Encrypted pup100 questions

Using applications, configuring, problems
Post Reply
Message
Author
Guest

Encrypted pup100 questions

#1 Post by Guest »

I am currently using a 256mb encrypted pup100 file, and I have some questions about it.

How can I convert it to an unencrypted file?
How can I mount a copy of it? How can I shrink it? (Suppose I made a zip archive of /root, and then extract it onto the /root of another pupxxx file, would that work? I guess I will have to try and see now that I thought of it.)

How can I mount my pup100 file in another linux system? ( I want to be able to compare settings and such between them.)

Thanks for any help you can give

User avatar
Flash
Official Dog Handler
Posts: 13071
Joined: Wed 04 May 2005, 16:04
Location: Arizona USA

#2 Post by Flash »

Those are some pretty interesting questions, especially the one about shrinking an encrypted file. Due to the nature of encryption, the "shrinking" algorithm would have to be lossless. I assume most .zip algorithms are, so if you zip an encrypted file then unzip it it would still unencrypt properly. The only way to be sure is to try it.

As for the rest of your questions, I'm not an experienced enough Linux user to say, but there are plenty of forum members who are. I'm sure one of them will be along shortly. :)

Bruce B

I think this will work

#3 Post by Bruce B »

> I am currently using a 256mb encrypted pup100 file, and I have some questions about it.

> How can I convert it to an unencrypted file?

I don't know

> How can I mount a copy of it?

If you mounted a copy of it this would be the same as mounting the original. As I see it, the problem you would have, is that the data would be encrypted. Maybe there is a way to decrypt a mounted encrypted pup file, I don't know how.

> How can I shrink it?

As I understand it, you cannot shrink it directly. However, you can do a work around, and have a small pup file with the same data.

> Suppose I made a zip archive of /root, and then extract it onto the /root of another pupxxx file, would that work? I guess I will have to try and see now that I thought of it.)

A zip file expanded is the same as the original.

> How can I mount my pup100 file in another linux system? ( I want to be able to compare settings and such between them.)

You can mount a pupxxx file on most any Linux system. Here is how:

1) mkdir /mnt/pupxxx if one doesn't already exist

2) mount the partition where the pupxxx file is located

3) example to mount the partition where location is hda1 and type is vfat:

mkdir /mnt/hda1
mount -t vfat /dev/hda1 /mnt/hda1

4) to mount the pup file where name of file is pup001
mount -t ext2 -o loop mnt/hda1/pup001 /mnt/pupxxx

The problem I think you will have, is the mounted file will be encrypted.

If so, lets work around

1) make a clean pupfile would have to have a different name than your encrypted file - there are many ways to do this. You could rename your existing file temporarily. The boot Puppy and it will make the default pup001 with 256 mb

If you want a pupxxx file of a smaller size than 256 mb you could (a) modify the booting instructions or (b) fill the free space on the drive to the size of the pup file you want and puppy will only make a pup file with the available free space

Now you will have to rename your encrypted file accordingly, so that Puppy will boot it. After you enter your password it will be decrypted.

After Puppy boots with the decrypted pup file, mount the new pupfile per the instructions above.

You can delete everything in the mounted file. The copy over all the files from your decrypted pupxxx file to the mounted pup file. Don't forget to copy the hidden files. Turn Rox to show hidden files when you copy.

So, you have just made by virtue of a work around a smaller and unencrypted pupxxx file which is what you wanted.

Disclaimer: I haven't actually done this, but I it should work.

Credits to GuestToo for teaching us how to mount a pupxxx file.

Good luck and have fun.


Thanks for any help you can give

Post Reply