HD Install :: is cron possible in a Frugal install

I have a Frugal install of DSL 3.0 with /opt and /home (and extensions and backup) on a separated partition.
I have successfully installed cron and I can run crontab -e but

Code Sample

dsl@box:crontab modification are never taken into account:
dsl@box:sudo apt-get install cron
dsl@box:export EDITOR=vi
dsl@box:crontab -e
no crontab for dsl - using an empty one
crontab: no changes made to crontab

I can understand why cron may be a problem in a Frugal install (with /var and /tmp on /ramdisk) but I'd like to know whether there is a way around.
I read something about a perl cron in the version under developpement but as I got no option for putting a cheat code at the Lilo Frugal install in 3.1, I stick to 3.0

Just add /var/spool to your backup using the filetool.

thats one of the things we've done & had no problem with

Thanks for the tip. As usual I have been able to find the information I neededin the wiki once I have been told what to look for (here filetool.lst).
Still, in spite of understanding how the crontab can be maintained over reboots, I cannot save my crontab. I can get the vi environment of crontab -e, but it always ends with a 'no change made to crontab'

I eventually managed to get a working crontab by doing:

Code Sample

sudo vi /var/spool/cron/crontabs/dsl

without getting any warning.
crontab -e still refuses to modify the crontab and I cannot figure out why.

original here.