HD Install :: Pros & cons of HD Install



Can you tell me some pros & cons of HD install? Do you have good or bad experiences? What are your observations on that issue?
To quote ke4nt (I think).....HD install = evil!  :)
After about a month and half with a frugal install, I have to agree with him.

I strongly suggest a Frugal HD install of DSL. It gives you almost an 'unbreakable' system. Of course there is no warranty if you pull your HD out and beat it with a hammer but short of that it is pretty good. :D

You are running the filesystem compressed so it is read only but with the lilo bootloader and the automated backup/restore option, you don't feel like you are running your run of the mill Knoppix poorman's install. I run mine with a persistent "home" directory on a seperate partion (Actually it is a /home/dsl/MyDocuments/ dir). You can search the howto's for how I set mine up. This allows you to run frugal and save a ton of data without loading it into your ramdisk. I basically create three partitions. One for the image, one for the persistent /home and one for swap. I am guessing some future frugal enhancements will automate things like persistent /home but currently I use bootlocal.sh to add the functionality.

The secret is finding all the config files you need to add to filetool.lst for backup/restore. Once you do that, you are all set. I use my frugal and have multiple users for things like ftp and it works flawlessly.

As you can tell, I am a big fan of frugal.

Chris
I can only give you the cons, since I wasn't able to install it on my older PII at all. The hd freezes whe I try to partition it from within DSL, even though I already have a working Red Hat install on it, with valid partitions. It doesn't work even if I try to use the existing partitions. I would very much like to be able to use it without the cd-rom, but what can I say. I have tried many things for about 3 weeks, but to no avail, and this forum hasn't helped one bit. Good luck, I think I willl go back to Knoppix.
Another thing: if I have it on HD and I wanna get something, say a game, can I get it off that game's site or do I have to use the myDSL depository?
Would I install that normally or do I need to do it differently than usual?
cooler:
There are a number of ways that files may be available at other sites.
Some are binaries, some are sources, others are .deb. or .rpm packages.
Each one is handled by you differently in ANY linux distro.

The repository files are designed to be easy to install into the dsl filesystem.
Being a LiveCD - compressed filesystem environment, it differs slightly from other distros.
These files take the pain out of trying to get a program to run in your DSL,
by not having to search and deal with dependancy issues, or menu/icon needs.

Everything that is contributed to the repository came from..   ...somewhere...
Mostly apt-get .debs, converted .rpm's, or binaries that run as-is.

They are similar to what you'll find elsewhere...
Making them run in DSL can be challenging, but a blast when you succeed.
Even better, package them up, and share them with the rest of us at DSL.

Getting back to the main thread, having an environment that is easily restored,
and not easily corruptable is prefered for me when working with files from
"other sites" , so , like Clivesay, I also run from the liveCD/poorman's/frugal installs,
and favor those over a HDInstall.

I could give many reasons for not having a HDinstall,
and many advantages to having a different type install in service.
DSL shines with it's remastering tools and flexibility,
and the typical mindset to installing to HD limits you greatly.

A new DSL will be arriving soon, usually every 3-4 weeks..
So, what are you going to do with that HDInstall?

I'll copy a file or two from the new .iso, and reboot into my
NEW DSL distro with all of my bookmarks, mail, themes,
backgrounds, and settings for my hardware intact and ready-to-go.

73
ke4nt
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