Re: Image file Persistence and documentation.

[chals <chals@altorricon.com>]

On Tue, Aug 14, 2012 at 4:38 AM, Ed Dixon <eddixonnm@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>

Hi

>
> The problem I have run into is that regardless of where I store the
> persistent image file which I have created, formatted (ext4), and named as
> per the unstable manual. The system will not recognize or mount it.

First thing: Be warned that I am *not* a technical person so take this
with a pinch of salt.

Second: I would like to tell you what I did in order to make it work
and I must tell you that I didn't have to struggle too hard since it
worked at the first try, even though I did some trial and error
afterwards trying to figure out how *not* to make it work. I do not
know whether this previous explanation makes sense or not. I mean that
making persistence work with an image file took me five minutes.
Trying to figure out what you did and trying to reproduce it and see
whether it worked or not took a bit longer ;)

Steps:

I already had a standard debian-live image that I build myself last
week in a clean sid chroot imaged onto a usb pendrive.

Then I created the image file exactly as described in live-manual:

http://live.debian.net/manual-3.x/html/live-manual.en.html#537

and copied it to the root of a partition in my laptop.

But since in the man page for live-persistence.conf it is clearly stated:

       that volume's persistence is fully customizable through  the  live-per‐
       sistence.conf  file  stored  on  the  root of its file system. Any such
       labeled volume must have such a file, or it will be ignored.


And also in live-manual:


The volume label for overlays must be persistence. And in order to
fully customize the volume's persistence there must be a file named
live-persistence.conf. See The live-persistence.conf file

(Probably needs a better explanation or rewording)

I mounted the "persistence" image in /mnt and created the
live-persistence.conf file (I simply added /home)

I rebooted, obviously with the pendrive plugged in, and voilà! image
file mounted and persistence working:

Inside the live system I typed mount > mount-output in the home
directory and rebooted and there's the file saved in the image file. I
think this is the relevant part that shows that the image was mounted:


/dev/loop1 on /live/persistence/loop1 type ext4
(rw,noatime,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered)
/dev/loop1 on /home type ext4 (rw,noatime,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered)


So, in short: It works, naming the image "persistence" If I rename it
to "persistence.ext4" it does not work (I think this is wrong in
live-manual)
What I think you did wrong: You didn't include the live-persistence.conf file.

Can you please try again and see if it works now for you and suits your needs?

I hope this helps.

--
chals
www.chalsattack.com