Altboot: "loop Image" Vs. "direct Install"

[BeKind]

Hi, everyone,

I'm about to upgrade to 3.5.4 with Opie on my Collie.  I want to use altboot for the main reason that I don't like ipkg-link.

I read that FAQ and I think I get that a "direct install" means that the entire SD card is looked at as the root filesystem, and the "loop image" means that the rootfs is in the image file it creates on your card, and then the leftover space is found in /mnt/card.

They suggest: "If you go for a loop-image you should choose a size greater than 100Mb."  A boot image is usually 14 MB.  Do they suggest a bigger size so that you can install more things directly into the image?

I want to install everything "to root" instead of "to SD" from now on.  Let's say I use a loop image and then I start uninstalling and installing packages, changing the rootfs around.  Does that change the image file?  If I make the file 100Mb is that my size limit for installing packages on "root?"

Thanks,

[CoreDump]

Hi, everyone,

I'm about to upgrade to 3.5.4 with Opie on my Collie.  I want to use altboot for the main reason that I don't like ipkg-link.

I read that FAQ and I think I get that a "direct install" means that the entire SD card is looked at as the root filesystem, and the "loop image" means that the rootfs is in the image file it creates on your card, and then the leftover space is found in /mnt/card.

Correct

They suggest: "If you go for a loop-image you should choose a size greater than 100Mb."  A boot image is usually 14 MB.  Do they suggest a bigger size so that you can install more things directly into the image?

Well, yes. For Collie / OZ images at least   There are some images where 100Mb is the absolute minimum but not stock OZ images.

I want to install everything "to root" instead of "to SD" from now on.  Let's say I use a loop image and then I start uninstalling and installing packages, changing the rootfs around.  Does that change the image file?  If I make the file 100Mb is that my size limit for installing packages on "root?"

Correct on both counts.