Revision [26960]
This is an old revision of InstallationFrugal made by coolpup on 2013-04-03 07:40:57.
How to manually make a frugal Puppy installation
A frugal Puppy installation is performed by extracting the contents of the container file (either ISO or ZIP) to normally one, i.e. the same, directory residing optimally on an EXT4 formatted partition. Let that desired partition be known as the target partition since one is aiming to install to it. That partition may be located on:
- either an external device, e.g. U.S.B. flash memory drive (U.F.D.) (often erroneously referred to as a memory stick) or some other flash memory device
- or, an internal device, usually a hard disk drive (H.D.D.)
Therefore, the target device is the device which contains the partition that one aims to install to, such as an external flash memory drive or an internal hard disk drive. The minimum nominal size storage capacity for a U.F.D. is 256MB.
WARNING: If the target partition contains any important files make a minimum of two copies of important files, where each copy is located on a separate partition on a separate device, because they will be destroyed whenever the target partition is formatted.
IMPORTANT: determine the correct device name of the target device to work on, via the command-line interface:
lsblk
The following procedure assumes that one is running Puppy Linux. However, the same procedure can be followed within any Linux distribution. If one wishes to use Microsoft Windows go to Appendix 1 below.
Step 1 - Creating a partition and file-system on the target device
- this step is only necessary if one does not wish to keep the existing partition and file-system structures on the target drive
- ensure to dismount the target device X:
umount /dev/sdX
- (optional) create a new partition table (disklabel) on the target device X (WARNING - access to all existing files on the target device will be lost):
/usr/sbin/parted /dev/sdX mklabel gpt && /usr/sbin/parted -l
- (optional) create a partition(s) or, delete or resize an existing one on the target device X: Menu > System > GParted > Partition (where set 1 defines partition 1 of device X to be the boot partition):
/usr/sbin/parted -a opt /dev/sdX mkpart primary ext4 8 100% set 1 boot on && /usr/sbin/parted /dev/sdX disk_set pmbr_boot on && /usr/sbin/parted /dev/sdX set 1 legacy_boot on print
- (optional) create the required file-system (formatting) on the partition(s) of the target device X (WARNING - all data on the target partition will be over-written (destroyed)): Menu > System > GParted > Partition > Format to
- for EXT4 file-system creation {fastest file-system for flash memory devices}
/sbin/mkfs.ext4 -b 4096 -m 0 -L PUPPY -O extents,uninit_bg,dir_index,filetype,has_journal,sparse_super -E stride=4,stripe-width=256 /dev/sdXY
- for FAT16 file-system creation {requires recent dosfstools version}:
/usr/sbin/mkdosfs -v -n PUPPY -F 16 /dev/sdXY
Step 2 - Installing a boot-loader to the target device
- install a recent version of SYSLINUX
- if a new version of SYSLINUX was installed, rename any existing directory at /dev/sdXY/boot/syslinux:
mv /dev/sdXY/boot/syslinux /dev/sdXY/boot/syslinux.old
- if a new version of SYSLINUX was installed, create a new /dev/sdXY/boot/syslinux directory:
cp -afpru /usr/lib/syslinux /dev/sdXY/boot/
- install the boot code to the M.B.R. of the target device X:
/bin/dd bs=446 conv=notrunc count=1 if=/usr/lib/syslinux/gptmbr.bin of=/dev/sdX
- place the boot configuration file syslinux.cfg on the target device at /boot/syslinux or /syslinux (this file will need editing if more than one Puppy version has been installed)
- install the boot system file ldlinux.sys to the target partition directory sdXY/boot:
- for EXT4 file-systems, ensuring that it is mounted first:
/bin/mount /dev/sdXY /mnt/sdXY && /bin/mkdir -p /mnt/sdXY/boot && /sbin/extlinux -i --stupid /mnt/sdXY/boot
- for FAT file-systems:
/bin/mkdir -p /mnt/sdXY/boot && /usr/bin/syslinux -i -s /dev/sdXY/boot
Step 3 - Installing Puppy to the target device
- mount the target device
- mount the Puppy ISO (or ZIP) file by clicking on it
- copy from the ISO (or ZIP) directory to the target device either all the files, or, just these essential ones: vmlinuz, initrd.gz, and all those with the extension .sfs (if more than one Puppy version is to be installed ensure that they are each contained within their own directory)
- follow the additional instructions in Appendix 3 at LiveDVD
- if there is already an existing Puppy installation re-boot the computer with the flash memory device connected; if there is no existing Puppy installation then either both steps 2 and 3 or just step 3 (if any existing file-system is to be retained) must be performed before re-booting the computer with the flash memory device connected
- when shutting down for the first time there will be the option to create a personal storage (pupsave) file which must be chosen if personal settings and configuration are to be kept.
