Dual Boot Option

[fritual]

Re: small/ploplinux-4.3.1.1-i486.zip (host) & ploplinux-desktop-4.3.1-i486.tar.gz
Hi,
I'm cutting-my-teeth w/Plop Linux and would like to dual boot referenced versions on one USB drive.
Q: Are there any option's of this theory, to experiment with?
thx
fritual
     

[fritual]

Plan a; two directories, one partition including swap

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./ploplinux
./ploplinux-desktop
EDIT:

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/etc/fstab
/etc/lilo.conf

COPY

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/dev/

to root
install LILO to make ploplinux & ploplinux-desktop bootable

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lilo -r /mnt

* * *
for reference only

[Elmar]

Hello,

am I understand you correct? You want to have:
The small Plop Linux Version and the big one (with Desktop and so on) on one partition on USB drive?
Both Plop Linux Versions are the Live versions?

Best regards
Elmar

[fritual]

Hello,
am I understand you correct? You want to have:
The small Plop Linux Version and the big one (with Desktop and so on) on one partition on USB drive?
Both Plop Linux Versions are the Live versions?

Best regards
Elmar

Dear Elmar:
I would call this Plop Linux arrangement a newbie trainer. The small/ploplinux-4.3.1.1-i486.zip 'Live' version w/o 'X' and persistence in directory 'a' and ploplinux-desktop-4.3.1-i486.tar.gz 'Desktop' version w/'X' and persistence in directory 'b'.  Linux-swap contained in the same partition.
Q: What format and which syslinux, LILO, grub, grub 2 linux loader should be used to dual boot this USB drive? 
thx
fritual

[Elmar]

The desktop version can't be persistence, but the Live version with X can be persistence. Both have exactly the same programs.

[fritual]

The desktop version can't be persistence, but the Live version with X can be persistence. Both have exactly the same programs.

Elmar,
That said, suspect I need to get this version, also:

https://download.plop.at/ploplinux/4.3.1/live/ploplinux-4.3.1-i486.iso


Q1: Can both Live versions be on the same F32 partition and dual booted w/syslinux, etc.?
Q2: How is the 'default' persistence container generated?
fritual

[fritual]

Hi,
Tried, so far:
Small/ploplinux-4.3.1.1-i486.zip 'Live' version in f16 partition 'a' and ploplinux-desktop-4.3.1-i486.tar.gz 'Desktop' version in EXT3 partition 'b'.  Linux-swap contained in Linux-Swap partition 'c'.
Since small is the only version that boots, typing:

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lilo -r /mnt


at its CLI, traps this error:

WARNING: root at /mnt has no /dev directory
FATAL: cannot open: /etc/lilo.conf

Q: How is 'ploplinux-desktop-4.3.1-i486.tar.gz'_ 'Desktop' version designed to initially install LILO and make it bootable?
thx
fritual

[Elmar]

Q1: Can both Live versions be on the same F32 partition and dual booted w/syslinux, etc.?

Yes.

Tomorrow, I take some time and I will tell you how to do it. I will write a small howto.

Regards
Elmar

[Elmar]

2 Live Plop Linux versions + swap space on one FAT formatted partition on an USB drive:

Go to the download section of the Live Plop Linux.


Download the "Small" version and extract it.
Enter the extracted directory tree. You see efi.disabled, ploplinux and syslinux.
Copy the 'ploplinux' directory to the root directory of the USB drive.
On the USB drive, rename the 'ploplinux' directory to 'ploplinux-small'.


Now download the standard version and extract it.
Enter the extracted directory tree. You see efi.disabled, ploplinux and syslinux.
Copy all 3 directories to the root directory of the USB drive.


On the USB drive create a swap file in the root directory of the drive.
Example for 1 GB:
dd if=/dev/zero of=swap bs=1M count=1024
mkswap swap

To enable the swap at boot time edit the file 'ploplinux/bin/rc.local' and 'ploplinux-small/bin/rc.local'
Add at the end, before the line with 'exit 0' add 'swapon /media/swap'.


On the USB drive edit the file 'syslinux/syslinux.cfg'
Insert the following lines at line 16.

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label linuxsmall
    menu label Plop Linux Small
    kernel kernel/bzImage
    append vga=1 initrd=kernel/initramfs.gz nomodeset  dir=/ploplinux-small/



Now unmount the USB drive.


Make the USB drive bootable with Syslinux. If the USB drive is /dev/sdd then run 'syslinux /dev/sdd1' for the first partition on the USB drive. Take care that you use the correct device node!
Note: If you never booted from that drive, then you have to activate the boot flag for the partition and maybe write a new mbr boot section. If you need help with that then see at https://www.plop.at/en/ploplinux/live/usb.html


Thats it. Boot from USB.


