Testing live persistence

[malspa]

In the documentation, under "How do I Create Persistence Files?", it says:

If using UNetbootin you will have to set up persistence once running from the stick/device.

I have MX-14 already on a flash drive, done with UNetbootin. I'd like to set up home persistence, which I think should be fairly simple, but it isn't clear to me how to do this. The info under "Using UNetbootin" describes how to get the system onto the flash drive with UNetbootin (although it mentions "antiX live" instead of "MX-14"), but doesn't go on to explain how to set up home persistence once running from the flash drive. Are the steps for doing this explained elsewhere?

[BitJam]

I think the documentation is not clear on this important point.

You need to go the the Remaster Control Centre (RemasterCC) and then select "Setup Live Persistence". In the menus you can get there via Applications --> Accessories --> RemasterCC.

[malspa]

Thanks, Bitjam. Do I need to boot with the "Home Persistence" boot option first?

[BitJam]

No, you need to first create the home persistence file, then reboot and enable home persistence. The file needs to exist before home persistence can be enabled.

If you want to normally boot with home persistence enabled then when you select "Home Persistence" in the main bootloader menu, also select "F7 Save" --> both. This should adjust the bootloader default to whatever is currently selected. If "F7 Save" does not appear near the bottom-right corner of the screen then this is a minor bug which we can fix (if you report it). In that case, manually enter the boot parameter "gfxsave=both".

[malspa]

No, you need to first create the home persistence file, then reboot and enable home persistence. The file needs to exist before home persistence can be enabled.

After homefs has been created, reboot using the "Home Persistence" boot option, or the default MX-14 boot option? And I notice that if I boot with the "Home Persistence" boot option I see the message "Could not mount file /live/boot-dev/antix/homefs..." or something like that. And, once back into the system, how exactly do I enable home persistence?

[BitJam]

I notice that if I boot with the "Home Persistence" boot option I see the message "Could not mount file /live/boot-dev/antix/homefs..." or something like that. And, once back into the system, how exactly do I enable home persistence?

The problem is sometimes explained in the "..." part. Please post the /var/log/live/bootloader.log file. If you change the extension to .txt then you can attach it to a post. I'd also like to see the output of the command:

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df -Th /live/boot-dev

If you have a LiveCD, make sure it is not inserted in a drive when you boot from the LiveUSB.

[malspa]

The problem is sometimes explained in the "..." part. Please post the /var/log/live/bootloader.log file.

/var/log/live/bootstrap.log, maybe?

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demo@mx1:/var/log/live
$ ls -al
total 16
drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  100 Mar  3 14:23 .
drwxr-xr-x 14 root root  220 Mar  3 14:23 ..
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  932 Mar  3 14:23 antiX-init.log
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 2917 Mar  3 14:23 bootstrap.log
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 4682 Mar  3 14:23 bootstrap.log.color

Here's the last part of /var/log/live/bootstrap.log:

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Start to mount persist file homefs at /live/aufs/home
Could not mount file: /live/boot-dev/antiX/homefs for home persistence
Not enabling home persistence.
Run custom code after mounting homefs: /live/custom/MX-14/8.sh
Creating /media tmpfs at: /live/aufs/media (size=1 MB)
/live/bin/mount -t tmpfs -o size=1m tmpfs /live/aufs/media
Creating /live tmpfs at: /live/aufs/live (size=10 MB)
/live/bin/mount -t tmpfs -o size=10m tmpfs /live/aufs/live

The /init bootstrap took 6.36 seconds.

If you change the extension to .txt then you can attach it to a post.

Contents of the entire file attached.

I'd also like to see the output of the command:

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df -Th /live/boot-dev

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$ df -Th /live/boot-dev
Filesystem     Type  Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sdb1      vfat  7.5G  1.7G  5.8G  23% /live/boot-dev

[anticapitalista]

I can replicate the error.

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Mounting aufs at /live/aufs
/bin/mount -t aufs -o br:/live/aufs-ram:/live/linux=ro /live/aufs /live/aufs
symlink: /bin /boot /etc /lib /root /run /sbin /tmp /usr /var 
         Device: /live/boot-dev/antiX/homefs
    Mount count: 0
Max mount count: 65535
   Last checked: Mon Mar  3 15:19:03 EST 2014
   Magic number: 0xEF53
 Check interval: 0 (days)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Start to mount persist file homefs at /live/aufs/home
Could not mount file: /live/boot-dev/antiX/homefs for home persistence
Not enabling home persistence.
Run custom code before prepare switch_root: /live/custom/MX-14/8.sh
Creating /media tmpfs at: /live/aufs/media (size=1 MB)
/live/bin/mount -t tmpfs -o size=1m tmpfs /live/aufs/media
Creating /live tmpfs at: /live/aufs/live (size=10 MB)
/live/bin/mount -t tmpfs -o size=10m tmpfs /live/aufs/live

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 df -Th /live/boot-dev
Filesystem     Type  Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sdc1      ext2  3.8G  703M  3.1G  19% /live/boot-dev

[anticapitalista]

malspa are you using beta2?

This might work for the version you are using. If it doesn't we know how to fix it for the next build.

At boot menu, choose home persistence and then type bp=2
This will quickly dump you to a shell.
Then type /bin/load-live-modules, press Enter and you might get a load of text scrolling. Then type exit.

If you get an error about load-live-modules not present, then you will have to wait a little longer for a fix.

[malspa]

Yes, beta2.

Okay, I followed those instructions. Now I'm back into the system. In /var/log/live/bootstrap.log, it says:

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Start to mount persist file homefs at /live/aufs/home
Enabling home persistence.
Run custom code after mounting homefs: /live/custom/MX-14/8.sh

So, home persistence is enabled, right?