[SOLVED] Backing up data for reinstallation

Deewanagan · 04-15-2015, 10:40 AM

Hey,

I have installed debian on my laptop, and am pretty happy with how it works! But there is no happy ever after I guess. I have run out of space on my / partition. I had installed debian(minimal) on my laptop, with two partitions: one for /home, and one for / . Since my laptop has SSD(128 GB+ windows 8 installed by default), there wasn't much space for allocation. So I allocated 10 GB for /. Now I have run out of space, and can't do anything(even dropbox won't start). Since I started with a minimal debian installation, I did lots of customization (window manager, conky, ...). Now a reinstallation seems inevitable. That brings to my question(s).

1. Is there a way to preserve all the settings while extending the size for root partition? Meaning, I would re-install minimal system to extend partition size, and then some how restore all data for / and /home partitions?

2. If not, is there a way to backup & restore safely home directory data?(I guess i can do this via tar, but just to be sure)

3. Is there a way to keep track of all the softwares installed in the system, so that once I reinstall the system, I would simply need to restore the list and system would install them?(I installed so many softwares, and it took me a while to do that, and I don't want to repeat it again. I also have tried backing up up the list of dpkg previously, but it didn't work).

thanks,

malekmustaq · 04-15-2015, 12:02 PM

Quote:

1. Is there a way to preserve all the settings while extending the size for root partition? Meaning, I would re-install minimal system to extend partition size, and then some how restore all data for / and /home partitions?

2. If not, is there a way to backup & restore safely home directory data?(I guess i can do this via tar, but just to be sure)

There are many ways to back-up and restore all settings. I see here the real problem is the space available. Simple suggestion is to get an additional hard drive connected through USB port and place everything you need to restore later. I have done my automated configuration (settings) back up through a script triggered by "cron" weekly, using "rsync" and if something goes wrong restoring was a simple extraction or copying command from the storage in the separate partition (not a usb connected disk in my case); the script is simple to write and you can obtain these from internet freely (tell me if you want a sample I'll post a short one here).

Another way (which is fitting to your case for it appears the back up is mainly temporary one) is to use "dd" command. For example your new usb connected hard drive is ready, you can copy a complete image of your existing and running debian into that drive; after space adjustment you can restore the same through the terminal by simple "dd" command. But since this command is quite dangerous to newbies I'd suggest you first read the manual on dd

Code:

man dd

and return here if you have further question before you employ it. You can even use your existing SDD partition if you have enough space therein to house the debian partition image INSIDE A FOLDER you made (just be careful not to mistake), I think dd can handle FAT32 or ntfs file systems --I have employed dd regularly but only within linux file systems.

Quote:

3. Is there a way to keep track of all the softwares installed in the system, so that once I reinstall the system,

Tracking installed software is transparent in every Gnu/Linux system. Records are normally kept inside /var directory, just examine yours. I am not familiar with debian, but mine here is located at /var/log/packages in Slackware.

Quote:

I would simply need to restore the list and system would install them?

I don't know if there is an application in debian to that method. Just examine debian backup software packages if there is. Under Slackware I think we don't have the means to reinstall completely ALL by simply using the LIST. However, practical way is to gather all the *.deb packages into a directory and there reinstall all by a single terminal command. I have done this manner in Slackware using a wildcard

Code:

installpkg ./*

and installation of over twenty packages just went through in series while I was drinking a cup of coffee

when all was done I merely went down to init 1 then back to init 4, login and run without need of rebooting.

This is only a sharing of my experience in Gnu/Linux and the methods I would have employed if facing your current problem. Normally you have to consult the manual pages first before using above solutions.

Good luck and enjoy.

m.m.

manu-tm · 04-15-2015, 12:31 PM

What is your partitions layout? You could try to resize your root partition *if* you can *first* resize/move your home partition, in order to get some unallocated space.

Deewanagan · 04-15-2015, 03:51 PM

Thank you very much for detailed reply. I have a question regarding dd, would it matter if changed the partitions? If I take images of / and /home on a USB hard disk, and changed the original partition sizes, will the images still be usable?

Quote:

Originally Posted by malekmustaq

There are many ways to back-up and restore all settings. I see here the real problem is the space available. Simple suggestion is to get an additional hard drive connected through USB port and place everything you need to restore later. I have done my automated configuration (settings) back up through a script triggered by "cron" weekly, using "rsync" and if something goes wrong restoring was a simple extraction or copying command from the storage in the separate partition (not a usb connected disk in my case); the script is simple to write and you can obtain these from internet freely (tell me if you want a sample I'll post a short one here).

Another way (which is fitting to your case for it appears the back up is mainly temporary one) is to use "dd" command. For example your new usb connected hard drive is ready, you can copy a complete image of your existing and running debian into that drive; after space adjustment you can restore the same through the terminal by simple "dd" command. But since this command is quite dangerous to newbies I'd suggest you first read the manual on dd

Code:

man dd

and return here if you have further question before you employ it. You can even use your existing SDD partition if you have enough space therein to house the debian partition image INSIDE A FOLDER you made (just be careful not to mistake), I think dd can handle FAT32 or ntfs file systems --I have employed dd regularly but only within linux file systems.

Tracking installed software is transparent in every Gnu/Linux system. Records are normally kept inside /var directory, just examine yours. I am not familiar with debian, but mine here is located at /var/log/packages in Slackware.

I don't know if there is an application in debian to that method. Just examine debian backup software packages if there is. Under Slackware I think we don't have the means to reinstall completely ALL by simply using the LIST. However, practical way is to gather all the *.deb packages into a directory and there reinstall all by a single terminal command. I have done this manner in Slackware using a wildcard

Code:

installpkg ./*

and installation of over twenty packages just went through in series while I was drinking a cup of coffee

when all was done I merely went down to init 1 then back to init 4, login and run without need of rebooting.

This is only a sharing of my experience in Gnu/Linux and the methods I would have employed if facing your current problem. Normally you have to consult the manual pages first before using above solutions.

Good luck and enjoy.

m.m.

manu-tm · 04-15-2015, 04:44 PM

In debian, you can use dpkg to list installed packages:

Code:

dpkg --get-selections > package_list

syg00 · 04-15-2015, 06:29 PM

Why is there a need to reinstall if you've simply run out of space ?.
Use gparted to resize whatever can give up the space - maybe Win8, maybe /home. On small systems I see no reason to complicate things with multiple partitions - I leave everything under /, and fix what gets too big. Let's see (maybe as root/sudo)

Code:

parted /dev/sda "print free"
df -hT

Deewanagan · 04-15-2015, 11:43 PM

I feel stupid of not thinking about re-sizing partitions! I resized my partitions and everything is fine!

manu-tm · 04-16-2015, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deewanagan

I feel stupid of not thinking about re-sizing partitions!

You probably mean 'not reading all answers'.