Remastering a frugal install

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rufwoof · #31 Post by **rufwoof** » Wed 21 Jan 2015, 20:28

Originally I remastered to a general (non machine specific) version. Later I opted to just simply remaster to my own PC specific as I find that works ok with most other systems anyway, but you have to manually reconfigure for language/locale etc.

From that I've created my own remaster process - that's a two click 30 second process.

I merge puppy sfs into initrd so that only vmlinuz and that initrd are required to boot up puppy and the remaster process is set to replace the existing initrd (where grub4dos looks on the hard disk) - ready for the next reboot.

I've found that using no compression of puppy sfs to be the best overall choice for me. I've 1.5GB of ram and a 400MB non compressed puppy sfs is fine with that. I do however compress initrd using a fast LZO level 1 compression, which shrinks the initrd size down to around 200MB.

When booted /initrd/pup_ro2 is close to 400MB, I also load up a office sfs that compressed comes in at around 500MB, leaving around 600MB of free for work/play. I've removed my swap partition so as to have no disk bound working (all memory bound). That office sfs includes libre office, audacity, flash, xvidcap, blender 3D animation, python and openshot video editor - which more or less caters for my needs. The only other program I use is Firefox, which I run as a portable app - disk based (so updates, bookmarks etc are all persistent).

When remastering is a two click operation and takes 30 seconds on a old PC, quicker on later PC's, its hardly worth bothering with savefiles (I personally ram boot with no save file (PUPMODE 5) all of the time).

Another change included in that is my baee puppy has a copy of all of the CD files (excluding puppy sfs), so there's no need to 'insert CD or mount a local ISO' during remastering, its all to hand already for the program/script. As those files are relatively small it would be nice IMO if more Puppy's used that approach.

johnywhy · #32 Post by **johnywhy** » Sat 23 May 2015, 22:19

hi

after remastering xprecise according to steps in OP, i drag-copied all the files in the new iso into my existing xprecise frugal dir, overwriting the existing files. i did not re-run grub.

is that the wrong way to do it?

now i'm able to boot xprecise no problem.

but the network and frisbee icons are now missing from system tray.

how to get them back?

also, upon boot, i see the notifications telling me puppy is requesting an ip address from my wifi, so my prior frisbee settings seem to be working-- but just for a few seconds. then i see "wlan down", and there's no connection.

then, if i run frisbee from whisker menu, it opens fine, and automatically connects to my wifi.

but the network and frisbee icons are still missing from system tray. how to get them back? and how to fix the failed connection attempt on boot?

also, the clock seems to not want to keep correct time anymore.

thx!

riedzig · #33 Post by **riedzig** » Thu 19 May 2016, 06:08

Hi,
While remastering I never know the advantages of this option in terms of size, boot speed etc. of the new remastered Puppy. Since there's no recommendation and I find no mention in this topic I would be happy to get any hint from you.

gcmartin · #34 Post by **gcmartin** » Thu 19 May 2016, 20:55

Remaster intent is to allow your presently running PUP with all of what you've saved and installed currently in your Puppy filesystem on your desktop to be saved as a single ISO with no save-sessions. It creates a new pristine ISO matching what you are currently running.

Expect no difference in what or how your present desktop is working.

Hope that helps

stemsee · #35 Post by **stemsee** » Thu 19 May 2016, 22:08

There are several remastering methods and solutions. They do not necessarily result in an iso, more usually in a main sfs module which may or may not go into an initrd file.

I have written several remaster scripts: SFS-Direct-Remaster which remasters a running system immediately to a replacement main sfs module. SFS-Unattended-Remaster, which was further developed by others to remaster many linux distros. However my last effort was Simple-Remaster, which can also go all the way to iso, can in/ex-clude zdrv/other modules|wine prefix, can work on device or in ram, run from prompt with or without X, does not need an original iso, all questions occur at start and auto-runs to completion; now includes a handy drag'n'drop desktop widget for adding files or dirs to exclude from the remaster just by dragging them to the widget etc. The system is cleaned of 99% of sensitive data.

riedzig · #36 Post by **riedzig** » Mon 23 May 2016, 06:23

Maybe I put my question vaguely. I'm a bit familiar with remastering using the builtin tool, but when I get to the option "do you want to make a separate zdrv.sfs (yes-no)" I don't know what is better for me to make a slim, fast booting, to one PC customized new Puppy. If there's no difference at all, then I don't see the point of giving this option.

