Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

[jrb]

(Note: I’m keeping this brief so feel free to ask questions)

From time to time I have tried putting my favourite applications in the zdrv_puppy_xxx.sfs file so they will be automatically loaded at bootup and not take space in a Pupsave (or be lost when a Pupsave dies). I can also transfer them from pup to pup without reinstalling. This works well except for the fact that the main Puppy.sfs takes precedence over the Zdrv and overwrites any files that they have in common.

Recently it occurred to me how to overcome this, rename puppy_xxx.sfs to zdrv_puppy_xxx.sfs and rename my generic SFS to puppy_xxx.sfs. Now my applications take precedence over the main puppy files. One bonus is that any configuration changes I want, such as show hidden files and small icons arranged vertically in Rox can be placed in my SFS along with my apps and will be implemented at bootup.

In practice I keep a copy of my generic SFS with all the apps. When I try a new puppy I make the configuration changes I want, grab the configuration files from /initrd/pup_rw and add them to my generic SFS and then rename it to whatever the new pups name is. Then I rename the main puppy file to zdrv and I’m good to go.

[musher0]

Brilliant!

"Il suffisait d'y penser !" (Un-vetted translation: "One only had to think of it!")

BFN

[sc0ttman]

Interesting... What if my zdrv has all the kernel modules (/lib/modules, missing from pup_420.sfs) and so on? Does it still work OK?

[tlchost]

[jrb]

[sc0ttman]

[jrb]

[seaside]

jrb,

That's just a fantastic discovery.

I had fooled around with converting the save file to an sfs zdrv file a while back and ran into the priority problem.

Ironically, It occured to me to swap and rename the two sfs files, but then rejected that idea because it seemed that the initialization would fail - so I never tried it.

My solution was to compare the puppy sfs with the pup save zdr file and where they were equal, copy those from the pup save zdr to the main file system - not worth the game.

One way to create the zdr is to go to /initrd, open a terminal and "dir2sfs /initrd/pup_roX" where /intitrd/pup_roX is the pup save file. This will create an sfs file of your save file which you can rename and swap.

Again, a great find.

Regards,
s

[jrb]

[musher0]

Hello, jrb.

Aren't the drivers already in the zdrive crushed in the copying operation?

Best regards.

[jrb]

[musher0]

Thanks for the reply, jrb.

I meant that some Puppies already have a zdrv_xxx.sfs sometimes, which contains hardware or other drivers.

I gather from your reply that merging the puppy_xxx.sfs into zdrv_xxx.sfs with the merging utility would not erase anything. Right?

Regards.

[jrb]

[musher0]

Thanks for the clarification.

Have a great day!

[musher0]

Hello again, jrb.

Tested your idea a couple of ways in a new puppy alpha being created (not by me). So here are a few test notes that may or may not be useful to others.

Do not put the devx in place of the regular puppy sfs: you'll get a panic message in the loader. This linux loader needs a properly configured "root" sfs with at least a simple /root/ structure in it.

So I created a "root" sfs that had only 12 k (with near-empty my-documents and my-applications directories), but this time it loaded without "panic" and the entire Puppy in the zdrv was available and functional.

However, the puppy cloner will not respect one's choice of zdrv-xxx.sfs. It will ask you if you want to create a zdrv, and if you answer yes, it will create its own (6-7 Mgs), not the substitute main file you provided initially. This needs further investigation and testing.

That's it for now.

Regards.