read only root - debian squeeze

freelancerTax

hi
just built a new system - i want to have the os - debian squeeze - on a read only usb pen drive. i have tried many tutorials on the net for similar - but not the same - installs but none of them have worked correctly for me

requirements are - read only, can be remounted rw for easy update and config, works as normal for the user

i dont mind logs ect being non persistant

does anyone know of a good tutorial or know how i can do this?

thanks in advance
ft

Johnboy1951

I would think that a Live USB would be the way to go, with the possibility of persistence or just changing the ISO on the stick to update it.

I never tried to run Linux in RO mode except as a live environment. I would imagine there would be difficulties ... Sorry cannot help directly, just wondered if you had considered the Live USB option for your needs.

freelancerTax

hi
thanks for the reply
i have considered the live version of debian but the problem is with updating would mean re building the distro...
i would much rather be able to mount the drive as read/write and update then reboot/remount as read only again.

Johnboy1951

Out of curiosity - so ignore if out of place - ..... why do you wish to have the OS RO? Is it only to save the USB stick from excess writing?

freelancerTax

thanks for the replies

needs to be readonly to help the usb stick to not run put of write cycled and also as its headless i want to be able to pull the plug without da
ading the file system

OSI there are many ppl like i said that have done this with various distros - its very possible

live cd doesnt suit me as it too difficult to update
i want to be able to remount the drive rw to update


ft

Johnboy1951

If it is an attempt to eliminate unnecessary writes to the filesystem then mounting it with the noatime attribute might be all that is required in your case?

freelancerTax

hi johnny,
again i also need to be able to "pull the plug" as its a headless machine.......

Johnboy1951

As I don't use Debian, I have no idea what difficulties may be peculiar to that distro, but if in your position I would run a live USB system (with persistence if required), and periodically remaster the OS to include updates.

freelancerTax

hi

i found a solution that works exactly as i like

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/aufsRootFileSystemOnUsbFlash

its for ubuntu and eeepc but works for me also

all i have to do to update is edit the boot options by pressing e when booting and the system is then read/write otherwise its read only.....

thanks for all the input....

ft

Johnboy1951

freelancerTax wrote: »

hi

i found a solution that works exactly as i like

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/aufsRootFileSystemOnUsbFlash

its for ubuntu and eeepc but works for me also

all i have to do to update is edit the boot options by pressing e when booting and the system is then read/write otherwise its read only.....

thanks for all the input....

ft

That appears to describe exactly what I have been suggesting ....... running a live session with persistence ..... unless I have missed something special?

freelancerTax

im not sure john
this uses aufs a dual layered files system that makes the root read only -
it behaves exacly like a fully installed system except that the root is now readonly with any writes in volatile memory - it doesnt use persistence files so it behaves as you would expect in all regards except that root is read only (unless you ask it not to be)

ft

Johnboy1951

Read it again ... I misinterpreted - or lazily did not read properly .... sorry

It looks interesting and deserving of some more in-depth reading.

Thanks for the link