Best regards
Elmar

[fritual]

2 Live Plop Linux versions + swap space on one FAT formatted partition on an USB drive:

Thanks Elmar, wishing you a HAPPY day!
fritual

[fritual]

Hi,
Confirmed 2 Live Plop Linux versions + swap space on one FAT formatted partition on an USB drive functions OK.
Noticed that data does not survive a reboot, so that would be the next step . . .
fritual

[fritual]

The desktop version can't be persistence, but the Live version with X can be persistence. Both have exactly the same programs.

Hi,
I have found that any data on the Live 'X' version cannot survive a reboot out-of-the-box.
Q: How can 'persistence' be incorporated, so it can?
thx
fritual

[Elmar]

The desktop version can't be persistence, but the Live version with X can be persistence. Both have exactly the same programs.

Hi,
I have found that any data on the Live 'X' version cannot survive a reboot out-of-the-box.
Q: How can 'persistence' be incorporated, so it can?
thx
fritual

I thought that you mean with 'persistence' that you have always the same Linux when you boot, regardless what you have done in the previous session. Usually thats the behavior of a Live system.

However, its possible to save and restore the data. Regardless if its the X version or not.


Follow the decription below, but before you start, you have to replace on file. I discovered a small bug in a stop script. The bug will be fixed in the upcoming release. Meanwhile you have to replace the etc.tgz file in the ploplinux / ploplinux-small directory with https://www.plop.at/tmp/etc.tgz

[Elmar]

How to keep data in the Live version:

Edit the file ploplinux/bin/rc.local
Add at the end and above the 'exit 0' the following

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if [ -f /media/data.tgz ]
then
  echo Restoring data...
  tar xfz /media/data.tgz -C /
fi



Edit the file ploplinux/bin/rc.local-stop
Add at line 3 the following

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  echo Storing data...
  tar cfz /media/data.tgz /home /root


Thats it. This saves/restores the content of /home and /root. Just add other directories when you want at the end of the line with the tar command in rc.local-stop.


Best regards
Elmar

[fritual]

I thought that you mean with 'persistence' that you have always the same Linux when you boot, regardless what you have done in the previous session. Usually thats the behavior of a Live system.

This was my reference:
http://www.porteus.org/component/content/article/26-tutorials/general-info-tutorials/116-howto-create-a-savedat-container-and-why-you-need-one.html

* * *

[Elmar]

Plop Linux is not Porteus.

[fritual]

How to keep data in the Live version:

Edit the file ploplinux/bin/rc.local
Add at the end and above the 'exit 0' the following

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if [ -f /media/data.tgz ]
then
  echo Restoring data...
  tar xfz /media/data.tgz -C /
fi



Edit the file ploplinux/bin/rc.local-stop
Add at line 3 the following

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  echo Storing data...
  tar cfz /media/data.tgz /home /root


Thats it. This saves/restores the content of /home and /root. Just add other directories when you want at the end of the line with the tar command in rc.local-stop.


Best regards
Elmar

Dear Elmar:
I renamed the bugged etc.tgz to etcold.tgz and installed the patched etc.tgz in ploplinux & ploplinux-small directories.
Then, added restore/store code.  If I save a text file in both 'home' and 'Desktop' directories, this data does not survive a reboot.
Q: Shouldn't this text 'data' survive a system reboot w/Live 'X' version?
Thanks for post reply!
fritual

[Elmar]

Q: Shouldn't this text 'data' survive a system reboot w/Live 'X' version?

I don't understand what you want to ask. When you reboot the Live version, then a file called data.tgz should be created in the root directory of the USB drive automatically. When there is no such a file, then something is wrong.

Regards
Elmar

[fritual]

When you reboot the Live version, then a file called data.tgz should be created in the root directory of the USB drive automatically. When there is no such a file, then something is wrong.

Dear Elmar:

No 'data.tgz' file gets created in root directory!  Suspect ploplinux/bin/rc.local-stop:

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#!/bin/sh

echo Storing data . . .
tar cfz /media/data.tgz /home /root

killall sshd
killall acpid
killall cupsd

exit 0


Inputting

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tar cfz /media/data.tgz /home /root



at the CLI does create it, allowing the text file saved in both 'home' & 'Desktop' directories to survive reboot!
Q: What's inhibiting the launch of 'rc.local-stop'?
. . .What I've noticed
1) XFCE 'Restart' & 'Shut Down' buttons are greyed out.

