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How to reinstall without loosing configurations?

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  How to reinstall without loosing configurations? Aldo Maggi <aldomaggi@katamail.com> - 2019-06-02 19:20 +0200
    Re: How to reinstall without loosing configurations? David Christensen <dpchrist@holgerdanske.com> - 2019-06-02 21:10 +0200
    Re: How to reinstall without loosing configurations? songbird <songbird@anthive.com> - 2019-06-03 14:10 +0200

#209530 — How to reinstall without loosing configurations?

Last time I've reinstalled was in 2005 after a failure of Jfs (luckily
I had the backup of my files), from them on I've just kept updating and
upgrading.
It is a couple of years, though, that some programs do not work
properly, for instance Firefox (doesn't keep the correct spacing
between lines, etc.), Thunderbird (in most threads doesn't show images.
etc.), so I've started privileging Chromium and Evolution, but, as from
about six months, the former doesn't open anymore some pages so I've
installed Falkon which, as far as I know, uses the same engine as
Chromium, but opens the pages that Chromium doesn't!!!

Though Linux and particularly Debian are very good in providing proper
updating, I start thinking that maybe something left behind in the
process, piling up during the years is creating such inconveniences, so
I've decided to reinstall my Debian.

I have been using "testing" since Sarge without having any major
problem, but I've noticed that reinstalling is more difficult now than
it used to be at the beginning of the new millennium, at that time I
would have used dpkg --get-selections and in the new partition dpkg --
set-selections and afterwards I'd have copied some dotfiles but reading
in various forums seems that now everything is more complicated.

Is there anyone who would advise me about the best way for having in
another partition a new Debian (same pkgs as I have here) and the
configurations I have (for instance, I'm wary of loosing control of my
home server through Xephyr which took me a lot of time to configure,
obviously I can do it via ssh but it is not the same thing, etc) .

Thank you in advance,

Aldo :-) 

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#209533

On 6/2/19 9:56 AM, Aldo Maggi wrote:
> Last time I've reinstalled was in 2005 after a failure of Jfs (luckily
> I had the backup of my files), from them on I've just kept updating and
> upgrading.
> It is a couple of years, though, that some programs do not work
> properly, for instance Firefox (doesn't keep the correct spacing
> between lines, etc.), Thunderbird (in most threads doesn't show images.
> etc.), so I've started privileging Chromium and Evolution, but, as from
> about six months, the former doesn't open anymore some pages so I've
> installed Falkon which, as far as I know, uses the same engine as
> Chromium, but opens the pages that Chromium doesn't!!!
> 
> Though Linux and particularly Debian are very good in providing proper
> updating, I start thinking that maybe something left behind in the
> process, piling up during the years is creating such inconveniences, so
> I've decided to reinstall my Debian.
> 
> I have been using "testing" since Sarge without having any major
> problem, but I've noticed that reinstalling is more difficult now than
> it used to be at the beginning of the new millennium, at that time I
> would have used dpkg --get-selections and in the new partition dpkg --
> set-selections and afterwards I'd have copied some dotfiles but reading
> in various forums seems that now everything is more complicated.
> 
> Is there anyone who would advise me about the best way for having in
> another partition a new Debian (same pkgs as I have here) and the
> configurations I have (for instance, I'm wary of loosing control of my
> home server through Xephyr which took me a lot of time to configure,
> obviously I can do it via ssh but it is not the same thing, etc) .
> 
> Thank you in advance,
> 
> Aldo :-)

Put your modified configuration files and key data files into a version 
control system.  Validate.

Back up all configuration files and all data.  Validate.

Take an image of your system drive.

Disconnect all HDD's and/or SSD's.

Check motherboard firmware.  Update if necessary.

Install a new system drive.  Use the manufacturer's diagnostic tool to 
check the new system drive.  If it is okay, use the diagnostic to zero/ 
secure delete the drive.

Do a fresh install of your chosen OS.  Before rebooting the first time, 
shutdown and take an image of new system drive.

Update the operating system, if needed.

Check out your old configuration and data files into a working 
directory.  From this point forward, check in anything you create , 
update, delete.  Add anything you think might be important.

Reconnect data drive(s).

Install and/or set up one package at a time.  Merge your old 
configuration and data into the new layout.  Validate each item as you go.

Configure backups for new system.  Backup.  Validate.

Take image of system drive.


David

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#209562

Aldo Maggi wrote:
> Last time I've reinstalled was in 2005 after a failure of Jfs (luckily
> I had the backup of my files), from them on I've just kept updating and
> upgrading.
> It is a couple of years, though, that some programs do not work
> properly, for instance Firefox (doesn't keep the correct spacing
> between lines, etc.), Thunderbird (in most threads doesn't show images.
> etc.), so I've started privileging Chromium and Evolution, but, as from
> about six months, the former doesn't open anymore some pages so I've
> installed Falkon which, as far as I know, uses the same engine as
> Chromium, but opens the pages that Chromium doesn't!!!
>
> Though Linux and particularly Debian are very good in providing proper
> updating, I start thinking that maybe something left behind in the
> process, piling up during the years is creating such inconveniences, so
> I've decided to reinstall my Debian.

  that can be a good way to get rid a lot of cruft 
from packages you no longer use and whatever gets
left behind if you don't purge packages when you
remove them.

  but i think it is also overkill.

  for a better understanding of what is going on
i consider it much better to remove the offending
packages and reinstall them if needed.  learning
about where they store configuration and user
information, how to backup and restore the parts
you want is well worth the effort.


> I have been using "testing" since Sarge without having any major
> problem, but I've noticed that reinstalling is more difficult now than
> it used to be at the beginning of the new millennium, at that time I
> would have used dpkg --get-selections and in the new partition dpkg --
> set-selections and afterwards I'd have copied some dotfiles but reading
> in various forums seems that now everything is more complicated.

  it can be.

  i keep a checklist of things and take notes of
what i've done for some more complicated tasks 
that i only do once in a while.


> Is there anyone who would advise me about the best way for having in
> another partition a new Debian (same pkgs as I have here) and the
> configurations I have (for instance, I'm wary of loosing control of my
> home server through Xephyr which took me a lot of time to configure,
> obviously I can do it via ssh but it is not the same thing, etc) .

  if you have things you spent a lot of time on setting up
i would make sure you have a backup of those before doing
anything that might mess that up.

  i've been running a blend of testing and unstable for 
a number of years and only did a reinstall from scratch
on the new machine i have now.  it went pretty well.  
most configuration files and settings i could copy from
a backed up home partition and the other bits i wanted
from /etc.


  songbird

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