The usb-creator-gtk package creates a persistence file on the USB drive when requested, and the copy-on-write filesystem is mounted on boot, however the boot loader does not supply the "persistent" kernel boot option therefore no data that is changed during the boot session actually persists (it is not written to the USB drive).
When I supply the "persistent" boot option to the kernel at each boot then changed data persists across boot sessions.
$ cat /proc/version_signature
Ubuntu 3.2.0-35.55-generic 3.2.34
$ dpkg -l | grep usb-creator-gtk
ii usb-creator-gtk 0.2.38 create a startup disk using a CD or disc image (for GNOME)
Rich
---
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu15.1
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
/dev/snd/controlC0: drewes 3560 F.... pulseaudio
/dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: drewes 3560 F...m pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: command ['iw', 'reg', 'get'] failed with exit code 1: nl80211 not found.
Card0.Amixer.info:
Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xfbff8000 irq 48'
Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC889A'
Components : 'HDA:10ec0885,1458a102,00100101'
Controls : 49
Simple ctrls : 23
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=b72a8eae-0e58-4124-8c31-785b7d17e6a8
IwConfig:
lo no wireless extensions.
eth1 no wireless extensions.
eth0 no wireless extensions.
MachineType: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. P55-UD4P
MarkForUpload: True
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcEnviron:
TERM=xterm
PATH=(custom, no user)
LANG=en_US.UTF-8
SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 VESA VGA
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-35-generic root=UUID=3b6482eb-1e4b-4273-86ad-bd056e5dc870 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-35.55-generic 3.2.34
RelatedPackageVersions:
linux-restricted-modules-3.2.0-35-generic N/A
linux-backports-modules-3.2.0-35-generic N/A
linux-firmware 1.79.1
RfKill:
Tags: precise running-unity
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-35-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2012-05-02 (250 days ago)
UserAsoundrc:
# ALSA library configuration file
# Include settings that are under the control of asoundconf(1).
# (To disable these settings, comment out this line.)
</home/drewes/.asoundrc.asoundconf>
UserGroups: adm admin audio cdrom dialout dip floppy fuse lpadmin plugdev sambashare video
WpaSupplicantLog:
dmi.bios.date: 08/01/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: Award Software International, Inc.
dmi.bios.version: F3
dmi.board.name: P55-UD4P
dmi.board.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.board.version: x.x
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAwardSoftwareInternational,Inc.:bvrF3:bd08/01/2009:svnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:pnP55-UD4P:pvr:rvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:rnP55-UD4P:rvrx.x:cvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:ct3:cvr:
dmi.product.name: P55-UD4P
dmi.sys.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
To clarify, editing the kernel boot option at each boot of the USB installation and adding the "persistent" option to the end of the option list, makes the changed data persist across boot sessions as it should.
Rich