usb-creator creates persistant storage instead of emulating a Read-Only CD

[komputes]

Binary package hint: usb-creator

usb-creator (until karmic) used a desktop that was read-only, just like the CD.

Bootable USB drives created with usb-creator in karmic saves files (even after reboot).

This is wrong as usb-creator is supposed to emulate a CD which is read-only. casper is supposed to let you save files, but in memory(RAM), and it should get wipped when shutting down. Even usb-creator has the option that clearly says "Discard on shutdown, unless you save them elsewhere". This stopped happening in usb-creator karmic (where the current bug was introduced).

Steps to reproduce:
1) On a karmic Machine go to System > Admin > USB Startup Disk Creator
2) Select an image, select a drive, format (go through a few python or deviceekit-disks errors)
3) Once the key is formatted, select "Discard on shutdown" option
4) Click Make Startup Disk

What happens:
-Startup disk does not "Discard on shutdown". It keeps documents and configuration settings in /home intact in between boots.

What is expected:
"Discard on shutdown". If I wanted a persistent installation, I would use ubiquity to install to a USB key directly.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Fri Dec 4 21:01:05 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 10.04 "Lucid Lynx" - Alpha i386 (20091130)
Package: usb-creator (not installed)
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-5.6-generic
SourcePackage: usb-creator
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-5-generic i686

[komputes (komputes)]

I will double check to see if I have selected the 'Stored in reserve extra space'.

Evan, persistence is a supported feature of usb-creator. Can you let me know what parts of the filesystem are persistent (/home? /usr? everything?) and how this is accomplished?

Meanwhile I would like to suggest that the words in usb creator be changed to the following:
1) Discard. Tooltip: Discard all changed at shutdown, exactly like a CD.
2) Persist. Tooltip: Changes made to the USB disk are saved, unlike a Live CD.

I would also suggest that Discard be the default behavior.

[komputes (komputes)]

I have tested this in Lucid and it seems to work as expected. I will suggest that Discard be the default behavior in a different bug.