Better backup mechanism

[dheltzel]

If Puppy already does this, just slap me with the RTFM cluestick:

In addition to the ability to backup the current changes to a new CD session when rebooting, I think there should be the following options:

1) Manual backup - menu item that checks for changes and burns as new session with those changes, if needed.

2) Cron-able backup - like #1 but done as a periodic check via cron (if cron is running) or a daemon that sleeps between checks.

3) Check for a blank CD in the drive and if found, automatically build a new bootable first session with all changes. I think this only happens now when the CD is full or out of sessions. If the check was made, then creating a backup for off-site storage would be as easy as changing to a new CD (probably after doing a manual backup to get all changes on both CD's.

Dennis

[Flash]

Just to be sure, are you talking about Multisession Puppy?

[Rich]

If not, then a 1 click 'backup the pup001 file to CD' would be a good addition.
( or do I have to RTFM too ! ) Not just the changes, dump the whole file to CD.

[Flash]

My pup001 file is too big to fit on one CD! How about an option to backup to multiple CDs, or, better yet, DVDs? Also, while I'm wishing, don't forget to make 'restore' a one-click too, from the Puppy live CD (since Puppy runs from RAM.)

[dheltzel]

I think that this could result in a well backed up system with little user intervention. The user could click one button to create a backup CD. The script would first force all changes to a final session on the current CD, (assuming it's not blank), then prompt for a blank CD and inform the user that the CD they just took out is a backup and should be labeled and dated. The new blank CD would get a new bootable first session and start the process over.

The user could also "copy" their environment for a friend, by making the backup to a fresh CD, then making all the changes their friend would need and saving that. By putting their old CD back in, they would get their settings back and the newly created CD would be customized for their friend. Even novice users could create custom Puppy CD's for their friends and relatives (suitable for gift giving).