Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

moXXXXXX · Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 34 Location: Tokyo

i wanted to see if i understand the Puppy file system properly.
from what i've read Puppy seems to be stored in two files one of which is the user_cram.fs file and the other the pup001 file. i'm working on a boot CD that will boot, partition and format the disks, and then, I hope, copy across the user_cram.fs file and the pup001 files to the partition, re-write the MBR record and then reboot in to a freshly built Puppy machine. i am putting this disk together like this as i need to build 10+ machines to be all the same.
i am getting the user_cram.fs file and the pup001 file from a computer I've previously built with Puppy (I ran the install to HD wizard on this machine) and i thought I'd rewrite the MBR with the CD so that it looks the same as the MBR record of the machine from which I took the user_cram.fs and the pup001 file.
do you think this work? what i expect to happen is that the CD will make the computers look and act exactly like the computer I built by using the Puppy Live CD, fdisk, and the install to HD wizard.
hope someone can help with my understanding of this.
cheers - woof woof,
adrian

Flash · Posted: Tue 27 Sep 2005, 01:25 Post subject:

I think you're talking about what's called cloning. If the hardware of the cloned computers is close enough to the original computer, you ought to be able to make it work.

moXXXXXX · Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 34 Location: Tokyo

thanks Flash.
am i right in thinking that it is only the two files and the MBR that i need to make the same?
Smile

klhrevolutionist · Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 1124

Well, that is one way to do it.
but I would recommend making your own custom puppy cd.
This will be easier in a couple of days, because of the new user friendlier script that
puppy will have. So if you have a couple of days wait for the new release.
Then you can create your easy puppy cd, and install the same suite of
applications and layouts and such with plopping in a cd and installing.
Yes it would be easier if you had a good lan tool to do this from
one central computer, but as of yet no a lot of puppies use that, I think???

moXXXXXX · Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 34 Location: Tokyo

thanks for the info. i can wait a few days so this might be an option.
will the new script enable to me to automatically have the drives partitioned and formted by the CD?
Smile

p.s. if i have three partitions (one, swap, one for Puppy, and another) can I use the third partition for my Puppy data? how do i tell Puppy to keep, and read, my data from the third partition? will Puppy remember this and make all the computers I build using my custom made CD (with the new script) look and work the same?

Pizzasgood · Posted: Tue 27 Sep 2005, 08:36 Post subject:

moXXXXXX · Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 34 Location: Tokyo

i wonder if the new release of puppy will do partitioning etc all in one? does anyone know? if not i can keep working on my little disk. so there are three files now. hmmm. interesting. will they know about each if i set up one computer with everything working (partitioning etc) and then copy these three files and have my magic disk place them in the "same" partitions on different computers? i wonder if i am making sense?!?!? hmmm. hehe.