Can I copy complete install to another partition?(solved)

[number77]

Hello
I installed xenialpup64 7.5 on a friends pc, not sure of its make, about 2ghz dual core and 2gb memory. I made four partitions and would like to duplicate the installation to another partition. What would I have to rename to avoid confusion between the two installations.
Thanks
number77

[don570]

Zigbert wrote a utility to mirror a partition using a Russian utility 'mirdir'. It's pretty old . It may be only 32 bit????

I haven't seen it in 64 bit distros.
But it does work well in making a mirror of a partition, so you can
transfer all the data (if you have enough space in new partition).
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=13606

I used it to copy a bootable linux OS (Ubuntu)
____________________________

Here are the terminal commands of 'mirdir'
https://www.linux.com/news/cli-magic-si ... kup-mirdir

[ally]

frugal install or full

if frugal just copy contents of partition across, rename the save files with unique name

run grub4dos

sorted

[number77]

frugal install or full

if frugal just copy contents of partition across, rename the save files with unique name

run grub4dos

sorted

Its frugal. I will try that if I can find a spare hdd, I dont have access to friends pc for maybe a week.

[number77]

Zigbert wrote a utility to mirror a partition using a Russian utility 'mirdir'. It's pretty old . It may be only 32 bit????

I haven't seen it in 64 bit distros.
But it does work well in making a mirror of a partition, so you can
transfer all the data (if you have enough space in new partition).
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=13606

I used it to copy a bootable linux OS (Ubuntu)
____________________________

Here are the terminal commands of 'mirdir'
https://www.linux.com/news/cli-magic-si ... kup-mirdir

Thats interesting, it is 64 bit though.

[number77]

That did work, I copied the complete contents to another partition.
The original had xenialpup657.5frugal
The second I changed to second647.5frugal.
First save file was xenialpup64save
second I changed to second64save.
At first shutdown puppy created xenialpup64save again.
When asked at shutdown should I have chosen to save to second64save.

[bigpup]

First save file was xenialpup64save
second I changed to second64save.

I assume you made a copy of the first one to make the second one.

If you made the second save when offered at shutdown.
It gives you the option to add to the name.
This will identify it as a different save.

The save has to be given a specific name.
Xenialpup is only going to use a save that is named

Code: Select all

xenialpup64save

If you want to have a different save, you can add to that name at the end.
Example:

Code: Select all

xenialpup64save-whatever

Putting something after that (-) makes it a different save to use.

So, the second save you made is named incorrectly.

Note:
When you boot it may pickup both saves.
You will get a screen listing both saves and option to choose which one to use.
If the Xenialpup installs are totally in different directories(folders).
It should only see the save that is in whatever directory is being used at the time.

[number77]

I will start again and do that and call second save file xenialpup64save-second.

[number77]

It gave me a choice of which os to use and booted to that. There was only one partition symbol at the bottom of screen mounted and it did seem to have two different xenialpups.
If any information had been used from the first partition by the second would that partition have appeared mounted when I boot into the second.
I only ask as it didn't ask for name of save file, but I did as you said and renamed to xenialpupsave-second.

[bigpup]

If any information had been used from the first partition by the second would that partition have appeared mounted when I boot into the second.

Probably. Yes.

I only ask as it didn't ask for name of save file, but I did as you said and renamed to xenialpupsave-second.

That was a typo?

I assume you named it xenialpup64save-second.

Looks like you got it working the way it should.

Just to be totally sure.
The second install is in directory second647.5frugal.
The xenialpup64save-second is in that same directory.

At boot you get a boot menu that has an entry for each install.

