This is a great way to backup a system without actually backing it up completely, but I like to add at least one additional step, that backs up the configuration of the packages themselves. First you need to install the deconf-utils package: sudo apt-get install deconf-utils That will give you the debconf-get-selections utility that will give you the contents of the debian package configs in a format that can be read by debconf-set-selections; which is already on the system so you don't need any extra packages installed when you do the restore. debconf-get-selections >~/debconf-selections Then all you need to do is add: debconf-set-selections ~/debconf-selections before the dselect command. Alternatively you can skip loading the dselect command altogether and just use in place of it: apt-get dselect-upgrade Brian Cluff On 12/30/2013 09:57 AM, Kevin Fries wrote: > saw this at askubuntu, and it looks quite complete: > > A quick way of backing up a list of programs is to run this: > > dpkg --get-selections > ~/Package.list > sudo cp /etc/apt/sources.list ~/sources.list > sudo apt-key exportall > ~/Repo.keys > It will back them up in a format that dpkg can read for after your > reinstall, like this: > > sudo apt-key add ~/Repo.keys > sudo cp ~/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list > sudo apt-get update > sudo apt-get install dselect > sudo dpkg --set-selections < ~/Package.list > sudo apt-get dselect-upgrade -y > Settings and Personal Data > Before you reinstall, you should probably back up the settings from some > of your programs, this can easily be done by grabbing folders from /etc > and all the content from your user directory (not just the stuff you can > see in nautilus!): > > rsync --progress /home/`whoami` /path/to/user/profile/backup/here > After you reinstall, you can restore it with: > > rsync --progress /path/to/user/profile/backup/here /home/`whoami` > So all together as a pseudo-bash script. > This assumes there is only one user on the machine (remove /'whoami' > otherwise) and that you used the same username on both installs (modify > dest. of rsync otherwise). > > dpkg --get-selections > ~/Package.list > sudo cp /etc/apt/sources.list ~/sources.list > sudo apt-key exportall > ~/Repo.keys > rsync --progress /home/`whoami` /path/to/user/profile/backup/here > > ## Reinstall now > > rsync --progress /path/to/user/profile/backup/here /home/`whoami` > sudo apt-key add ~/Repo.keys > sudo cp ~/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list > sudo apt-get update > sudo apt-get install dselect > sudo dpkg --set-selections < ~/Package.list > sudo dselect > > > On Fri, Dec 27, 2013 at 1:21 PM, Michael Havens > wrote: > > well.... it looks as if I may have to reinstall my laptop (which > sucks) if we can't get x working again. I just realized something I > didn't do: I did not write down all the ppa addresses. So what I > would like to know is in which file are the ppa s kept? then I can > scp that to the tv server and if we can't get x working again it > won't be as painful a bite. Thanks:-) > :-)~MIKE~(-: > > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > http://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > > > > > -- > > > “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small > people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, > too, can become great.” > > > ― Mark Twain > > > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > http://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss