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#1 2019-11-22 21:50:12
- Altoid
- Member
- Registered: 2017-05-07
- Posts: 1,592
Problems configuring persistence
Hello:
I am attempting to set up alien-os with persistence so as to change a few things and maybe slim it down a bit further to then burn a new *.iso with the changes.
I am using an 8gb pen drive which I have partitioned in this manner:
500Mib for the *.iso image
3,00Gib for the persistence partition
3,78Gib of unallocated space
Alien-OS@alien-os╺─╸[~] sudo fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 7.2 GiB, 7757398016 bytes, 15151168 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x062ec9ea
Device Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
/dev/sda1 * 64 921599 921536 450M 17 Hidden HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 921600 7219199 6297600 3G 83 Linux
Alien-OS@alien-os╺─╸[~] These are the mount points:
Alien-OS@alien-os╺─╸[~] mount
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime)
proc on /proc type proc (rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime)
tmpfs on /run type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,noexec,relatime,size=813044k,mode=755)
/dev/sda1 on /lib/live/mount/medium type iso9660 (ro,noatime)
/dev/loop0 on /lib/live/mount/rootfs/filesystem.squashfs type squashfs (ro,noatime)
tmpfs on /lib/live/mount/overlay type tmpfs (rw,relatime)
tmpfs on /lib/live/mount/overlay type tmpfs (rw,noatime,mode=755)
aufs on / type aufs (rw,noatime,si=4d6addd750f80fe7,noxino)
tmpfs on /run/lock type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime,size=5120k)
pstore on /sys/fs/pstore type pstore (rw,relatime)
devtmpfs on /dev type devtmpfs (rw,relatime,size=10240k,nr_inodes=1012409,mode=755)
tmpfs on /run/shm type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime,size=1626080k)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,nosuid,noexec,relatime,gid=5,mode=620,ptmxmode=000)
fusectl on /sys/fs/fuse/connections type fusectl (rw,relatime)
tmpfs on /tmp type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime)
gvfsd-fuse on /home/alien-os/.gvfs type fuse.gvfsd-fuse (rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_id=1000,group_id=1000)
/dev/sda2 on /media/alien-os/persistence type ext4 (rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,data=ordered,uhelper=udisks2)
» Alien-OS@alien-os╺─╸[~] The persistence partition has (apparently) all that it has to have:
Alien-OS@alien-os╺─╸[~] ls /media/alien-os/persistence
etc home lib lost+found persistence.conf tmp var
Alien-OS@alien-os╺─╸[~] But I think (?) there is probably something wrong with the mount point as persistence is not working.
What did I miss?
Thanks in advance,
A.
Last edited by Altoid (2019-11-23 15:06:00)
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#2 2019-11-22 22:26:11
- fsmithred
- Administrator
- Registered: 2016-11-25
- Posts: 2,500
Re: Problems configuring persistence
What does your boot command look like? cat /proc/cmdline
What is in persistence.conf?
I don't know Alien-OS. I assume this is a debian-based distro and it uses live-boot and live-config. Is that correct?
Is the OS 32-bit or 64-bit?
Were the system directories on the persistent partition automatically created, or did you create them manually?
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#3 2019-11-22 23:51:03
- Altoid
- Member
- Registered: 2017-05-07
- Posts: 1,592
Re: Problems configuring persistence
Hello:
I was in my Devuan install and rebooted to alien-os to answer your post and ...
It works.
Go figure.
What does your boot command look like? cat /proc/cmdline
Alien-OS@alien-os╺─╸[~] cat /proc/cmdline
BOOT_IMAGE=/live/vmlinuz initrd=/live/initrd.img boot=live persistence vga=795 username=alien-os
Alien-OS@alien-os╺─╸[~] Stanzas persistence and vga=795 were added bz me after Tab to edit the boot command.
Otherwise it boots as a the std live *.iso. (?)
What is in persistence.conf?
Alien-OS@alien-os╺─╸[~] cat /persistence.conf
/ union
Alien-OS@alien-os╺─╸[~] ... don't know Alien-OS.
... a debian-based distro and it uses live-boot and live-config. Is that correct?
Don't know what it uses, have to check/read up.
All I can say is that the DE keyboard (qwerz) layout + the darkish theme are a bitchy combination. =-/
I saw alien-os mentioned here ...
http://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?id=1811
http://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?pid=3569#p3569
... and assumed it was Devuan based.
Is the OS 32-bit or 64-bit?
Apparently only 64-bit.
... system directories on the persistent partition ...
Yes, automagically created.
There is a website:
https://www.alien-os.de/
Every boot the installation says there are updates available (a nag) but it is a huge list which includes linux-image-3.16.0-10-amd64.
If I accept and go ahead, do these stay installed on reboot in persistence mode and then get carried on to the new *.iso?
Thanks in advance,
A.
