So, when you use the Ubuntu installer, if you go to advanced partitioning, you can select /dev/sda2 (to keep with the thread) as /home (and this already has your home directory copied onto it, rsync does seem like a good way to do this) , and make sure the box for Format is not clicked, and /dev/sda1 as / with Format selected, and the /dev/sda3 as swap and then just install. ( I would def keep a backup first)
What I'm getting from this thread is that people think the .files might mess up a smooth transition, if you were to just go ahead and try it this "easy" way? I would think if it was the same distro and the same version you'd be golden, and if it were a slightly older version, it still might work but throw some weirdness every now and then? On Sun, Mar 29, 2015 at 10:14 PM, Chuck Hast <[email protected]> wrote: > So far so good. > Ed, that is what I remember as what I did the last time I went through > this. > Indeed this morning I did the same thing I partitioned the HD on the new > machine with gpartd, I set the following > /root > /home > /var ( I like to keep that one as it usually has some stuff in it that gets > passed > down to the next HD) > /swap > I installed the OS rebooted and nothing, I guess either it did not install > grub > or something else was wrong. Anyhow I whacked it and told the system to > just do a NOOB install to make sure all was OK, it did so, now I have got > to > go get near a network link that is not over satellite and re-try it again > so I can > download all of the stuff I will want, but at least I know that all is > well, just have > to see where I messed up. I flagged the / as bootable, as usual, but no > joy. > > I even installed Compiz on the thing, it is working great (well some stuff > does > not work because the zombies at Ubuntu seem to have messed things up > with the Unity thing) but it works enough to at least check all out and get > on > with making sure all of the hardware is working. > > Tomorrow I will go where I can get a hard wired connection and reload the > thing but my way then I will do the transfer of my junk to it, sans .files. > > Thanks for the good info so far. > > Little Thinkpad X201 screams. Once I get a couple of VM's running on it I > will > know for sure how well it does. My little X200 runs two of them at the same > time and still keeps up with things pretty well. Even when I am running a > Win7 session in one and some other variant of Linux in the other. > > On Sun, Mar 29, 2015 at 7:54 PM, King Beowulf <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > On 03/29/2015 08:03 AM, Chuck Hast wrote: > > > Folks, > > > It has been a long time since I had to do this one, but I am going to > > > set up a new (yea it is relative) machine a refurbed X201 that I just > > > got. I put a 1 tb HD in it and am going to move my present work to > > > it so I can refurb my X200 ( screen has bad tubes or PSU) and I > > > need to do some other things to it. I did this I think about 5 years > > > ago and recall that I messed some things up but can not remember > > > what I did, I finally got it all going right, but would like to do it > in > > one > > > fell swoop without having to go in and fix issues, and no surprises > > > on the road either. > > > > > > So I am all ears as to how to do it properly. The last time I did this > > > of course the machine created a home directory for my login, but > > > I had to go in and replace it with my original home directory after the > > > whole thing had been created, then like now the disk was a clean new > > > disk, and I copied the home directory from another disk. I am thinking > > > to go ahead and move the home directory to the new disk prior to > > > installing OS as I always set up a separate partition for the home > > > directory. > > > > > > I am now ready to hear any and all recommendations. > > > > > > > Chuck > > > > I do this all the time. Don't listen to all those nancies with their > > scary stories. It's straight forward, if sometimes a bit tedious. > > > > Step 1: > > identify all software you added that is not part of your base distro > > install. Make note of the ones you still use. > > > > Step 2: > > mount a backup drive and rsync /home/<user> to it, dot files and all. > > > > Step 3: > > Install a fresh copy of your distro on the 1TB drive of the X201 with at > > least 3 partitions: > > > > /dev/sda1 (for the new /root) > > /dev/sda2 (for the new /home) > > /dev/sda3 (ie /swap ... mostly optional these days > > > > (BTW, flame wars have started over partition schemes. So, separate out > > as you see fit. I rarely use more that 2 or 3 partitions). Now you > > have a clean install with no kruft. Boot into your new install. > > > > Step 4: > > Format and mount /dev/sda2 as, say, /data, for example. > > > > Step 5: > > Mount your backup drive /mnt/hd, for example, and then (!) > > cd /mnt/hd > > chown -R <newuser>:users . > > > > That should normalize the ownerships. Adjust as needed for multiple > > users and if you changed your username. Also, delete any old crap while > > your are at it. > > > > Step6: > > rsync your backup to the previously mounted /data DO NOT COPY any dot > files > > > > Step7: > > Edit /etc/fstab so that, for example > > > > /dev/sda2 /home ext4 defaults 1 1 > > > > If your distro uses drive UUIDs, I leave that as an exercise to the > reader. > > > > Step7: > > Reboot > > > > Step8: > > After you log in, a fresh clean set of dotfiles will be generated. > > Mount your backup drive and sift through any that you need to copy over > > > > .ssh > > .firefox > > .mozilla > > .bashrc > > > > and any others, as required (based on the software you will reinstall > > from your repositories). Mostly I stop at the above and reconfigure the > > desktop and software configurations/defaults from scratch (and sometimes > > browser settings as well). Sometimes .kde, .xfce, etc and .local and > > .config can get horrible mangled over time (new software, updates). > > Same goes for browsers - often just better to copy just the > > bookmarks.html file and manually reinstall plugins/extensions. > > > > a final reboot and DONE! > > > > Enjoy. > > -Ed > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > PLUG mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug > > > > > > -- > > Chuck Hast -- KP4DJT -- > Glass, five thousand years of history and getting better. > The only container material that the USDA gives blanket approval on. > _______________________________________________ > PLUG mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug > _______________________________________________ PLUG mailing list [email protected] http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
