How do I use persistence ?

[zaxonus]

Hello,

I am using KNOPPIX (5.1.1) on a USB key and I would like to use the persistence feature; in order to save my settings and also the contents of my home directory.

After looking on the net to dig information on the subject; I have not yet been able to reach satisfaction.

Can anyone help me please ?

Here is where I am :
From the K-menu, using "KNOPPIX -> Configure -> Save KNOPPIX configuration" I can do part of what I want.
Keyboard setting for example works OK. But if I set the "Logout/Lock" applet button, it disapears when I restart my PC.

I have also tried to use from the K-menu, "KNOPPIX -> Configure -> Create a persistent KNOPPIX disk image", but I can' get anything from there. Even if I use "myconfig=scan home=scan" at boot time it does not work.

I must be doing something wrong somewhere. I can see that a file called knoppix.img has been created in the partition I chose on the USB key. But nothing has ever been kept in my home directory.

Thanks for any help.

Bye

[SiKing]

Hi,

KNOPPIX configuration, which you find under the label "Save KNOPPIX configuration" saves: /etc/*, $HOME/.*, $HOME/office/*, and $HOME/Desktop/*. You can tell it to not save any of these, when you go through the menus. This information is restored only at bootup, and is modified only when you save a new configuration. Meaning, that every time you make a change to your settings, you will need to save the configuration over again.

Persistent home, which you find under the label "Create a persistent KNOPPIX disk image", saves only $HOME/.* and $HOME/* (everything in your home). You do not get a choice of what is saved and what is not, and you must decide upfront what size the whole thing will be. This image is mounted on startup as an actual disk. This means that any changes you make during your session, will be immediately reflected in the actual image.

If you use both, it is possible to have contradictory information between the two, specifically in the dot-directories in your home. I have not experimented enough with this, to know which will take precedence, but I suspect the persistent home will.

Do you have a question about something more specific?

HTH.

[zaxonus]

Thanks for these indications.

It still seems to me that whatever I do the contents of my home directory is always empty and never retained.

There must be something wrong in the way I proceed. I have no idea what though.

I boot using home=scan. And when I execute the mount command I can see a line like :
/media/sdx3/knoppix.img on /KNOPPIX.IMG type ext2 (rw,loop=/dev/loop0)
showing that somehing must be happening -

....... Actually since I also experiment while typing this message I just noticed that my stuff are well saved under : /KNOPPIX.IMG/home/knoppix/ !!!

But why do they appear there and not under /home/knoppix ? Did I do some thing strange?

I seems to me that the pesistence of /home should appear under /home.

I will be glad if someone can help me understand things clearly.

Bye.

[OErjan]

you only save the user Knoppix not the whole /home, nothing more

[zaxonus]

Isn't there a convenient way to keep the little updates I do in my home directory ? Without having to go through the "KNOPPIX -> Configure -> Create a persistent KNOPPIX disk image" procedure each time.

[SiKing]

Read my reply above. If you have to recreate your persistent home each time you make a change, then something is not right.

[omaha64]

zaxonus,

At boot time, do you see a dialog that looks like this:

[X] Mount persistent KNOPPIX-homedirectory
[X] Add as persistent, writeable system area
[ ] Overwrite / update stored system configuration
[X] Start INIT-bootscripts (Network, printer etc.)

< OK > < CANCEL >


I found that when Knoppix presents you with this dialog, you have to select "OK" for the image to be mounted. If you let the dialog box timeout, then the image will NOT be mounted. If you don't see the dialog box, then Knoppix was not able to find the image. Try using home=/media/sd??/knoppix.img in your syslinux.cfg (You have to fill in the ??; I use home=/media/sda4/knoppix.img). I am trying to find out how to get this dialog to default to "OK" instead of "CANCEL".

Hope this helps.

[maestrobwh1]

moved to new post.