To get your home directory onto the new computer, you'll effectively do the copy that you already did in reverse. The steps will look like so: 1. Install Ubuntu on the new computer 2. Create a 'stormy' user on the new Ubuntu system. It will create a /home/stormy directory 3. Login to the new computer as the 'stormy' user and open up a terminal window. Run this command: $ rsync -azvH /mnt/usb/ /home/stormy/ That should do it. There *may* be issues related to group permissions and the like but probably not. I wouldn't worry about it unless you do a directory listing afterwards and see that all of the groups are owned by some number like 101 or 500 or similar. Also... don't get rid of your current/old system until you are SURE that your new system has everything that you want. I've been known to keep FULL backups of my old systems for a year or two afterwards... just in case ;-) On 12/31/09 6:21 PM, betty wrote: > thank you kurt, et al, for the kind words of help, support. > kurt , you did a good job of walking me through the precise way to copy > the home dir to usb, and the reasons to use the different commands. > > I am copying it to the usb so that after a fresh install of ubuntu > 8.04lts on a new computer i can use my same home dir& settings, never > did that before. When i get that far i guess i need to ask, ? where do i > install it to???? > > I have been on this list since 2000, i think. i am a grandma,& a nurse. > i started w/redhat years ago and always found the list people to be > helpful since i am really only a gui user. But whenever i talk to > someone about computers, i try to convince them that open source is the > way to go and the way of the future. I try to preface my requests for > help here with saying what i don't know, since almost everyone knows > more than me on this list; that way people will be nice and give me > careful advice, like you did. > > Sometimes it starts a list argument to ask a question about the way to > perform something; like the dd vs, cp vs rsync and since i didn't know > the in's and out's of each one it was impossible to decide who's answer > was best for my situation. > > I think if i gave most members here an i.v. start kit and a delivery > kit and had to tell them how to start the i.v. on a laboring mom, then > deliver the baby, they would appreciate having more detail to attention > and social 'handholding' through the procedure. (the patient would > appreciate it too!) > > Linux is really the best thing out there, not expensive like apple and > not nasty and bulky like M$. I like being a gui user because it shows > that people outside the tech community can be users too, and isn't that > what we want? (or is it [rhetorical]) ... just my thoughts. > > btw, what happened to der.hans?? he was always a promoter of helpful > answers to even stupid questions. > > --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss