Where I am at with DSL nowForum: Other Help Topics Topic: Where I am at with DSL now started by: geercom Posted by geercom on May 28 2006,19:27
OK, I think that if I install Windows 98se first (the latest Windows OS this small system can handle) and then use CFDisk, I can partition the remaining part of the hdd into three partitions while keeping Windows 98se intact.If I understand correctly, this will: Enable me to boot to DSL from LiveCD or to Windows 98se. Enable me to save DSL settings, files and e-mails on one of the DSL partitions. If this is not correct, correct me. Please note: I have had to use the DSL boot image floppy and put KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX (or whatever that is) on the Windows 98se in Root for it to work, at least for one of the cases where I successfully booted into DSL and was able to use it. Perhaps this doesn't apply with what I am trying to do here? Whether this is correct, I need to know the three partition types I need, what to call them, recommended sizes and and needed features to use in CFDisk to get them. Then I need to know how to make sure DSL uses the proper partition for the proper purpose. This is as far as I have come on my own. Every time I think I know what I need to do, I find something else on this site that seems to say to do just the opposite. D. Posted by geercom on May 28 2006,21:54
Here's what I have done to TRY to make things easier.No Windows 98, just one Linux primary bootable partition to use to store settings, files, email, data, etc. #1-Do I need to use the hdd or any device to save email, files and settings etc? If I do, exactly what do I do to set it up to use hda1 for this and to pull it from this on boot? How do I get to the tools I need to do this and how do I use them? Posted by geercom on May 28 2006,22:13
If I only need to add an entry to the bootloader config file to make it save and restore everything on reboot, where do I find that file and how do I edit it?
Posted by tedmoore99 on May 28 2006,23:56
Where are you now in the process?Once you boot from the live cd, you can use cfdisk to create the partions you need: one partion of about 200 MB will allow for growth - set up as type Linux one partion of about 250MB - 500MB set up as a swap partion (type 82) If you have more space, set it up as you please or leave it free when that is done, you can automate the install to harddrive by using the install scripts located in the apps>tools>HD Install or apps>tools>frugal install. The frugal install copies the img file from the cd and sets up the boot loader to have you boot up from there. Either way, the install script walks you through it pretty easily. Give it a try, enjoy the process, keep us posted! --Ted Posted by geercom on May 29 2006,11:49
Well, I guess what I want to do is this. I don't want to do a hdd install. What I want to do is boot from the CD everytime and also find that all my e-mail, configuration settings, myDSL apps, basically everything that needs stored, saved or backed up, has been saved to and restored from the hdd as a storage device everytime and automatically. I want to know how to make the hdd a storage device for that, then how to make sure DSL saves all my files, apps, configs and everything to that automatically. That is what I now want to do. I have given up on trying to keep Windows 98se on there on another partition. I have also given up on the hdd install. BTW, I think I have Frugal on the CD. In addition to the above, what should I have on the CD? Posted by tedmoore99 on June 19 2006,00:58
Yes, you can boot and run from the live cd and backup and restore files that you want. When you boot from the live cd you can tell the boot program how you want dsl to start by using the cheat codes. I assume you understand that part. If not let me know. Then once the program is installed and running, you can go to >system>backup/restore and have dsl save files which you have designated in the file /home/dsl/.filetool.lst Look at that file and make whatever adjustments you want. Since backup saves the .filetool.lst file you are set. Where you backup is important. When you select backup/restore a window opens and you enter the path of where the backup goes. If you fail to enter a "real" location, backup uses the ramdisk which goes away during a reboot.Hope this helps --Ted Posted by geercom on June 19 2006,13:37
Hi, 1)When, where and how do I find and tell the boot program how I want dsl to start? What is the boot program? What/where are the cheat codes? 2) How exactly do I go to system backup restore? How do I have dsl save files I want to designate in the filetool.lst? Will this automatically include e-mail, installed programs, program settings, files, etc? 3) How do I know where to backup? How do I choose where to backup? Does it have to be on a particular partition in dsl of a particular type etc on the hdd? If so, what does the hdd partition type need to be? How do I know the path of the hdd partition in order to put it in? D. Posted by WDef on June 19 2006,15:18
I might chime in if you like.Those seem like a lotta questions, but none of it is hard. 1) When you first boot dsl from a livecd you will see a prompt at the bottom of that first screen. That is called the "boot prompt". In my case I have a backup on hda9, I want dma acceleration on my drives, I usually don't run swap, and I run entirely from ram, so I type this here:
Read the first screen carefully - it lists "boot parameters", which are things like dma, toram etc. 2) OK. Once dsl has booted, right-click on the desktop --> system -->backup/restore A little gui opens. Enter the device (drive) name where you want your backup to go. In my case I enter hda9 (*not* /dev/hda9 - you don't enter a path). Click OK. Open this gui again, you'll notice it has remembered this setting. Now open the file /home/dsl/.filetool.lst in emelfm with the edit button. Add any files/directories you specifically want backed up to the list there. You only need to list a path/to/directory to have all files in that dir backed up. If you want to exclude certain files within a dir listed in filetool.lst, then you can add a unique word in its path (usually the basename) to /home/dsl/.xfiletool.lst You don't need to add the whole path to this exclude list - in fact tar will use shell globbing to expand this and exclude all filenames containing that word from your backup. For example, if I add a single word line
to .xfiletool.lst, all files containing the word cache in their filenames will get excluded. If I add a wildcard after it:
then all filenames containing words like cache1 or cachewhatever will also get excluded. Note this is case sensitive so filenames containing Cache would not get excluded. But that's more info than you probably need. 3) You can pick any ext2, ext3, fat32, vfat or similar partition to backup to. Don't choose an ntfs (eg usual WinXP or Win2000) partition - writing to one of those from dsl is a bad idea (but you can read them). Pick somewhere with enough space for your backup. You can keep largish backups but it's not a great idea - for one thing, it will be slow to backup and restore. DSL's backup/restore is designed to keep your config files and such, not for 1GB of data. That's entirely possible, but it's slow. Now shutdown from the right-click menu. The dirs/files you have listed in .filetool.lst should now get backed up to the partition you have set in a "tarball" ie a file with the ending tar.gz When you reboot, enter the name of you backup partition as above at the boot prompt. The backed-up files should all be there in then right places when booting finished. |