Sailor Enceladus · #37 Post by **Sailor Enceladus** » Mon 23 May 2016, 13:25

riedzig wrote:Maybe I put my question vaguely. I'm a bit familiar with remastering using the builtin tool, but when I get to the option "do you want to make a separate zdrv.sfs (yes-no)" I don't know what is better for me to make a slim, fast booting, to one PC customized new Puppy. If there's no difference at all, then I don't see the point of giving this option.

zdrv makes it easy to update or switch kernels later. I see you didn't have success with zdrv_cutter

hamoudoudou · #38 Post by **hamoudoudou** » Sun 22 Oct 2017, 10:04

Tested wih a Puppy 64 bit . It works. jump in the future.
They are 35 topics explaining how to do, but none with a 64 bits. I did it for you. .
Catdude explanations are clear enough with screenshots.. for most of us. But deep in the forum. Sure the beginners dont' yet know how to use the search tools.

johnywhy · #39 Post by **johnywhy** » Sun 04 Mar 2018, 04:27

rufwoof wrote:. From that I've created my own remaster process - that's a two click 30 second process .

Woah!

Can you please share the steps?

Thx!

belham2 · #40 Post by **belham2** » Sun 04 Mar 2018, 09:39

johnywhy wrote:
rufwoof wrote:. From that I've created my own remaster process - that's a two click 30 second process .
Woah!

Can you please share the steps?

Thx!

Hi Johnny,

All that is being done is what Fatdog & the Fatdog team have been doing for the past 7-8 years, and a few others tinkered with back in 2010/2011. In Fatdog's case, they long ago decided to merge the puppy.sfs (or Fatdog.sfs) into initrd so that only vmlinuz and that initrd are required to boot up. Sound familiar?

Look at Fatdog, play with it, then you'll understand what to do in any other pup if you want. Just be aware there are some downsides, a big one being the hardware you run on. Depending on your hardware---specifically your BIOS and motherboard---you may be staring at 4-10 minute bootup times when merging the puppy.sfs into the initrd. As James (Fatdog Developer) talks about, it's all about how your BIOS handles the data flow. Knowing many others (like myself) still have hardware that is perfectly good but struggles with huge initrds, James & the team decided to offer clear documentation for a small initrd Fatdog option (in essence, ripping the puppy.sfs out).

Thus, do some simple "reverse engineering", read the Fatdog documentation on Ibiblio, and you'll understand. Also, look at many of the simple remaster scripts written by others in the "remastering" threads. You'll be off & running in no time. IMHO, currently the best remastering scripts written in all of the puppy/ddog universe are the ones written by Fred of DebianDog fame here on Murga. They are the standard puppy should shoot for when they ever get around to re-doing Shinobars's/Barry's original remaster script(s)---script(s) that are still offered in Pups today and, in my humble opinion, need some re-working as they have not kept up with changes and/or needs of puppy users.

Good luck!

P.S. Murga poster nic007 has some good stuff in terms of simple, clear remaster scripts. Search for his posts, and you'll come across them. Good stuff.

johnywhy · #41 Post by **johnywhy** » Sun 04 Mar 2018, 21:19

hamoudoudou · #42 Post by **hamoudoudou** » Thu 26 Apr 2018, 09:00

discovered to day that stemsee has his own script .
Included in Slacko menu utilities.
'Do you want to append the idstring to the sfs? 'y' or 'n'?' 10 seconds
TIME OUT
Assume no
'not added.'

what is that

and some other questions to wich only expeerts can answer.. If expert they don't need help to remasterize their SFS :
Do you want to modify /etc/rc.d/rc.local by adding some code
which is needed to assist sfs-direct-remastering? y or n?")'"

(old)Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

(old)Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

Remastering a frugal install

Why make/not make a separate .zdrv.sfs?

Tested wih a Puppy 64 bit . It works.

discovered to day that stemsee has his own script .