can savefile.2fs be converted to savefile.sfs ?

[bill]

can savefile.2fs be converted to savefile.sfs ? and if possible,how ? thanks

[mikeb]

To prevent it clogging X launching I would mount the save file when running pfix=ram (so its not in use at the time) and then mksquashfs /path/to/save/mountpoint/ new.sfs
Done

A bit crude as unneeded folders would be included which would normally be filtered out but should not affect running as such.

By the way i have used sfs saves for 3 years so you are heading in the right direction

mike

[bill]

Thanks mikeb ,that gives me a way to go,but I want to know "What took you so long ?" cheers

[mikeb]

instant dried replies...just add water.....

fortunately not everything I do happens so fast

mike

[bill]

Lo Mike,I am working in a sda1 memory stick,could it be possible for you to give me an example of this command string using foo.2fs and foo.sfs ? I am not getting my head around this correctly.thanks


mksquashfs /path/to/save/mountpoint new.sfs

[mikeb]

Ok.... if you are working from a non running foo.2fs as recommended then click on it to mount it..... it will be accessible at /mnt/+weird+name+foo.2fs (unsure of the exact name as I changed the naming as I thought it was bloody awful. )

so the command should go something like

mksquashfs /mnt/+weird+name+foo.2fs/ /mnt/sda1/foo.sfs

me being slack forgot the trailing '/' earlier... that ensures the file structure will match up correctly.

One made you can click on the sfs to see if it looks correct inside.

mike

[nic007]

I like this idea but how do I boot this automatically without having another save file?

[bill]

Well nic007,I think it can be.While Mike has me sorted on the mksquashfs in converting a foo.2fs(imaginary..2fs) to a foo.sfs file ,I think where I am missing the boat is where Mike is saying to combine files in the command string with
+weird+name+foo.2fs.I reckon Mike is telling us but I haven't caught on yet. .

[mikeb]

I like this idea but how do I boot this automatically without having another save file?

well all that bootmanager splurge does cock things up a bit in this respect... I liked the days when a devx could be loaded in a pfix=ram session or without a save....so I brought them back

Ok...when you click to open foo.2fs it will be accessible from /mnt/(a name with plusses in) ...look for it in /mnt

mike

[nic007]

Well nic007,I think it can be.While Mike has me sorted on the mksquashfs in converting a foo.2fs(imaginary..2fs) to a foo.sfs file ,I think where I am missing the boat is where Mike is saying to combine files in the command string with
+weird+name+foo.2fs.I reckon Mike is telling us but I haven't caught on yet. .

Bill, no I'm sure he has only showed you the best way to convert the save file to an sfs file. I wonder if that sfs file can be booted by making an entry in menu1st (if you are using this for booting). I've read somewhere that another poster boots that sfs file in the form of a z drive but that doen't work for me. I'm going to post the menu1st question. Maybe someone can help us before mike returns to enlighten us.

[nic007]

I like this idea but how do I boot this automatically without having another save file?

well all that bootmanager splurge does cock things up a bit in this respect... I liked the days when a devx could be loaded in a pfix=ram session or without a save....so I brought them back

Ok...when you click to open foo.2fs it will be accessible from /mnt/(a name with plusses in) ...look for it in /mnt

mike

Ah the big mind is back. Mike, but how do I boot it like a devx or zdrive file (I've already converted it to sfs). Sorry if I'm missing something. Using puppy 412 by the way

[mikeb]

'big mind' not sure if thats a compliment or not.....
how did you sneak in here anyway.

Ok had a nosy at the original 4.12.. (7zip on windows can browse straight down into an initrd and open the init script...that is soooo neat ) and it will still load a zdrv_412.sfs if present (located on the freaking moon if you want)
mount -t aufs -o udba=reval,diropq=w,dirs=${UMNTMAIN}${ZLAYER}${UMNTRO} unionfs /pup_new
the zdrv layer is below the main sfs like other sfs so some changes from the save will not be seen and thats what probably makes it seem like its not working.... a standard puppy flaw unfortunately.(thats why those on the fly sfs loaders are so messy)

Beyond that its the code snips time..

mike

[bill]

Ok,from this itsy bitsy pea brain I tried going to sda1,loaded console
and tried /mnt and all it would tell me was that it was a directory so I "right clicked on the .2fs >permissions and made it searchable and executable and then when I left clicked on the 2fs it showed me this:[

[mikeb]

OK I am seeing double

From your piccy we would have

Code: Select all

mksquashfs /mnt/+mnt+sda1+lupusave-sodo.2fs/ /mnt/sda1/foo.sfs

ugly ain't it... I went for /mnt/filemnt/lupusave-sodo.2fs . seemed neater but I digress.

mike

[nic007]

'big mind' not sure if thats a compliment or not.....
how did you sneak in here anyway.

Ok had a nosy at the original 4.12.. (7zip on windows can browse straight down into an initrd and open the init script...that is soooo neat ) and it will still load a zdrv_412.sfs if present (located on the freaking moon if you want)
mount -t aufs -o udba=reval,diropq=w,dirs=${UMNTMAIN}${ZLAYER}${UMNTRO} unionfs /pup_new
the zdrv layer is below the main sfs like other sfs so some changes from the save will not be seen and thats what probably makes it seem like its not working.... a standard puppy flaw unfortunately.(thats why those on the fly sfs loaders are so messy)

Beyond that its the code snips time..

mike

Where on earth should I include that line in that massive file? It's /pup_new.sfs? Also I have a normal sfs file called pup_412config.sfs now not a zdrv whatever just to be clear.

