Ramdisk and partial remastering in Knoppix 7

[utu]

.
This is not to take away from heretofore 'standard' re-mastering procedure(s) but to
highlight a subtle refinement in using Knoppix that accomplishes much of what one hopes to
achieve by re-mastering, or making backups of some kind. This alternative is elegant
in minimizing the resources required in re-mastering, including time.
I'm re-wording here to collapse into one post what previously spread over several posts.

Assuming for example that KNOPPIX1 was the previous compressed image update,
to stack another compressed image update with the previous, use the following magic incantation:

cd /
sudo mkisofs -R -U KNOPPIX-DATA | create_compressed_fs -B 131072 -m - - > /mnt-system/KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX2

Then reboot, using 'knoppix noimage' or to see if it all works like it did using the previous
persistence file.

If so, move knoppix-data.img from /mnt-system/KNOPPIX/ to /mnt-system/ temporarily and reboot,
this time without the 'noimage' cheatcode. This should allow you to re-establish persistence.
Then, re-verify that KNOPPIX2 is doing what if ought. When you are sure KNOPPIX2 and persistence
are ok, remove the 'old' knoppix-data.img in /mnt-system/, not the 'new' one in /mnt-system/KNOPPIX/.

You may use PCManFM to move things around, but don't count on PCManFM to remove things;
use root and rm to remove files.
init's mountunion() looks like you may have up to ten such upgrades, if you have enough space
on your LiveUSB

Recapitulation: We can have a full-DVD-size LiveUSB on an 8 Gb Class 10 SDHC device. This device
may be serially updated with compressed image additions without requiring any additional workspace;
without requiring any additional system, real or virtual, to manage this process; and without
any significant time expenditure for these performing these updates.
The convenience of temporary persistence may be maintained, while greatly reducing the magnitude
of the hazard in occasional inadvertent ruination of this 'persistent' image, since these
successive updates preserve well-tested material in more safely situated in more permanent
compressed images.