One of my favorite applications that is featured in antiX is iso-snapshot.
I can make a snapshot of my custom install including the files in my"personal" folders and then back it all up on a 8 GB USB using either antix2usb or unetbootin. I prefer antix2usb.
I can make some huge iso-snapshots successfully, but when they exceed around 3.2 GB or so, any attempt to write the snapshot to a USB using either antix2usb or unetbootin will fail.
Both applications will report that the USB has been completed successfully but in reality, processing ends quickly with a unbootable USB.

Comments?

IIRC, unetbootin demands a fat32-formatted target, and fat32 imposes a 4Gb max filesize limit.

With iso-snapshot, even if the target is ext4... can fail if insufficient storage space exists to house the"working directory".
(might exit quickly, and incorrectly report successful completion, as you described)
Months back, I suggested the app should allow us to specify at runtime an alternate work directory, instead of being hardcoded:

========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"https://github.com/antiX-Linux/iso-snapshot/blob/master/isosnapshot.cpp#L71"
linktext was:"https://github.com/antiX-Linux/iso-snap ... ot.cpp#L71"
====================================


========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"https://github.com/antiX-Linux/iso-snapshot/blob/master/isosnapshot.cpp#L288"
linktext was:"https://github.com/antiX-Linux/iso-snap ... t.cpp#L288"
====================================

Examine the logfiles to see if they provide any additional details.

wondering:
Are you choosing gz compression, or xz? (and, does gz impose an 8Gb limit?)

OK I understand why unetbootin would fail then with the FAT32 limitation.

I examined all of my logfiles. The unsuccessful USB's logfiles all have this entry:
On a successful write, the actual size of the iso-snapshot is written in the logfile: I am using the default compression for both iso-snaphot and antix2usb. I can't see any options to choose.

If what you are saying is that the"working directory" is on the 8GB USB then maybe that is the reason for the failure and perhaps I should be using a 32GB USB.

If my memory is right, you actually need about 3 times the size of .iso space to make it work.
(But it was a long time ago that I used it.)

afab4 wrote: On a successful write, the actual size of the iso-snapshot is written in the logfile:

Code: Select all

Info: Copying antiX compressed file system (3298MB) to the mounted device

WOW - (3298MB) for the linuxfs file. - Have you installed the kitchen sink as well!

Seriously, have you got files you could exclude from the snapshot such as what is in /home?

anticapitalista wrote:
WOW - (3298MB) for the linuxfs file. - Have you installed the kitchen sink as well!

Seriously, have you got files you could exclude from the snapshot such as what is in /home?

Heh!
Of course I already have excluded the other 56GB of files in /home __{{emoticon}}__
I am just exploring the limits of the application. The more"stuff" I can pack into my snapshot, the less stuff I have to add from another source later.
Thank you for providing these excellent tools in antiX.

unetbootin doesn't actually care what the filesystem is, it utilizes a already formated mounted partition. so you could use a ext4 or ntfs partition.

however, the stick likely won't boot in a uefi environment because uefi machines require a fat32 partition or a cd/dvd filesystem. (actually, a stick made with dd would probably boot on uefi, but wouldn't be able to use persistence features on the same device).