[saintless]

I'm Just trying to spare you some troubles.
Do not "waste your time" creating sfs from save file in puppy.
You will get many files that should not be included inside.
As a result you will be able to use this sfs only on the same computer it is created on.
Puppy has very good remastering script and it will include all new installed programs. It will also boot on any other computer without problems.
Here you can find simpler and quicker way to make exact copy of your save file and include it in the main puppy sfs:
http://puppylinux.info/topic/remastering-cd

Cheers

[mikeb]

hey this is fun...

ok

I've read somewhere that another poster boots that sfs file in the form of a z drive but that doen't work for me.

Where on earth should I include that line in that massive file?

that one line is from the standard 4.12 init to show that zdrv is loaded if present and to give a clue as to why it might not have worked as expected (wrong layer order)....I believe at this point the idea was to test a save sfs without hacking anything or needing a save file. The other technique would be to make a dummy empty save file to satisfy modern puppies sfs loading requirements.

I'm Just trying to spare you some troubles.
Do not "waste your time" creating sfs from save file in puppy.

thats ok...you seem to be unaware of where this is heading...indeed Bill's purpose is slightly unknown to me (he might want a simple way to have a custom install for example) I just happen to use a similar technique in a certain useful way....believe me there are some stunning wastes of time going on around here and this is not one of them.

mike

[nic007]

hey this is fun...

ok

I've read somewhere that another poster boots that sfs file in the form of a z drive but that doen't work for me.

Where on earth should I include that line in that massive file?

that one line is from the standard 4.12 init to show that zdrv is loaded if present and to give a clue as to why it might not have worked as expected (wrong layer order)....I believe at this point the idea was to test a save sfs without hacking anything or needing a save file. The other technique would be to make a dummy empty save file to satisfy modern puppies sfs loading requirements.

I'm Just trying to spare you some troubles.
Do not "waste your time" creating sfs from save file in puppy.

thats ok...you seem to be unaware of where this is heading...indeed Bill's purpose is slightly unknown to me (he might want a simple way to have a custom install for example) I just happen to use a similar technique in a certain useful way....believe me there are some stunning wastes of time going on around here and this is not one of them.

mike

I think we are all confused now. The zdrv story should never have come up really (my fault). I knew devx and zdrv could be loaded automatically so the question was whether the same could be achieved with any sfs file for that matter (without using a save file with your config of course). So I just renamed the sfs file to zdrv/devxx whatever to see if it would load and obviously it didn't work. My purpose for the sfs file would be to load my configuration like I had on the save file. The slight benefit would be a smaller file and then of course no save file although that option may still be open at shutdown. So, if this can be achieved, I would like to know how to mount the sfs file on boot-up for this purpose.

[saintless]

I'm Just trying to spare you some troubles.
Do not "waste your time" creating sfs from save file in puppy.

thats ok...you seem to be unaware of where this is heading...indeed Bill's purpose is slightly unknown to me (he might want a simple way to have a custom install for example) I just happen to use a similar technique in a certain useful way....believe me there are some stunning wastes of time going on around here and this is not one of them.
mike

I know what you mean, Mike
"Waste on time" - put in quotes.
Debian live uses the same squash file technique.
Before making sfs from save file it is better to clean this save file first.
For example .wh..wh.orph and .wh..wh.plnk folders, .wh..wh.aufs file are not needed to be inside. You can find many of those empty .wh files in a save file.
.XLOADED will cause slight boot error even on the same computer.
resolv.conf and network interfaces file will include your internet settings which will cause troubles using this sfs on another computer. Same goes for the sound device files.
Browsers cache and temp files will be included and increase the size.
There are many others. Cleaning all of them manual before creating sfs file is not easy and can cause troubles later.
Puppy remaster script will save all these troubles.

If the idea is testing purpose - very good. But let the people be aware what might (and will) go wrong while converting save file to sfs.

Cheers, Toni

My purpose for the sfs file would be to load my configuration like I had on the save file. The slight benefit would be a smaller file and then of course no save file although that option may still be open at shutdown. So, if this can be achieved, I would like to know how to mount the sfs file on boot-up for this purpose.

Nic007, check out the link in my previous post. It will merge the original file with your save file settings. It is exactly what you need.

[nic007]

I'm Just trying to spare you some troubles.
Do not "waste your time" creating sfs from save file in puppy.

thats ok...you seem to be unaware of where this is heading...indeed Bill's purpose is slightly unknown to me (he might want a simple way to have a custom install for example) I just happen to use a similar technique in a certain useful way....believe me there are some stunning wastes of time going on around here and this is not one of them.
mike

I know what you mean, Mike
"Waste on time" - put in quotes.
Debian live uses the same squash file technique.
Before making sfs from save file it is better to clean this save file first.
For example .wh..wh.orph and .wh..wh.plnk folders, .wh..wh.aufs file are not needed to be inside. You can find many of those empty .wh files in a save file.
.XLOADED will cause slight boot error even on the same computer.
resolv.conf and network interfaces file will include your internet settings which will cause troubles using this sfs on another computer. Same goes for the sound device files.
Browsers cache and temp files will be included and increase the size.
There are many others. Cleaning all of them manual before creating sfs file is not easy and can cause troubles later.
Puppy remaster script will save all these troubles.

If the idea is testing purpose - very good. But let the people be aware what might (and will) go wrong while converting save file to sfs.

Cheers, Toni

My purpose for the sfs file would be to load my configuration like I had on the save file. The slight benefit would be a smaller file and then of course no save file although that option may still be open at shutdown. So, if this can be achieved, I would like to know how to mount the sfs file on boot-up for this purpose.

Nic007, check out the link in my previous post. It will merge the original file with your save file settings. It is exactly what you need.

Well not quite. I have made many re-masters before but some things are just not saved, eg. Installations of applications in wine and the configuration for those installations in wine. One can slightly overcome this by placing your applications that one would like to use in temp/root and that will be included however the configuration for those files from within wine can not be saved (well, I have never been able to).