Tiny Core, Netbooks, and Persistence

[yachp]

I  am using a netbook so I have no CD drive.

I used Linux Live USB creator to create a USB key with Tiny Core on it. (Version 2.7)

I then followed the instuctions using UUIDs to get TCE, HOME and OPT folder on my key.

Persistence didn't work.

Now I think there might have been some error with the restore=UUID=xxxx-xxxx. But not sure at all what that is.

Now I spent a good part of the day trying to figure out how to get this thing to work. I am not an idiot. I spent time in four different graduate programs and have two science degrees and one social science degree. I consider myself reasonably intelligent.

I really don't enjoy posts claiming how easy something is and how it is simply a matter of following instructions. This kind of treats the prospective new user like he or she is an idiot.

So here's what I was thinking. Given the popularity of netbooks these days. There are going to be a lot of people who don't have CD ROM drives from which to install. So one, there needs to be an easy way for people to get this think onto a USB drive.

Secondly, most people are likely not going to want to reinstall their applications every time they use their distribution. And frankly, I think that is a silly waste of bandwidth. Can you imagine what the internet would be like if millions of people had to download their applications every time they used their computer. The internet would grind to a halt.

 If your needs require it, fine, but most don't need or want this. So there should be an image that can be placed on a USB key that will have everything set up for persistence so at least the apps can be stored on the USB key and then the user can then figure out which ones he or she wants in RAM and which do not have to be.

In playing with the distribution for a tiny little while, I liked what I saw. But I really don't want to have to spend hours needlessly trying to figure out how to get something to work that really isn't necessary. Just have a "ready to go" image to burn to USB keys that has persistence built in.

Peter

[gerald_clark]

Use Version 2.7.
Create a tce directory on your key.
Add waitusb=5 to your boot options.
Reboot and install extensions.

Here are some more suggestions.
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.com/tiki-index.php?page=Installing+TC+on+USB

[yachp]

Aha......I had used waitusb=5 when I was running the other boot codes using UUIDs.

I could have sworn I must have tried using waitusb=5 on reboot when at least one time when I was trying to figure out what was going on. But maybe I didn't. Because.....lo and behold...when I put my usbkey in now, downloaded Firefox and then rebooted using the waitusb=5 command. It worked.

And I don't seem to be getting the error that I got on at least one attempt. But I guess somewhere along in the process I must have resolved that issue. Perhaps I used the waitusb=5 when I was getting that error and when that didn't work, forgot to try using it again when I tried remaking my key again.

Oh well... But now I get to start the New Year doing a little bit more exploring of Tiny Core.

I think you guys might actually have quite the little gem here just from very first impressions.

Happy New Year Everyone.  And thanks Gerald for your comment. I thought I had already done that but it made me go back and try it again. And this time success.

[yachp]

Oh I think what might have been a factor is the first time I made the key with Linux Live USB creator, it had the virtualization software on the key as well. Then I made the key without the virtualization software. Maybe that was causing some of the problems. Linux Live USB creator is a nice tool.

[curaga]

Our own usb installer (can be run from a running instance of TC) automates both persistency and the waitusb code.

Perhaps we can work with the devs of this app, so that it can enable persistency for us by default.

[Pats]

Perhaps we can work with the devs of this app, so that it can enable persistency for us by default.

LOL ! )
Thumbs-Up ! Users hell-bent on TCLs persistancy !!!
~ Pats

[thane]

"Users hell-bent on TCLs persistancy "

Well, some are. We probably don't hear much from the ones who aren't!

It's actually very simple to get persistency now, with bootcodes:

tinycore tce=hda1[sda1][whatever] [waitusb=5]

Or by creating your own tce directory from the terminal and re-booting:

mkdir /mnt/hda1[sda1][whatever]/tce

We could probably do a better job of explaining all this. But although some ideas have been proposed (see various threads), the general view among the developers is that trying to default persistence would create more problems than it's worth. That includes roberts, and TCL is his distro.

[roberts]

You don't even need to make the tce directory. Using the tce=xyz will create it for you. Even the backup mydata.tgz will default to that same location.

[Pats]

Well, some are. We probably don't hear much from the ones who aren't!

You don't even need to make the tce directory. Using the tce=xyz will create it for you. Even the backup mydata.tgz will default to that same location.

Pl donot mistaken my comments abt persistancy, I am quite comfortable with TCLs present format - I just plug-in, plug-out my USB stick with TCE directory on it , using proper boot codes.
Actually I myself is trying to develop my own TCL ext and contribute to TCL ( plsee my message abt ext : http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php?topic=4469.msg23419#new )

The concerned comments were abt the diffuculty of the new entrant to TCLs philosophy !
~ Pats

[netbook21]

So here's what I was thinking. Given the popularity of netbooks these days. There are going to be a lot of people who don't have CD ROM drives from which to install. So one, there needs to be an easy way for people to get this think onto a USB drive.

You can very rarely find a netbook with cd or dvd rom...