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#4 2019-11-23 00:56:24
- fsmithred
- Administrator
- Registered: 2016-11-25
- Posts: 2,500
Re: Problems configuring persistence
Yes, you must have the word 'persistence' in the boot command and the filesystem label on the persistent partition must also be 'persistence'.
You have enough space in the persistent partition to hold a big upgrade. As long as you boot with persistence when you make the snapshot, it will copy the upgraded (running) system.
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#5 2019-11-23 01:11:46
- Altoid
- Member
- Registered: 2017-05-07
- Posts: 1,592
Re: Problems configuring persistence
Hello:
... 'persistence' in the boot command and the filesystem label on the persistent partition ...
... enough space in the persistent partition to hold a big upgrade.
... boot with persistence when you make the snapshot, it will copy the upgraded (running) system.
Good.
Thanks a lot for your help. =-)
Best,
A.
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#6 2019-11-23 15:04:03
- Altoid
- Member
- Registered: 2017-05-07
- Posts: 1,592
Re: Problems configuring persistence
Hello:
... 'persistence' in the boot command and the filesystem label on the persistent partition ...
... enough space in the persistent partition to hold a big upgrade.
... boot with persistence when you make the snapshot, it will copy the upgraded (running) system.
This morning I went ahead and booted the live *.iso with persistence and then ran Synaptic.
The update took a long time, probably because the *.iso is from two years ago, the list was huge and included linux-image-3.16.0-10-amd64.
When it finished, I shut down and rebooted the live *.iso with persistence, expecting to see it updated.
But alas, something strange happened on the way to persistence .... =^o !
Not only did the live *.iso not boot ie: on selection of the USB drive, it just proceeded to my usual grub screen.
I booted into my main Devuan and to see what had been written into the persistence partition /dev/sda is nowhere to be found.
It has absolutely dissapeared from the system.
- fdisk does not see it:
groucho@devuan:~$ sudo fdisk -l
[sudo] password for groucho:
Disk /dev/sdb: 68.4 GiB, 73407488000 bytes, 143374000 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x0004a8f4
Device Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
/dev/sdb1 2048 40974335 40972288 19.6G 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 40974336 139278335 98304000 46.9G 5 Extended
/dev/sdb3 139278336 143372287 4093952 2G 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb5 40976384 45072383 4096000 2G 83 Linux
/dev/sdb6 45074432 139278335 94203904 44.9G 83 Linux
Partition table entries are not in disk order.
Disk /dev/sdc: 279.4 GiB, 300000000000 bytes, 585937500 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x30830f4e
Device Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
/dev/sdc1 2048 585936895 585934848 279.4G 5 Extended
/dev/sdc5 4096 585936895 585932800 279.4G 83 Linux
Disk /dev/sdd: 68.4 GiB, 73407488000 bytes, 143374000 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x68017f5c
Device Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
/dev/sdd1 * 2048 40962047 40960000 19.5G 83 Linux
/dev/sdd2 40962048 45058047 4096000 2G 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdd3 45058048 143372287 98314240 46.9G 5 Extended
/dev/sdd5 45060096 143372287 98312192 46.9G 83 Linux
Disk /dev/sde: 232.9 GiB, 250056000000 bytes, 488390625 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x85188518
Device Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
/dev/sde1 2048 329396223 329394176 157.1G 83 Linux
/dev/sde2 329396224 488388607 158992384 75.8G 83 Linux
groucho@devuan:~$ - parted does not see it either:
groucho@devuan:~$ sudo parted
GNU Parted 3.2
Using /dev/sdb
Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands.
(parted) print devices
/dev/sdb (73.4GB)
/dev/sdc (300GB)
/dev/sdd (73.4GB)
/dev/sde (250GB)
(parted) quit
groucho@devuan:~$ Any idea as to what may have happened?
I find it strange that the device is not available ...
Edit:
... dmesg reports it ...
--- snip ---
[ 3.584672] scsi 7:0:0:0: Direct-Access USB Flash Drive 2.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
[ 3.596655] sd 7:0:0:0: [sda] Attached SCSI removable disk
--- snip ---... but says nothing of /sda2, which is where persistence is/was supposed to live.
lsblk does not see it either.
