If you don't save configuration persistently, all changes you made to the files in a session, will be lost in the next session.
When you save the configuration, you indicate to STUX to use a specific persistent directory instead of the default one located in the volatile RAM.
Note for expert users:
You can remap almost all folders in the root folder ( /etc, /root, /home, /opt, /usr, /sbin, /bin ) to a local persistent partition, except the /lib directory. If you export all folders, you will get an installed STUX booted from CD. Remapping all directories will let you install packages: to do this you need to remap at least the /usr directory.
For a normal STUX usage, only the /etc and the /root directories required to be saved in order to get main configuration restored at boot time: /etc contains system configuration files, while /root contains personal files. So, do not save directories other that /etc and /root if you don't know wat are you doing.
You can save configuration in 2 ways:
- In a directory on a device:
in this case the directory named 'rootstux' will be created in the root folder of the device.
Is possible to save directory in partition types EXT2, EXT3 partitions (NO FAT, NO NTFS).
The amount of saveable data is limited to the partition size.
- In a file on a device:
in this case the file named 'rootstux.iso' will be created in the root folder of the device. This file will be mounted as a loop device.
Is possible to save file in partition types FAT, FAT32, EXT2, EXT3 partitions (NO NTFS).
This mode is useful when there are only FAT partitions available but has the disadvantage that the amount of saveable data is limited to the file size, that cannot be larger than 2 GB.
If you have an ext2 or ext2 partition (or you can format one), it is recomended to save configuration in directory, instead of in a file.
In order to save the configuration on a persitent partition, at least one of the following partition types is required:
- A floppy drive and a floppy disk ( minimum data saving )
- A FAT or FAT 32 partition ( NTFS is not allowed), with minimum 20 MB free.
If you have only a FAT partition, you can only save
configuration in a file (not in a directory).
- An EXT2 or EXT3 partition, with minimum 20 MB free.
If you have both FAT and EXT partitions, choose the EXT partition and save configuration in directory, not in file.
Note that configuration can be saved on USB key or an external USB / IDE disk.
Saving configuration does not require disk repartition or format: there must be only enough disk space.
If you don't have a partition ready as requested, and no floppy drive is available, you can use an USB KEY ( 1 GB suggested ) or an external disk ( USB / IDE ) or install a new hard disk.
You can also reformat / repartition / resize existing partitions clicking the button STUX DEVICES and then the button QT-PARTED.
Saving configuration on floppy disk is an optional (and different) way to save configuration that will be discussed later.
Once configuration has been saved, computer must be rebooted in order changes to take effect.
Configuration must be saved in this way (manually) one time only: once saved, STUX will load and save data transparenly.
Now, it's time to save our configuration: from the STUX Control Center choose
STUX CONTROL CENTER -> SETUP -> SAVE PERSISTENT CONFIGURATION
you'll get a window like this:
NOTE: only MOUNTED devices are shown. To mount a device, see STUX Storage Devices Manager.
- Choose the partition where you want to save configuration
- Choose to save in a directory or in a file. Unexperienced users will save in a directory.
- Choose the directories to save. Unexperienced users will save the /etc and /root only.
- Press 'Save' button
- Reboot.
- Boot messages will indicate that the configuration has been found and loaded.
The only saveable directories are: /etc, /root, /home, /opt/usr, /sbin, /bin
At least the /etc and /root directories must be saved.
To add directories when you already have saved configuration:
copy the directory you want to be saved in the save configuration directory:
for example: if your configuration is saved in directory /mnt/hda2/rootstux/ and you want to add the directory /home to the saved configuration, simply copy the directory /home into /mnt/hda2/rootstux/: this will make the configuration loader to remap directory /home in the persistent directory /mnt/hda2/rootstux/home at startup.
WARNING: be sure to copy a real directory, not a link to a directory.
Example: to make the default /home directory persistent when configuration is already saved, you need to copy directory /ramdisk/home (because /home is a symbolic link to /ramdisk/home) into /mnt/?d??/rootstux/, where /mnt/?d??/rootstux/ is where configuration is saved. You can drag and drop directory with Konqueror browser or can issue command like this:
cp -rpd /ramdisk/home /mnt/?d??/rootstux/
if you don't want to save symbolic links as symbolic links, use
cp -rpL /ramdisk/home /mnt/?d??/rootstux/
There is a public forum about this argument