2) Following error trapped during boot:

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swapon: stat of /media/swap failed: no such file or directory


thx
fritual

[Elmar]

Q: What's inhibiting the launch of 'rc.local-stop'?
. . .What I've noticed
1) XFCE 'Restart' & 'Shut Down' buttons are greyed out.

rc.local-stop is being started when the shutdown or reboot is initiated.

You shutdown with
the command 'shutdown -h now'
or the command 'init 0'
or pressing the power button.


You reboot with
the command 'reboot'
or the command 'init 6'
or pressing CTRL-ALT-DEL on the console.

2) Following error trapped during boot:

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swapon: stat of /media/swap failed: no such file or directory



You did not create the swap file. Maybe you have been in the wrong directory when you run the dd and mkswap command.


Regards
Elmar

[fritual]

rc.local-stop is being started when the shutdown or reboot is initiated.

Greetings Elmar!
Logging out of 'X' and inputting 'init 6' restarts Plop Linux, but does not start 'rc.local-stop' on this rig.
Using 'small' did install swap correctly, after your tip.
thx
fritual

[Elmar]

When you boot your Plop Linux Live version, how many bytes has the file /etc/rc.local-stop

[fritual]

When you boot your Plop Linux Live version, how many bytes has the file /etc/rc.local-stop

Dear Elmar:
Please see attachment.
HTH
fritual

[Elmar]

Hmmm, please post your rc.local-stop of ploplinux/bin

[fritual]

Hmmm, please post your rc.local-stop of ploplinux/bin

See post #18, first code  . . .

[Elmar]

Please upload it as attachment

[fritual]

Please upload it as attachment

122 octet

[Elmar]

You are sure that no /media/data.tgz will be created when you reboot or shutdown?

[fritual]

You are sure that no /media/data.tgz will be created when you reboot or shutdown?

Elmar,
Rebooting, I type:

init 6

. . . now see attachment.

It functions OK, If I input:

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tar cfz /media/data.tgz /home /root

in CLI, only.
fritual

[fritual]

You are sure that no /media/data.tgz will be created when you reboot or shutdown?

Dear Elmar:
FYI
'small' creates /media/data.tgz
'XFCE' does NOT create /media/data.tgz
. . . suspect BUG is isolated to 'X'

Thanks for prompt replies to my post!
fritual

[Elmar]

'XFCE' does NOT create /media/data.tgz
. . . suspect BUG is isolated to 'X'

Just check 3 files:
ploplinux/etc.tgz
ploplinux/bin/rc.local
ploplinux/bin/rc.local-stop

[fritual]

'XFCE' does NOT create /media/data.tgz
. . . suspect BUG is isolated to 'X'

Just check 3 files:
ploplinux/etc.tgz
ploplinux/bin/rc.local
ploplinux/bin/rc.local-stop

Hi,
All 3 files were swapped with the functional ones in ploplinux-small directory w/o merit.
Also, I discovered 'startxvesa' is broken and this error trap:

xauth: file /root/.serverauth & .Xauthority does not exist

This is the Live 'X' 32-bit version used in my experiment


https://download.plop.at/ploplinux/4.3.1/live/ploplinux-4.3.1-i486.zip

Q: Is there a way to validate this installed zip file is not corrupted?
thx
fritual

[Elmar]

Also, I discovered 'startxvesa' is broken and this error trap:

Use 'startx'. When startx doesn't work, then you can try 'startxvesa'. But 'startx' should be your first choice.

Q: Is there a way to validate this installed zip file is not corrupted?

You can check the md5sum. But when there is no error on extracting the zip, then the zip is ok.


I have to say, its difficult for me to understand whats wrong with your installation. When you really did what I said, then it should work. I tested it. I have to say, you are now on your own in this topic.

Regards
Elmar

[fritual]

You can check the md5sum.

Dear Elmar:
Before I turn the page on this interesting topic, can md5sum still be used on this modified installation?

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8a78dca7b5ae6e73fdee59d01b548455  ploplinux-4.3.1-i486.zip


I wish you the best in future plop insights!
fritual

[Elmar]

The md5sum is only for the zip. Not for the extracted files.

[fritual]

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8a78dca7b5ae6e73fdee59d01b548455  ploplinux-4.3.1-i486.zip


Actual:

8a78dca7b5ae6e73fdee59d01b548455

. . . time to turn the page

[fritual]

When you really did what I said, then it should work. I tested it. I have to say, you are now on your own in this topic.

Regards
Elmar

Hi,
A complete 'X' reinstall from CLI made me a happy camper.
Now, both versions have persistence.
Hope Plop Linux upgrades include missing WiFi drivers mentioned in thread.
Cheers!
fritual