how to backup before moving from fc1 to fc2
 

I have been using fc1 for a few months, and now I have quite a bit of data and files sitting around the directories of myself and other users.

I would like to move up to FC2, ideally in a way so that the users of my system find everything that they have now virtually untouched.

How would I accomplish such a thing? From reading around forums, I would prefer to have a "fresh" install. Is there a way to do this and still preserve all of the files of my users, including things like mail and broweser favorites, and browser configurations, etc.?

Thanks,
Mike

Ideally /home (where all the user files should be) should be on a separate partition or hard drive. If this is the case then upgrade by formating everything except /home and install the new os. You may be given the option of using an existing /home partition. If you are not then you can later link /home via /etc/fstab. If /home is not on a separate partition then you can copy all the info to a new /home partition, verify that that the contents are identical and then do the above.

Does that mean I could also copy /home directory to a CD and then after fc2 is there (this time with /home in a seperate partition) just copy it over?

wherever you can move your home files would be good... but just a suggestion, applications are upgraded from FC1 to FC2, so usually its a good idea to only keep the applications you know you have changed options for and know you want to keep. for example when i install fresh i usually just move over my .gaim directory... other things either dont take very much time to reconfigure the way I want or just things i never messed with. anything else like documents or pictures you can just move to a CD then just move back after installing.

i have 2 harddrives so i usually just move everything to it when i install fresh, but having the home directory its own partition works well too.. i just like starting from fresh with that as well. =) goodluck