knoppix 7.4.2 persistence

[rspiteri]

hi,

I have downloaded knoppix 7.4.2 and installed it on usb flash drive using the read only option. At that time I did not want persistence.

Now I need persistence. On earlier versions, knoppix would ask where to create knoppix-data.img if it did not find one in any of the root partitions.

This is not done in this version.

I tried to manually create an img file myself (using dd) and saved it in the root of my harddisk. However this is ignored at boot.

Am I missing something please? A boot flag maybe? Or has the name of the persistent image file changed? Or does it need it to be in a directory called KNOPPIX even when not on the pendrive?

Thanks

[Werner P. Schulz]

Have a look at Cheat Codes → knoppix mkimage.

[rspiteri]

Thanks for this. However this creates an img on the usb. I need to create the overlay file in the hard disk of the laptop/PC I am working on and then configure knoppix to use it.

How can that be achieved please?

Thanks

[rspiteri]

Anyone please? Cannot seem to find anything in the documentation.


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Quote deleted by mod.
Don't quote your own posting!

[Werner P. Schulz]

There have been some discussions in the past, for example this thread and my posting.

[rspiteri]

I have already seen that link and http://www.wp-schulz.de/scripte/backup-script.html

However how does knoppix-data.inf work? Where should it be located on the usb and can you use it to make it point to the knoppix-data.img file on a PC's hard disk (on which the usb is booting) ?

Thanks

[superman]

@ rspiteri

By default, KNOPPIX 7.4.2 won't find the persistent files (.img / .inf / .aes) which are stored on a different partition, unless the minirt.gz is patched as suggested in the following thread.

http://knoppix.net/forum/threads/307...ooting-from-CD

ATB,

[rspiteri]

@ superman ... thanks

That confirmed what I was thinking... it is quite disappointing though since if I remember correctly, Knoppix had that feature in earlier versions.

In my opinion, it was very useful since one would keep different overlays for specific system on the system itself and not carry every overlay on the usb and then switching names accordingly.

Is there another way to make a backup of all the changes (data, installed software, config) you made on a hard disk and then restore them back? I see there is a backup option in the menu but you have to specify which folders to backup and I am not sure whether it backs up all of UNIONFS

[rajibando]

@rspiteri
I would like to remind you that Forum members are advised NOT to revive old threads.

We can't do any good by lamenting on what is not present in knoppix. We are to find an alternative way to make things work. Please keep your calm. Within a short period we would try to have your persistent set on your HDD. Please answer the following queries:

Do you use grub on your computer's HDD?

If you do, how many partitions your HDD has? How many partitions can be free of any data?

[rspiteri]

@rajibando, I revived the old thread since I thought it was still relevant and useful. Sorry about that.

Please allow, to explain better what I am looking for.

1. I have knoppix on my usb to fix PCs and also do personal work.
2. I do not always use the same PC and/or laptops since clients vary and all have their hardware, wifi settings. printer configuration, network settings etc etc.
3. Sometimes I need to install software specific to a certain situation. Example I install a program that I need to use in one place and not in another. So it is useless having all the programs I need in one overlay file.
4. Therefore it would be nice if I could have a knoppix-data.img on every user's hard drive partition with settings, data and software specific to the user/machine. Then once I boot knoppix from my usb, knoppix would ideally search all the partitions looking for the img file and if found, it is used as the overlay file.
5. Like this, I would not need to have 4 or 5 overlay files on my usb and then rename them according to the environment I am working in.

Hope I was clear in my explanation... How can this be achieved please?

Thanks for your time.