How to make a GNU/Linux frugal installation with copy-to-R.A.M. mode system: PuppyLinux

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How to make a GNU/Linux frugal installation with copy-to-R.A.M. mode system operation

The container file that contains the operating system is commonly referred to as the drive image file. A frugal installation is performed by extracting the contents of the container file (with file extension .img or .iso) to normally one, i.e. the same, directory on a device.

Let the desired partition that one wants to install to be known as the target partition. That partition may be located on either of these following types of devices:

an external device

an internal device

Therefore, the target device is the device which contains the partition that one aims to install to, and that device could be either a flash memory card, an USB flash memory drive, a hard disk drive (H.D.D.) or a solid state disk drive (S.S.D.).

Copy-to-R.A.M. mode system operation refers to how the computer operating system is able to create a temporary environment whereby it reads and writes to its complete file-system residing entirely within random access memory (R.A.M.).

Some operating systems which have copy-to-R.A.M. mode available:

Puppy GNU/Linux (copy-to-R.A.M. mode is determined by the configuration file syslinux.cfg containing pfix=copy)

PartedMagic GNU/Linux (copy-to-R.A.M. mode is default behaviour)

Porteus GNU/Linux

WARNING: If the target partition contains any important files make a minimum of two copies of important files, where each copy is located on a separate partition on a separate device, because they will be destroyed whenever the target partition is formatted.

IMPORTANT: determine the correct device name (sdX) of the target device to work on, via the command-line interface:

lsblk

The following procedure assumes that one is running Puppy GNU/Linux. However, the same procedure can be followed within any GNU/Linux distribution. If one wishes to use Microsoft Windows go to Appendix below.

Step 1 - PARTITIONING

This step is optional, i.e. only proceed if one does not wish to keep the existing partition structure on the target device X.

print/show existing partition structure on the target device X:
```
/usr/sbin/parted /dev/sdX print
```

un-mount the target device X
```
umount /dev/sdX
```

create a partition table (disklabel) on the target device X {WARNING; access to all existing files on the target device will be lost}:
```
/usr/sbin/parted /dev/sdX mklabel gpt && /usr/sbin/parted -l
```

create a partition (partitioning) on the target device X (where set 1 defines partition 1 of device X to be the boot partition; and in this example just one partition is created):

/usr/sbin/parted -a opt /dev/sdX mkpart primary ext4 8 100% set 1 boot on && /usr/sbin/parted /dev/sdX disk_set pmbr_boot on && /usr/sbin/parted /dev/sdX set 1 legacy_boot on print

Step 2 - FORMATTING

This step is optional, i.e. only proceed if one does not wish to keep the existing file-system structure on the target device.

create a file-system (formatting) on a partition Y of the target device X {WARNING: all existing data on the target partition will be over-written (destroyed)}:

for EXT4 file-system creation {makes use of e2fsprogs package}:
/sbin/mkfs.ext4 -b 4096 -m 0 -L LABEL -O extents,uninit_bg,dir_index,filetype,has_journal,sparse_super -E stride=4,stripe-width=256 /dev/sdXY

for FAT32 file-system creation:
mkdosfs -v -n NAME -F 32 /dev/sdXY

for FAT16 file-system creation:
mkdosfs -v -n NAME -F 16 /dev/sdXY

SD Memory Card Formatter for Linux

Step 3 - BOOT-LOADER INSTALLATION

install the boot-loader SYSLINUX to one's actual operating system in use:

SYSLINUX

installing this package merely makes available the SYSLINUX files for one's use; it does not replace any of the existing boot-loader files which one's actual operating system makes use of for booting (starting-up) itself

initiating the following procedure to install the boot-loader to the target device requires one to perform it to completion; this ensures that no remnants of older SYSLINUX versions remain on the target device

install the boot-loader c32 modules to the target device X at only one of these locations /dev/sdXY/{boot/syslinux,syslinux}:

cp -af /usr/lib/syslinux/{libcom32,libutil,linux,menu}.c32 /dev/sdXY/boot/syslinux/

cp -af /usr/lib/syslinux/{libcom32,libutil,linux,menu}.c32 /dev/sdXY/syslinux/

those four modules listed are the minimum required; if extra functionality is required, e.g. chain.c32, vesamenu.c32, as determined by the contents of syslinux.cfg, copy the extra, relevant files from /usr/lib/syslinux

install the boot-loader boot sector code to the target device X:

/bin/dd bs=440 conv=notrunc,fdatasync count=1 if=/usr/lib/syslinux/gptmbr.bin of=/dev/sdX

install the boot-loader configuration file syslinux.cfg to the target device X by copying it to either /boot/syslinux or /syslinux

sample file for flash memory drives with: pmedia=usbflash, elevator=noop

this file will need editing if more than one Puppy version has been installed

the pkeys parameter will need to be configured for the required keyboard layout, e.g. pkeys=us, pkeys=uk, pkeys=fr, pkeys=de, etc.

install the boot-loader system file ldlinux.sys to the target device X, using the installers extlinux or syslinux:

for EXT4 file-systems, ensuring that it is mounted first:

/bin/mount /dev/sdXY /mnt/sdXY && /bin/mkdir -p /mnt/sdXY/boot && /sbin/extlinux -i -s /mnt/sdXY/boot && sync

for FAT file-systems:

/bin/mkdir -p /mnt/sdXY/boot && /usr/bin/syslinux --directory /boot -i -s /dev/sdXY && sync

removing ldlinux.sys without formatting

the ldlinux.sys file has the immutable attribute set, which prevents it from being deleted or overwritten; this is because the sector location of the file must not change or else syslinux has to be re-installed; to remove it, run:
```
chattr -i /boot/syslinux/ldlinux.sys && rm -f /boot/syslinux/ldlinux.sys
```

Step 4 - SYSTEM INSTALLATION

mount the target device

mount the drive image (.iso or .zip) file

copy from the drive image directory to the target device either all the files, (or just these essential ones: vmlinuz, initrd.gz, and all those with the extension .sfs

if more than one operating system is to be frugally installed ensure that each is compartmentalized within their own directory)

follow the instructions at LiveDVD Appendix 3

re-boot the computer with the device connected

Appendix

Installation to any external device, from within Microsoft Windows

format the drive or partition with FAT32

SD Memory Card Formatter for Windows

download and extract the latest syslinux.zip file to the C drive, i.e. C:\syslinux

go to directory C:\syslinux\win32\
```
cd C:\syslinux\win32\
```

with administrator privileges run the syslinux command to make the target device bootable: (where X is the drive letter for the target drive or partition)
```
syslinux.exe -m -a X:
```

open the Puppy ISO (or ZIP) file to view its contents, using e.g. 7-zip (it is important that the original file names be kept) and copy to the target device the files: vmlinuz, initrd.gz, and all those with the extension .sfs

create a directory syslinux on the target device which contains the following files:

a boot-loader configuration file {sample syslinux.cfg (for flash memory drives only; read Step 3 above)}

the required boot-loader c32 modules copied from C:\syslinux (read Step 3 above)

follow the instructions at LiveDVD Appendix 3

re-boot (re-start) the computer with the flash memory device connected

if the operating system does not load (start), repeat the installation on a FAT16 formatted partition

Installation to any Microsoft Windows partition and using GRUBforDOS as boot-loader

Installing the boot-loader to the internal hard disk drive (where Microsoft Windows resides)

https://www.icpug.org.uk/national/linnwin/step1-xp.html

https://puppy.b0x.me/lin-n-win

Installing the boot-loader to an external drive

https://shino.pos.to/linux/lupq/puppydualboot.html

When making an installation to an internal H.D.D. with an existing operating system, one has the option to either allow that operating system to remain or be removed. Only remove the existing operating system if the computer is more than 3 years old since most computer manufacturers cease to provide new B.I.O.S. versions after that time. If the intention is to remove the existing operating system, regardless of computer age, then ensure to check for and install any B.I.O.S. updates first.

If the Puppy files are to be appended, by making a frugal installation only of Puppy, then this would involve one of the following:

either making a new partition for Puppy (not recommended)

or, using an existing partition for Puppy (recommended)

One can place a frugal installation within a pre-existing Windows installation. The save file, although itself is comprised of a Linux file-system, may reside on a F.A.T. or N.T.F.S. partition; which is why a frugal installation is also called a "co-exist" installation. A full hard disk drive installation on a F.A.T. partition is not possible because F.A.T. partitions do not support Linux symbolic links.

There is an option to install from within Microsoft Windows using the relevant file from here: https://www.mediafire.com/?5ah0d0rzcz5cc

How to run Puppy Linux from a flash memory drive on any computer already running

QEMUpuppy

Absent internal H.D.D.

older Puppy versions will not boot from an external flash memory drive if the internal H.D.D. has been removed:

Posted on 23 Apr 2011, 22:54 by perthie
USB Install Issue?
I notice that you still haven't commented on this issue. A machine 
missing an internal hard drive can no longer be booted from a flash 
drive. The new search procedure fails to find the sfs file on the flash 
drive.
Posted on 24 Apr 2011, 8:20 by BarryK
Re no boot usb
I have written it down in my to-do list.

http://bkhome.org/blog/?viewDetailed=02231