Appendix 1 - Installation to any external device, from within Microsoft Windows
- Format the drive or partition to FAT32
- Download and extract the latest syslinux .zip file to the C drive, i.e. C:\syslinux
- Then go to directory C:\syslinux\win32\:
cd C:\syslinux\win32\
- Then, with administrator privileges, run the syslinux command to make the target drive bootable: (where X is the drive letter for the target drive or partition)
syslinux.exe -m -a X:
- Open the Puppy ISO (or ZIP) file to view its contents, using e.g. 7-zip, (it is important that the original file names be kept)
- Copy to the target device the files: vmlinuz, initrd.gz, and all those with the extensions .sfs
- Download this sample boot-loader configuration file syslinux.cfg and place it on the target device
- Re-boot the computer with the flash memory device connected
Appendix 2 - Installation to any Microsoft Windows partition and using GRUBforDOS as boot-loader
- Installing the boot-loader to the internal hard disk drive (where Microsoft Windows resides)
- Installing the boot-loader to an external drive
When making an installation to an internal H.D.D. with an existing operating system, one has the option to either allow that operating system to remain or be removed. Only remove the existing operating system if the computer is more than 3 years old since most computer manufacturers cease to provide new B.I.O.S. versions after that time. If the intention is to remove the existing operating system, regardless of computer age, then ensure to check for and install any B.I.O.S. updates first.
If the Puppy files are to be appended, by making a frugal installation only of Puppy, then this would involve one of the following:
- either making a new partition for Puppy (not recommended)
- or, using an existing partition for Puppy (recommended)
One can place a frugal installation within a pre-existing Windows installation. The save file, although itself is comprised of a Linux file-system, may reside on a F.A.T. or N.T.F.S. partition; which is why a frugal installation is also called a "co-exist" installation. A full hard disk drive installation on a F.A.T. partition is not possible because F.A.T. partitions do not support Linux symbolic links.
There is an option to install from within Microsoft Windows using the relevant file from here: http://www.mediafire.com/?5ah0d0rzcz5cc
Appendix 3 - How to run Puppy Linux from a flash memory drive on any computer already running
Appendix 4 - Absent internal H.D.D.
- older Puppy versions will not boot from U.F.D. if the internal H.D.D. has been removed: http://bkhome.org/blog/?viewDetailed=02231
Posted on 23 Apr 2011, 22:54 by perthie USB Install Issue? I notice that you still haven't commented on this issue. A machine missing an internal hard drive can no longer be booted from a flash drive. The new search procedure fails to find the sfs file on the flash drive. Posted on 24 Apr 2011, 8:20 by BarryK Re no boot usb I have written it down in my to-do list.
Appendix 5 - Using GRUBforDOS for all common file-systems
- install the latest available version of helper program Grub4DosConfig
- install the boot code to the M.B.R. of the target device X:
bootlace.com --time-out=0 /dev/sdX
- install the boot system file grldr by placing it on the target device
- install the boot configuration file menu.lst, or update an existing one, by using Grub4DosConfig: Menu > System > Grub4Dos
- follow the additional instructions in Appendix 3 at LiveDVD
- if there is already an existing Puppy installation re-boot the computer with the flash memory device connected; if there is no existing Puppy installation then either both steps 2 and 3 or just step 3 (if any existing file-system is to be retained) must be performed before re-booting the computer with the flash memory device connected