groucho@devuan:~$ lsblk
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sdb 8:16 0 68.4G 0 disk
|-sdb1 8:17 0 19.6G 0 part /
|-sdb3 8:19 0 2G 0 part
|-sdb5 8:21 0 2G 0 part /var/log
`-sdb6 8:22 0 44.9G 0 part /home
sdc 8:32 0 279.4G 0 disk
|-sdc1 8:33 0 1K 0 part
`-sdc5 8:37 0 279.4G 0 part
sdd 8:48 0 68.4G 0 disk
|-sdd1 8:49 0 19.5G 0 part
|-sdd2 8:50 0 2G 0 part
|-sdd3 8:51 0 1K 0 part
`-sdd5 8:53 0 46.9G 0 part
sde 8:64 0 232.9G 0 disk
|-sde1 8:65 0 157.1G 0 part /media/backups
`-sde2 8:66 0 75.8G 0 part
sr0 11:0 1 1024M 0 rom
groucho@devuan:~$ lshw sees it:
groucho@devuan:~$ sudo lshw | grep logical
logical name: eth0
logical name: usb1
logical name: usb2
logical name: usb3
logical name: usb9
logical name: scsi7
logical name: /dev/sda
configuration: logicalsectorsize=512 sectorsize=512
logical name: /dev/sda
logical name: scsi8
logical name: /dev/sdb
configuration: ansiversion=5 logicalsectorsize=512 sectorsize=512 signature=0004a8f4
logical name: /dev/sdb1
logical name: /
*-logicalvolume:0
logical name: /dev/sdb5
logical name: /var/log
*-logicalvolume:1
logical name: /dev/sdb6
logical name: /home
logical name: /dev/sdb3
logical name: /dev/sdc
configuration: ansiversion=5 logicalsectorsize=512 sectorsize=512 signature=30830f4e
logical name: /dev/sdc1
*-logicalvolume
logical name: /dev/sdc5
logical name: /dev/sdd
configuration: ansiversion=5 logicalsectorsize=512 sectorsize=512 signature=68017f5c
logical name: /dev/sdd1
logical name: /dev/sdd2
logical name: /dev/sdd3
*-logicalvolume
logical name: /dev/sdd5
logical name: /dev/sde
configuration: ansiversion=5 logicalsectorsize=512 sectorsize=512 signature=85188518
logical name: /dev/sde1
logical name: /media/backups
logical name: /dev/sde2
logical name: usb7
logical name: usb8
logical name: usb4
logical name: usb5
logical name: usb6
logical name: usb10
logical name: scsi1
logical name: /dev/cdrom
logical name: /dev/cdrw
logical name: /dev/dvd
logical name: /dev/dvdrw
logical name: /dev/sr0
groucho@devuan:~$ Thanks in advance,
A.
Last edited by Altoid (2019-11-23 16:55:47)
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#7 2019-11-23 19:25:21
- fsmithred
- Administrator
- Registered: 2016-11-25
- Posts: 2,500
Re: Problems configuring persistence
When you ran the upgrade, did it include reinstalling grub? Is grub even installed in the live system? Does the computer boot without the usb stick?
Maybe the flash drive is dying.
Maybe the system is just randomly confused and a reboot will fix it. (I'd power off completely then restart.)
Maybe just pulling the stick out and plugging it back in will help. (It will probably be /dev/sdf if you do this.)
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#8 2019-11-23 20:12:58
- Altoid
- Member
- Registered: 2017-05-07
- Posts: 1,592
Re: Problems configuring persistence
Hello:
... did it include reinstalling grub?
... grub even installed in the live system?
I don't think so. (?)
Mounting the live *.iso image using AcetoneISO shows me three folders:
- isolinux
- live
- pkglist_Alien-OS MNML-20170610_1259
The pkglist includes:
grub-common
grub-pc
grub-pc-bin
grub2-common
... computer boot without the usb stick?
Yes.
No problems with that.
Maybe the flash drive is dying.
I don't think so ...
It's a new/almost no use Kingston DTSE9.
... a reboot will fix it.
Been there, tried that.
... pulling the stick out and plugging it back ...
... probably be /dev/sdf if you do this
Was about to try that after my afternoon espresso.
I have the impression/idea that somehow/for some reason the file system went south.
But no idea how that could have happened.
It is my understanding that whatever was being written to the drive was getting written to /sda2 and there were 3.0Gb available for that.
I'll take out the USB, which lives inside the box in its own socket on the motherboard, reboot and see what happens when I plug it into one of the external ports and then post back.
Thanks for your input.
Best,
A.
Last edited by Altoid (2019-11-23 22:20:57)
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#9 2019-11-23 21:04:19
- Altoid
- Member
- Registered: 2017-05-07
- Posts: 1,592
Re: Problems configuring persistence
Hello:
... take out the USB ...
... reboot and see what happens when I plug it into one of the external ports ...
Yes, that did it.
I think this was probably some sort of BIOS glitch.
The rig is a Sun Ultra24, excellent hardware and way ahead of its time.
But the BIOS is absolute crap.
Then Oracle came along...
But I digress.
I assume that it could have been a BIOS glitch because when the problem cropped up, the boot screen (which rolls by fast but you can catch it) did not list a Kingston DataTraveller storage device like it usually did.
And then, having pressed F8 to get at the Boot Menu, when it came up it showed me a USB: USB Flash Drive as the first option instead of showing me a USB: Kingston DataTraveller.
Shutting down, unplugging and plugging it in again (on an external port just in case I had to do something) set things right: at reboot the Boot Menu option was the correct one ie: USB: Kingston DataTraveller.
Thanks for your input.
Best,
A.
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