf' file on the root (/)
directory of the ext partition; the conf file needs only one line '/ union';
finally, when you boot up with the other partition, include the parameter 'persistence'.
Forget all these quote marks as you apply this elegant process.

utu
03-24-2014, 05:51 PM
.
If you get tired of adding 'persistence' at boot with your Debian.LiveUSB, you can tweak
the initial choice menu a little. Add a persistent mode stanza, to live.cfg,
and let this be the new default. You need to do this with another Linux, MOUNTING
the Debian.Live unit inertly as a bunch of files, rather than executing it as a live system.
Mine showed up at /media/sdc1/isolinux/live.cfg. YMMV.


label live-amd64-persistent
menu label ^Live (amd64-persistent)
menu default
linux /live/vmlinuz
initrd /live/initrd.img
append noprompt cdrom-detect/try-usb=true boot=live config quiet splash persistence

label live-amd64
menu label ^Live (amd64)
linux /live/vmlinuz
initrd /live/initrd.img
append noprompt cdrom-detect/try-usb=true boot=live config quiet splash

label live-amd64-failsafe
menu label ^Live (amd64 failsafe)
linux /live/vmlinuz
initrd /live/initrd.img
append noprompt cdrom-detect/try-usb=true boot=live config memtest noapic noapm nodma nomce nolapic nomodeset nosmp nosplash vga=normal