Please help me with Core USB UEFI Persistent

[MSM-John]

Hi

I am trying to make a USB Core with persistent that will boot on a UEFI bios.

I used core2usb-1.6.exe to make the stick with Core-10.0.iso.

The stick works with CSM boot but not UEFI.

I have read numerous posts about peristence and enabling UEFI but they are too advanced for me to understand.

I can see the persistent TCE folder on the USB created by core2usb-1.6 but I do not know how to navigate to it from the command prompt.

Would someone please be kind enough to tell me the commands I need to type at the command prompt to:

- permanently enable the persistence to the existing TCE folder (I want to save some scripts and data there)
- make the stick bootable with the BIOS in UEFI mode

I know how to use the VI editor and most of the basic linux commands.  I just need some help with setting the stick up.

Thanks so much for any assistance anyone can provide.  I spent hours today reading posts and the online help but I cannot understand how to do this.

I am sure others will also find the answers helpful.

Regards

John

[mocore]

I spent hours today reading posts and the online help but I cannot understand how to do this.

0) what did you read ( links plz!!  because as you say "I am sure others will also find the answers helpful." )

1) what did you try

2) how did it fail

---
imho*!! you are attempting to achieve two things

one - create a usb disk that will boot on a UEFI bios. ( this *could* boot any distro / os) , eg: install a boot loader

two - configure the usb boot loader to load tinycore 64
        ( make some kind of boot loader-config file with the correct paths ) ,
         and copy the tinycore 64 files to the correct paths.

i would use a vm to test out the above on a "virtual disk image" where you can make errors with out bricking your main system!
that said there is not better motivation for learning than bricking your main system 

[MSM-John]

Hi

Thanks so much for your assistance and the incredibly quick reply.

Fortunately, We have a lot of old laptops that are going to be sent to the recyclers soon so I can test the USB boot stick on those.  If I "brick" them it doesn't matter.

Regarding persistence:

I started with the FAQ at    http://tinycorelinux.net/faq.html#pendrives

It says:



To find the UUID of a device use the command blkid
blkid -s UUID /dev/sda1

You can mount devices by UUID with the mount command, e.g,
mount -U 4773-DFE2

You can now specify the device to be used by UUID as follows:
tce=UUID=4773-DFE2 home=UUID=4773-DFE2 opt=UUID=4773-DFE2 restore=UUID=4773-DFE2


So I did that.

Once booted and at the $ prompt, the current folder is inside the /home directory.  If I make a folder in there it's gone after I restart.  I cannot find the tce folder that I can see is on USB stick if I look at it in windows (which I assume is where I put my data so it does not get lost after a restart?).


I have also tried booting and then at the "boot:" prompt I pressed F2 then I typed:

mc tce=sda1 home=sda1 opt=sda1 restore=sda1

but once again any folder I create in /home is gone after a restart.


Sorry I don't understand the bootloader stuff.   I made a Mint Linux boot stick and it boots under UEFI bios, but into a desktop environment. I can see some grub folders on that stick when viewed from windows.  But what I really want is just a small simple quick linux like Tiny Core that boots to a shell where I can run some simple awk scripts and retain the data.

Regards

John

[mocore]

 Its is possible to use UUID or label
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:grub2_from_grub1#partition_naming_using_label
imho label is simpler

booted and at the $ prompt, the current folder is inside the /home directory.  If I make a folder in there it's gone after I restart.

did you see : wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:backup

you could try removing persistent home and opt kernel cmdline boot options

add some files
then try manually 

To run backup, open the terminal and use

filetool.sh -b

but tbh idk how exactly core2usb is expected to work
 .... it appears to be a python script! ,
 that installs a syslinux boot loader + config
and copy's some files.

---
 wrt to UEFI
hear https://blog.heckel.xyz/2017/05/28/creating-a-bios-gpt-and-uefi-gpt-grub-bootable-linux-system/#mkbiosefi.sh
one) is a script to create a grub2 uefi bootable linux system image

not all the script steps are relevant / required , eg  skip the `Create a minimal Linux` 

two.1)& some tiny core related example grub config
can be found @ http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:grub2_from_grub1#latest_grubcfg

all though tbh im not shore how use full any of the above is to your case ,..
at least for me the script helped a little to understand the uefi boot stuff.
... perhaps some uefi related parts could be added to core2usb tool?

unfortunately i cant offer much usefull perspective on installing from windows 

what I really want is just a small simple quick linux like Tiny Core that boots to a shell where I can run some simple awk scripts and retain the data.

did you see the http://tinycorelinux.net/book.html

[Rich]

Hi MSM-John

booted and at the $ prompt, the current folder is inside the /home directory.  If I make a folder in there it's gone after I restart.

Did you remember to remove the  home  and  opt  entries from your  .filetool.lst  file and then run a backup?

[MSM-John]

Hi Mocore and Rich

Thank you so much for the comprehensive reply.

I will work through all of that info that you have provided me and I will let you know how I get on.  It will take me a few days to get back onto this as work has suddenly become very busy.

Thanks so much,

John

[MSM-John]

Hi Mocore and Rich

While researching your replies I stumbled across this:

     https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxmint/comments/93c16u/how_to_easily_create_a_persistent_linux_mint_usb/

It's not TinyCore and it may wear out the USB stick quickly, but it's VERY simple to setup and should do what I need it to do.

Thank you for your help.

Regards

John

[MSM-John]

Sorry.  In regard to my previous post.  If you don't click on the right place on the webpage, the relevant VERY simple procedure is not displayed.  This is the procedure.  Thanks to FreshestDudeAround.

Steps:

- Grab two USBs.

- Install Linux Mint 19 Cinamon 64bit onto the first USB via your favorite method (like burning the ISO with the cross-platform Etcher).

- Power down computer and disconnect ALL internal hard disks (and external disks). (And MAJOR warning: if you don't do this, data may be written to them during the Mint installation process!)

- Boot into the first USB's Live Linux Mint.

- While in the Live Mint environment, insert the second USB.

- Run the 'Install' Installer Wizard (shortcut on desktop) and it will take you through to put a working bootable permanent Linux Mint on the second USB without a hitch.

DONE!!!