Backup prior to clean install

novakane · 09-13-2010, 10:49 PM

OK linux heads, I need some help with my checklist. I'm about to wipe my linux installation and start fresh (switching to Arch). Before doing so I'm trying to think ahead of everything I'm going to want to backup before doing so. Here's what I've got so far:

thunderbird profile directory
crontab entries
~/.fonts folder
~/bin dir
export firefox bookmarks & passwords
.bash_profile & .bashrc customizations
.vimrc
.ssh dir

I'm sure I'm forgetting more than I'm remembering so share your lists please.

kbp · 09-13-2010, 11:21 PM

My usual process is:

- BACUPDIR = ~/backups-$(date +%Y%m%d)
- mkdir $BACUPDIR
- # export email and settings to $BACUPDIR, easy to import
- # export firefox bookmarks to $BACUPDIR, easy to import
- tar czvf /tmp/backup.tar.gz ~/ /etc /usr/local/bin /var/www/html

I try to keep everything under ~/ to prevent losing things but they still slip through the cracks sometimes ...

cheers