New wiki page: Persistence for dummies

[jur]

I just created the above page; I would appreciate any feedback so as to improve accuracy. Find it under Using Tiny Core Linux as well as Persistence.

[2byte]

Thank you for this well written addition to the wiki. I find the many choices for persistence in TC to be somewhat bewildering, and this explains everything nicely.  However there is one thing that is still not clear to me. The article states “If you do tell tcl, you can place it anywhere you like on your PC - another partition, another hard disk altogether, even a usb stick that you plug in for the session.“ Does this mean that if the path to /tce is given at boot that it does not have to be in the root of the partition? In other words is tce=hda3/tinycore/storage a valid argument to use  hda3/tinycore/storage/tce as the persistent location?
 

[Guy]

Does this mean that if the path to /tce is given at boot that it does not have to be in the root of the partition? In other words is tce=hda3/tinycore/storage a valid argument to use  hda3/tinycore/storage/tce as the persistent location?

Unless something has changed that I am unaware of, tce needs to be in the root of the partition. The other option you are suggesting will not work.

[roberts]

First, thank you for efforts. It is very much appreciated.

Now for some corrections and clarifications:

Cloud Mode or default does not download to /opt/tmp/tce but /tmp/tce/optional
This can been seen using the boot options base norestore which is equivalent to a first time boot.

While it is true that one can specify their tce directory with a boot option of tce= or manually create that directory. One does not need to do either. Starting with v3.3, I added additional functionality to appbrowser. (See: http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php?topic=7877.msg42164#msg42164)

So, when first using Tiny Core, typically, a new user did not use tce= boot code nor do they have a tce directory. So I made the target location for downloaded extensions be shown in the appbrowser's status bar, bottom right. When such location is the /tmp/tce/optional directory, I also, enable a Set button, so that one can easily select a persistent location.

Regarding extensions versus applications, the reason I named and created the structures in Tiny Core is as follows:

Applications are a subset of Extensions.  Drivers, modules, libraries, firmware are all in the repository and are not applications.

AppBrowser and AppsAudit I named as such as typically one is looking for an application or managing their applications.

I agree very much with your writeup regarding OnBoot and OnDemand. I find that I get best performance with only drivers and  module extensions in OnBoot. All of my applications are in OnDemand.

I have over the past three years programmed much flexibility into Tiny Core, It is good that much needed documentation is being created.

I will have more to say on backup in my next post.

[Guy]

I think change this

Tinycorelinux's default mode of operation is “cloud mode”

to

Tinycorelinux's default mode of operation when running from a CD is “cloud mode”

After Tiny Core is installed, cloud mode is not the default. The easiest way to install Tiny Core now, is using the new built in installer. During installation, tce=IUUD="number" is automatically included.


Another observation

Some people use Tiny Core, while others use Tinycore.

I think the above would be even better like this

The default mode of operation when running Tiny Core from a CD is "cloud mode"


I have written other pages in the wiki. I have found, when I write things, if I read it again after a few days, I can see ways to improve it. If I read it again a week later, I can see more ways to improve it. If I read it, and improve it, several times, I can make it better. I can still read it after a year, and think of more ways to improve it. Most people are not aware of the improvements I make from time to time.

While the input from other people can be helpful, you will see ways to improve it if you read it again from time to time.

[roberts]

The default mode of saving your docs and settings is via the backup utility, which runs automatically at shutdown, if and only if, /tce exists

This is not correct. Tiny Core supports the restore boot code as well as auto-scanning for the backup file which defaults to mydata.tgz. All of this is also very flexible.

If no restore boot option then Tiny Core will always look for the backup file in your tce directory. In the installation scripts that I have provided I create an empty mydata.tgz in the tce directory. This makes it easy to get started. And indeed the backup in located in your tce directory.

However, as noted in the Core Concepts document:

The location of mydata.tgz can be initially set using the boot option restore=hdXY, restore=hdXY/directory, or, after boot, by selecting Backup/Restore from the Control Panel. If the restore code is not used, Tiny Core will search for mydata.tgz in available root directories at boot. Conversely, the boot option norestore ignores any existing backup files, a useful tool for trouble-shooting and upgrading.

So, if one is so inclined they can specify an alternate location for their backup with, for example, restore=hda3/tcstuff/storage. Note /tcstuff/storage must be a preexisting directory on hda3. That is to say the argument for restore is a directory. The backup file will remain mydata.tgz

Starting with version 3.6 you can even change the name of the backup file. Use boot code mydata=robertsdata (note without the .tgz)

To optimally use  backup/restore, one needs to be aware of large files in their home directories. Use Control Panel -> bigHomeFiles to quickly see such. They should be considered for removal or added to /opt/.xfiletool.lst. If they are indeed needed static files, they should be considered for moving to a persistent storage location or made into personal tcz extensions.

Tiny Core and autoscanning:
The reason for the discussion of tce being on a root/base/level one directory is because if no tce= boot option is specified Tiny Core will auto-scan for it. That is why you see the statement "a one time boot code of tce= is all that is necessary".

Same is true for mydata.tgz, the default backup file. If no restore= or norestore, and mydata.tgz is not found in the tce directory, then Tiny Core will auto-scan level one directories for it.

While auto-scanning is convenient as it reduces the need for many boot codes, it does mean a slower boot. When cdroms were the primary media, auto-scanning made much sense. Now with portable media resulting with the need for UUID and LABELS auto-scanning is often not used or even desired.

[tinypoodle]

I think change this

Tinycorelinux's default mode of operation is “cloud mode”

to

Tinycorelinux's default mode of operation when running from a CD is “cloud mode”

Not only when running from CD.

Amongst other

Tinycorelinux's default mode of operation is “cloud mode”

is also valid when booting from 'tc-terminal-server' as included in TC base and also when booting from frugal install (i.e. downloading the distribution files to hdd and pass their path to a bootloader).

[jur]

Thanks for the replies.

I have given it an overhaul to correct and include the comments.

The only thing I still am not sure about, is whether the /tce can be in higher level directories. I am sure I have seen someone comment about this just recently that they used this method to distinguish between multi functional boot scenarios, eg day-day stuff vs sw development. (Gerald Clark?)

[curaga]

It can, but given the scope of the doc, does it need to go over all advanced options?

[Guy]

Can the tce directory be somewhere other than the root directory?

[Guy]

does it need to go over all advanced options?

I think in the long term, as more get's added to the wiki, there can be different sections in the wiki.

There can be a section for advanced options. I would like to see people write up how to do everything using the command line, for those people who run microcore, or just want to learn the more technical side of how it is done. But this needs to be in a different section. If new users see it, they will be confused, or scared off. New users need to learn the easiest way of doing things. Some may progress to the advanced options later.

So for many subjects there can be two pages, one for new users to learn the basics, and one explaining the advanced options.

[curaga]

tce=hda1/usr/local/share/misc/hidden/deep

Will work. Deeper dirs or other names do not work together with LABEL/UUID though, IIRC.

[Guy]

Has the option to have a tce directory in another directory changed sometimes recently? It was not possible a few versions back.

[curaga]

Not that I recall, my memory says it's always been that way. But my memory isn't the best one around

[jur]

I'll add some summaries as well as a separate section about the advanced settings. Reducing clutter in the basic section is important.