Re-mastering Proof-of-Principle Effort

[utu]

I've just ordered a Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 10 Flash Memory Card.

I have in mind the following experiment:

Use Werner's latest re-mastering idea 'Recombine flash disk Installation with persistent memory',
with the following adaptations:.

1. Use an existing 2 Gb Card with Knoppix 6.7.1 and its own well-developed persistent store
instead of a live CD to prepare a working 16 Gb Knoppix system;
2. Add Werner's scripts to the 16 Gb system;
3. Use the 16 GB System to 'recombine' the KNOPPIX and KNOPPIX-DATA files from the 2 Gb card;
4. Replace the original KNOPPIX file on the 2 Gb card with the 'recombined'; and
5. Regenerate an 'empty' KNOPPIX-DATA file on the 2 Gb card.

Notes:
1. I expect step (1) will initially clone the 2 Gb system, including its small persistent store.
2. Use cloop in the initial effort, but experiment with squashfs as well for comparison.

Any comments on this approach?

[Capricorny]

That card should have ca 20MB/s r&w, I think that's fine. I would say just go ahead and try - only beware that if the PC identifies it as an mmcblk device with the built-in reader, you have to either use an external card reader, or modify minirt.gz something in the way of marlas' method, http://www.knoppix.net/forum/threads...mmcblk0-device

As regards the handling of knoppix-data.img, if you don't have soething special rewritable to keep, you might just let Knoppix create a new one. The main reasons I recreate it upon remastering, is to keep my modified /home outside of the remastered image (I might give it to someone), to save space in the new cloop by purging package data that will be rewritten anyway, and to save one step at the first booting of the new version.

Squashfs vs cloop is really no big deal in our context. Squashfs image is smaller than the quick-compressed cloop, and takes one less step to create. But when we have enough space on our USB devices, and use scripts, that's not very significant. Klaus K clearly has his reasons for sticking with cloop, but I still haven't got exactly what is most important, with the present versions. I have been using about half and half of them, often not knowing which variety I'm running right now - and that's just the way I like it. I might go for more exclusive squashfs, though. It's just that I then have to modify the minirt, which I also try to avoid as much as posssible.

[utu]

That card should have ca 20MB/s r&w, I think that's fine. I would say just go ahead and try - only beware that if the PC identifies it as an mmcblk device with the built-in reader, you have to either use an external card reader, or modify minirt.gz something in the way of marlas' method, http://www.knoppix.net/forum/threads...mmcblk0-device

I may have to use 0wn to prepare the recombining system. I'll have to look closely at Werner's scripts.

As regards the handling of knoppix-data.img, if you don't have soething special rewritable to keep, you might just let Knoppix create a new one. The main reasons I recreate it upon remastering, is to keep my modified /home outside of the remastered image (I might give it to someone), to save space in the new cloop by purging package data that will be rewritten anyway, and to save one step at the first booting of the new version.

I keep small compressed backups of /home, /etc & 'syslinix.cfg instead of 'the whole thing'. These amount to only ~40 Mb. Works for me.

Squashfs vs cloop is really no big deal in our context. Squashfs image is smaller than the quick-compressed cloop, and takes one less step to create. But when we have enough space on our USB devices, and use scripts, that's not very significant. Klaus K clearly has his reasons for sticking with cloop, but I still haven't got exactly what is most important, with the present versions. I have been using about half and half of them, often not knowing which variety I'm running right now - and that's just the way I like it. I might go for more exclusive squashfs, though. It's just that I then have to modify the minirt, which I also try to avoid as much as posssible.

I feel the same way. I thought you still might be anxious over this.