[number77]

Thats good, its working well.
Thanks ally, don570 and bigpup for patient support.
All the best
number77

[mikeslr]

Hi number77,

I'm glad its working. Just wanted to add that in order to avoid having to make a choice between SaveFile/Folders on bootup, you can add the psubdir argument to the kernel line, e.g.:

kernel /xen64s/vmlinuz pmedia=ataflash psubdir=xen64p pfix=fsck

compare:

kernel /xen64p/vmlinuz pmedia=ataflash psubdir=xen64s pfix=fsck

#bolding only for emphasis, not actually used

On my desktop computer I have two instances of Frugal Xenialpup64. One is in a folder named xen64p. It's the one I usually run and is fleshed out with 'the Out house sink'. Added the "p" as a note to myself that it employ's radky's pmenu (actually his entire FbBox). The second instance, run from folder xen64s, I setup to explore SUKK (stemsee' unattended kernel kit). Haven't done anything with it yet. But I didn't want to either complicate explorations by using an operating system with unnecessary and possibly interfering applications; or jeopardize a well running system while exploring (for me) uncharted territory,

mikesLr

[number77]

Hello mikeslr
Do you mean the blue grub4dos screen that gives me the choice of windows, or either of the two xenials.

[mikeslr]

Hi number77,

Almost "Yes." On the partition on which grub4dos was installed, there was also installed a file named menu.lst. It's a simple txt file read and used by grub4dos to boot the operating system if there is only one, and to provide a list of available Operating Systems if there is more than one. What appears on the screen are only the Titles of the different operating systems.

Since menu.lst is only a simple text file, you can file-browse to it, Right-Click> open it in geany or any text editor and edit it. The following is the beginning of what my menu.lst looks like. [Including Windows 7 and Linux Mint I have some 8 or 9 operating systems on this desktop which has two Terabyte Drives. What do I want to explore today? ].

# menu.lst produced by grub4dosconfig-v1.9.2
#color blue/cyan yellow/blue white/black cyan/black
splashimage=/splash.xpm
timeout 10
default 0

# Frugal installed Puppy

title Xenialpup64 (sda4/xen64p)
uuid c526ec9f-5915-4f31-932f-84c143a3a3cf
kernel /xen64p/vmlinuz pmedia=ataflash psubdir=xen64p pfix=fsck
initrd /xen64p/initrd.gz

title Xenialpup64-SUKK (sda4/xen64s)
uuid c526ec9f-5915-4f31-932f-84c143a3a3cf
kernel /xen64s/vmlinuz pmedia=ataflash psubdir=xen64s pfix=fsck;ram
initrd /xen64s/initrd.gz

All that appears on the "blue grub4dos screen*" are the Title lines. To create the second Xenialpup64 Frugal Install all I did was create a second folder (Right-click an empty space, select New>Directory, named it xen64s; copied the necessary files into the folder [initrd.gz, vmlinuz, puppy_xenial64_7.0.8.6.sfs and zdrv_xenial64_7.0.8.6.sfs] and edited menu.lst to add a listing for it. [Copy, paste, edit where necessary]. As I mentioned, I haven't done anything with this "installation" yet so I haven't created a SaveFile/Folder. Note the ";ram" at the end of the kernel line. That prevents this Frugal Install from using the SaveFile used by the other. It's necessary even though the line has psubdir=. psubdir just tells a Puppy where to look first. If it doesn't find a SaveFile/Folder there it will then search the top and first level folders on all drives and partitions. Once I've created a SaveFile/Folder for this "installation" I can delete the ";ram". Annoying when I forget to do that. Happens often.

One of the reasons many of us love grub4dos --and cringe at the thought that perhaps someday we'll be forced to use Grub2-- is the ease with which we can setup a new Puppy: Mount the ISO [Left-Click it], copy a couple files from it into a folder, browse to menu.lst and add a stanza for the new Puppy. Reboot.

mikesLr

* Mine isn't blue. The arguments/instructions at the top of menu.lst determine text and background color. You can also add a "splash-screen". I have a black-cat silhouetted against a black background with white text.

[don570]

When I checked ...
BarryK has a 64 bit version of mirdir in Easy Linux,
and has pmirror as well.
____________________________

[number77]

Hi number77,

Almost "Yes." On the partition on which grub4dos was installed, there was also installed a file named menu.lst. It's a simple txt file read and used by grub4dos to boot the operating system if there is only one, and to provide a list of available Operating Systems if there is more than one. What appears on the screen are only the Titles of the different operating systems.

Thanks, I think I may have mastered grub4dos now.
I did try grub4dos on ubuntu but it didnt seem to work so I have to swap hdds if I want to use ubuntu. Didnt try dual boot on mint as I couldnt understand how but will some time.