Other files on a live USB (and other questions)

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Joewe27
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Other files on a live USB (and other questions)

Post#1 by Joewe27 » 18 Nov 2014, 02:42

I'm rather new to Porteus (and the forums). I'm not certain about several things, even after reading the FAQ's multiple times. So I have three questions:

1. How do I make modules activated on startup?

2. To get new programs, I have been downloading them from the Porteus Package Manager as txz files, converting them to xzm automatically with right-click, and then activating them. Is this a correct and safe way of doing so?

3. I want to also keep extra files on the drive, like portable programs. Say I want GIMP and gVim (portable versions, naturally). Is it safe to simply partition the drive with GParted, leaving about 2 GB for my portable programs/files? Or will this mess something up?

Thank you in advance!

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Re: Other files on a live USB (and other questions)

Post#2 by francois » 18 Nov 2014, 04:13

1. To be activated at startup automatically, It has to be located into the /porteus/modules folder. This is the standard way. There are other options, for example the cheatcode extramod=, see faq cheatcodes.

2. This is the way to do it. usm package manager is safe. You can also put the modules in the /porteus/modules folder if you want in some subfolder of the /porteus/modules folder (with the name of your choice so to keep the packages and dependencies together) and reboot.

3. You can partition the drive if you want, but you can simply store them in the folder of your choice. I imagine that there is no problem for you to have these files on a linux file system.
Last edited by francois on 18 Nov 2014, 13:08, edited 1 time in total.
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Joewe27
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Re: Other files on a live USB (and other questions)

Post#3 by Joewe27 » 18 Nov 2014, 04:32

francois wrote:1. To be activated at startup automatically, iIt has to be located into the /porteus/modules folder. This is the standard way. There are other options, for example the cheatcode extramod=, see faq cheatcodes.

2. This is the way to do it. usm package manager is safe. You can also put the modules in the /porteus/modules folder if you want in some subfolder of the /porteus/modules folder (with the name of your choice so to keep the packages and dependencies together) and reboot.

3. You can partition the drive if you want, but you can simply store them in the folder of your choice. I imagine that there is no problem for you to have these files on a linux file system.
Thank you very much for the helpful replies! As for the portable programs, I think I will partition the drive so that I can access them on Windows computers.

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Re: Other files on a live USB (and other questions)

Post#4 by Ed_P » 18 Nov 2014, 05:13

Joewe27 wrote:Thank you very much for the helpful replies! As for the portable programs, I think I will partition the drive so that I can access them on Windows computers.
Windows only recognizes the 1st partition on a removable drive so the portable programs will not be seen if on a secondary partition. Windows also doesn't recognize most Linux drive formats.

So, your best option is to format the USB drive as FAT/FAT32, install Porteus to it, create a folder named PortableApps or WindowsApps or alike for your portable programs, and use Porteus to create a save.dat file on the USB drive to maintain your Porteus changes, things like browser Favorites and alike. You will now be able to use the Windows apps on Windows and to boot Porteus and use it's apps all on the same drive.
Ed

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Re: Other files on a live USB (and other questions)

Post#5 by francois » 19 Nov 2014, 04:16

Ed_P is very good with save.dat files or containers, he should be a good guide on the topic. However, formating your usb in different linux and windows (fat32) partitions or only windows maybe more a matter of taste.

I am quite surprised to read that windows given that the partion is fat32 will read only the first partition on a usb key. However, I should confess that I did not used a usb key to store windows files in the last four of five years. It used to work back then. I would take Ed's word here as my search on the net did not gave me any cue on that topic (maybe I did not search enough!!).

Personally, I do not like to run porteus, which is linux, on fat32. It is more "natural" to run linux on linux partitions. The use and manipulation of save.dat containers calls for more work, you have to format them and they occupy fixed space on the key. However, it depends on what you want to do, what amount of space you need to be recognized by windows, by linux space, ... ... your life habits... . :wink:

Maybe the best thing to do is to try the method of Ed and see if it fits your needs. And so here, I will salute, and leave the place to Ed. 8)
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Re: Other files on a live USB (and other questions)

Post#6 by Ed_P » 19 Nov 2014, 05:34

There are upper filters than can be installed on Windows computers that will allow them to treat removable drives as fixed, and thus partition them. However, you have to have Admin rights on the machine to install them. Reasonable for a personal computer but unlikely for public/university/business machines.

Another option is some new USM drives are configured as fixed disks, to support a Windows 8 feature. These can also be partitioned but they are also most expensive than the standard USB drive.

Another option, in a Linux system, partition the USB drive into two partitions, format the 1st as FAT and the 2nd as a native Linux format. Install Porteus to the 2nd partition and install a bootloader like Grub4DOS to the MBR. Files written to the 1st partition will be available to Windows and Linux systems and operating systems on the 2nd partition can booted.

Options, always options. :D
Ed

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