How to Copy Save Directories to a USB Thumb Drive? (solved)

[JusGellin]

How can I copy a puppy save directory or backup save directory to a usb drive that has enough room?
When I try and even boot from a usb frugal drive, it takes a very long time and then complains it has hundreds of errors.
Why does this happen? I've tried this on two different computers also.
I'm using BookwormPup64_10.0.6

I thought I should be able to do that to store any saves somewhere else.

Thanks

[rcrsn51]

Are you doing the save operation while the save folder is in use?

How is the USB drive formatted? Fat32?

[bigpup]

The drive partition that you want to copy the save folder to.

It has to be formatted in a Linux ext 2, 3, or 4 format.

It will not work on a fat or ntfs format location.

If the drive partition is correctly formatted.
Using a file manager program.
All you need to do is copy the save folder to it.

Best to do it when the save is not being used.

I do it this way and usually give the copy a name change by adding .bak to the beginning of the name.
This keeps it from being seen as a usable save folder.
Remove .bak from the name and it is seen as a good save folder to use.

Better if you use the program Pupsave Backup.
It can make a backup copy even when the save is being used.
The programs help has info on how to make it a working save.

[bigpup]

When I try and even boot from a usb frugal drive, it takes a very long time and then complains it has hundreds of errors.
Why does this happen? I've tried this on two different computers also.
I'm using BookwormPup64_10.0.6

Make a new topic about this issue.

Things get messy, if a topic is trying to talk about 2 completely different issues.

[JusGellin]

@bigpup
Yes! That was the problem. I was using a Fat32 formated USB Thumbdrive. I reformatted it to Ext4 and it worked like it should. I knew about not using the live system that accesses the save file, but not the format of the USB.

I really like the saving mechanism that Puppy has. I can make a backup for the current operation and then do any testing or trying something new. If it doesn't work, I can go back to what did -- such great power! I sometimes get myself into trouble by changing something and get distracted and goof something up. Then it's good to go back to what worked.

Thanks as always for your help . I didn't think this was a BookwormPup issue, and it wasn't. I just needed a bit more of understanding.

[geo_c]

I really like the saving mechanism that Puppy has. I can make a backup for the current operation and then do any testing or trying something new. If it doesn't work, I can go back to what did -- such great power! I sometimes get myself into trouble by changing something and get distracted and goof something up. Then it's good to go back to what worked.

And it's not just a tool for recovering our mistakes. It's a great mechanism for testing applications installed from repositores or even compiled yourself.

If you want to find out if some complex package will run or totally break the system, just make another save and boot into that. If it breaks, no big deal, just reboot into your clean copy and delete the broken save.

In this way the puppy frugal install method works to help your system grow with you. You can keep trying things and customizing your saved OS and over time have a hugely sophisticated set of packages, themes, scripts, configurations and customizations all your own. If you are careful to manage the saves well, then the final result should be a very clean running OS.

some newer pups and forum variants have the ability to do system wide updates from the upstream repositories, and it's always wise to make a backup copy of your save before doing this, as we know that some updates from upstream break things occassionally.

[JusGellin]

@geo_c
Thanks for more great advice. I'm enthused to do more as I get more used to this. I'm still a bit clumsy how I'm doing things, but I'm learning. For me I need to use it many times to help me get accustomed to using it. It looks like there really is a lot to learn. These forums are great for seeing more of what is possible.

[geo_c]

@geo_c
Thanks for more great advice. I'm enthused to do more as I get more used to this. I'm still a bit clumsy how I'm doing things, but I'm learning. For me I need to use it many times to help me get accustomed to using it. It looks like there really is a lot to learn. These forums are great for seeing more of what is possible.

I've learned a lot from this forum. And of course it takes time to learn the ins and outs, but I've come to appreciate the unique abilities of the pup world distros and members who create them. It's an outside-the-box mentality that fits my paradigm. Well worth the investment of energy and attention. You can take it as far as your interest level and personal priorities will allow.

puppy-linux isn't the sole development platform of "frugal" installing, but certainly was always on the forefront, and still is in my opinion. Other distros out there have similar frugal saving capabilities, but here it's art form, a way of life.

[mikewalsh]

@JusGellin :-

Think of it this way. I guess, like most of us, you've probably heard of, know about or perhaps tried to use the M$ Windows "Restore Point" feature? It's supposed to create a snapshot of the OS at a specified point in time.....to which you can "return" if you banjax the system.

I tried it a few times under Windows XP, many years ago. It never did work for me....

Puppy's frugal install & 'save'-file/folder method of operation is extremely versatile. Doing a backup of your save is exactly LIKE "Restore Point".......except, Pup's version WORKS.

Mike.