Save Configuration to USB

[-=~Aquired~=-]

Hello,

I got Backtrack 3 beta working on an USB Stick. And i want to save the changes on the system i have made. In the Tutorial it says :

After having produced the personalization, open the console and digit dir2lzm /mnt/live/memory/changes changes.lzm (changes.lzm or pippo.lzm ...) changes.lzm you have in root folder, paste in USB modules folder (BT/modules). A reboot you ave saved setting up. -bzImage

Ok thats done ! BUT ! I dont unterstand the second part ...

There is an issue after you save to changes.lzm and boot from the module then make new changes and try to save them because you only get the new changes and not the previous. Then create new changes and have to save them. Seems you have to copy /mnt/live/memory/changes to a tmp dir then merge /mnt/live/memory/images/changes.lzm/ onto the tmp dir. Then turn that into a new module to load. -Kinchyle

Can somebody say me what exactly i have to type in the Konsole


Sorry for my bad english and thanks for answers !

Greetings Aquired

[merlin051]

There is an easier way to save changes, make a ext2/3 partition and add changes=/dev/sda2 to the APPEND line in syslinux.cfg, search on the forums.

I also think SV was working on a automated installer capeable of using the save changes function.

[breeve]

[quote=merlin051;65868]... easier way to save changes, make a ext2/3 partition and add changes=/dev/sda2 in syslinux.cfg,

8 GB usb stick drive, BT3 beta downloaded as bt3b141207,
1 gb ext2 partition on stick drive (/dev/sda3), changes= parameter (cheatcode) in syslinux.cfg. Results: message in second phase of boot to the effect that changes will only be made to live memory, and, in fact, no changes written to partition on stick drive.

Other posts on this board describe same/similar problem. One claims creating a directory in the partition solved the problem. (Tried that in my case - didn't). Slax documentation says: "... one can boot slax with changes=/dev/hda1 for example, then all changes are stored on hda1 partition and are auto-used next time, without any problem. Works like a charm."

For some.... it may. Right now, with the slax code that is in today's download, I beleieve it doesn't work.

This post gets the "..sorry for previously posting somewhat prematurely" award, but, having been unable to get SLAX to boot with and use a /dev/sda3 changes partition in ext2 format, I then ....

- reformatted the partition ext3 (for no good reason - just trying things)

- put the "changes=" text toward the beginning of the APEND line in syslinux.cfg (I do not think it makes any difference)

- tried to boot and had boot fail with the "mountings aufs on union failed ... This should never happen..." message.

- booted successfully using a boot option that does not include the changes= parameter (cheatcode). KDE without a changes=

- looked at the /sda3 device, opened it in file manager, noted that the system had put "images," "lost+found," and "xino" directories in from the root.

- left those there (for a change -- I had before seen them once while fussing and, in a tantrum, just deleted them on the theory that they couldn't possibly be helping...)

- added a directory called "changes" (small "c" with an "s")

- rebooted

- correct aufs mount; aufs device shown in the "storage devices" window, all good -- and saving changes.

- I continue to believe there is a problem lurking in the SLAX distribution / union (aufs) file system. Exaclty where I don't know. True, I might have had partition or partition formatting problems (I have been using Paragon Partition Manager 8.51 - just becuase it is convenient and saves typing, and it may not be doing everything correctly...). But my guess is that when SLAX is looking for the "changes" directory (which, by specification, it isn't supposed to need) it isn't doing perfectly well looking at the usb stick (disk) structure.... Until ---- what? Until it has mounted the device before? Until it once finds it, and doesn't have to pop through a couple of deleted directory entries? Or it is confused between what is genuinely only readable -- like a CD, and what can be written -- like a partition on a usb stick?

[abitaz]

I posted a step-by-step guide on my blog, n00bhacker.blogspot.com, or thenewbiehacker.com

[-=~Aquired~=-]

Thanks for answers i will try it out !

[Saturnax]

Thing is, I have a 1gb USB. And BT3 takes about 700mb. Would 100 mb suffice for BT3 files that are going to be stored? Also, on your blog you wrote:

"The second partition of 0.5GB has to be an ext2 partition to save the changes. This will not be recognized by Windows."

Does this mean that my 300mb that is left will not be able to be used on Windows?

Also, you go on to instruct that:
"Double click on 'My Computer', then on 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE' ==> 'SYSTEM' ==> 'ControlSet001'==>'Enum'==>'USBSTOR' ."

I don't have control set 001. I only have controlset002 and onwards.

Omg I'm lost.

*hysteria*

[abitaz]

1. Will 300MB be enogh for changes? Yes, it will for starters. Obviously, if you'll use it regularly and install tons of programs, you can eventually run out of space.

2. Will the ext2 partition be inaccessible in Windows. Yes. Therefore, since you have a total of 700MB on the fat partition, this stick will be fully dedicated to the amazing BackTrack OS. That's not such a bad thing, is it?

3. I don't have a controlset001. Did you install your stick already and is it working? If not, when you install it, it should create the controlset. Is not, see if you have a similar entry in the other controlset, and try copying that. But I'm not sure about that.

(Also, you go on to instruct that:
"Double click on 'My Computer', then on 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE' ==> 'SYSTEM' ==> 'ControlSet001'==>'Enum'==>'USBS..., I'm assuming you didn't look for the Key in 'My Computer', and you followed all the steps.

Thing is, I have a 1gb USB. And BT3 takes about 700mb. Would 100 mb suffice for BT3 files that are going to be stored? Also, on your blog you wrote:

"The second partition of 0.5GB has to be an ext2 partition to save the changes. This will not be recognized by Windows."

Does this mean that my 300mb that is left will not be able to be used on Windows?

Also, you go on to instruct that:
"Double click on 'My Computer', then on 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE' ==> 'SYSTEM' ==> 'ControlSet001'==>'Enum'==>'USBSTOR' ."

I don't have control set 001. I only have controlset002 and onwards.

Omg I'm lost.

*hysteria*

[Saturnax]

Is it possible to keep the 300 mb of space visible on my USB and instead, make all changes to my HDD and somehow get my HDD to run while using backtrack3?