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Topic: Want to save "/static"/ backup on CD-R, Re-post - please help

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jlieberman Offline

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Posts: 7
Joined: Aug. 2004

Posted: Aug. 24 2004,18:20

OK Folks - I figured it out.

In order to create a "/static"/ backup file that can be used to initially custom-configure DSL from the cd:

1. Use an iso managment tool such as WinISO to open the DSL iso image.
2. Put your backup.tar.gz in the root of the cd image.
3. Save the new iso and burn it onto a cd.

To get DSL to "see" the backup tarball:

1. At the DSL boot prompt type: dsl restore=auto/cdrom

This works because there is an entry in /mnt corresponding to "/mnt/auto/cdrom". DSL can mount this fs as read-only and grab the backup.

I realize that this will be static and that a really dynamic backup would need to be committed to a removable device (and recalled from that device).

I hope this helps other users.

Thanks again for a really great Linux distro. DSL is the best!

Cheers -

Joel

cbagger01

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Posts: 4264
Joined: Oct. 2003

Posted: Aug. 25 2004,01:16

Nice find.

Thanks for sharing this information with everyone else.

mikshaw

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Posts: 4856
Joined: July 2004

Posted: Aug. 25 2004,01:44

Is this the way 0.7.3 works now? I haven't tried the custom CD with this version yet, but with 0.7.2 all I needed to do was put the backup archive in the CD root and boot up...the system would automatically extract it without needing boot options.

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http://www.tldp.org/LDP/intro-linux/html/index.html

jlieberman Offline

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Posts: 7
Joined: Aug. 2004

Posted: Aug. 25 2004,13:40

I am new to DSL so I can't comment on the history of boot-time behavior changes for the different distros. I suspect that there are a number of different "tricks" that can be used to get DSL customizations to work.

I hate to ask for anything "new" or "different" because I realize that the developers have already done so much for the community. If a few of us who have enough experience with Linux and DSL got together to create a really comprehensive tutorial on how to effect customizations, we could then give it to the developers as a template for inclusion of notes for new functionality. I would be willing to help with this effort, but I would need other's help too because I am new to DSL.

There seem to be a good number of hooks for DSL to use during boot - such as the .dsl files, etc. One thing that would be nice to have (if it already isn't available) is a list of boot initialization files that could be customized and put in the boot iso as alternatives to the hard-wired boot files.

For example, if no alternative was present, then the standard mount points would be created in fstab. If an alternative fstab or precursor init file was present, it would be used instead.

I have briefly tried a few of the other mini-live distros and DSL is the winner every time.

Cheers -

Joel

8 replies since Aug. 24 2004,13:31

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Damn Small Linux Board » Damn Small Linux » Other Help Topics » Want to save "/static"/ backup on CD-R