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Asked: 2020-10-04 11:07:14 +0800 CST

How do I backup everything on Ubuntu 20.04?

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I would like to backup everything on my computer (as simply as poss) and save it somewhere else like a usb drive.

For example I would like to copy everything, my desktop, theme, all my favourites from different browsers like brave\chrome and their extensions\add on, downloads folder, etc. So when I rebuild my computer I am able to see it like it was before (or close to it). If something needs to be omitted from the above then please advise. I am looking for a standard way to backup my computer, either via an app or the terminal.

Can someone show me the exact command lines I will need to write into the terminal for this.

Then the exact command lines to write, after I have logged into a new computer or user profile to copy everything over.

I understand to reinstall the new apps for simplicity's sake. If I reinstall Brave from scratch for example, will I still be able to retrieve my favourites? If so, please can someone advise how.

(I had edited the above, after the suggestions made).

I am using Ubuntu 20.04.

I am new to Linux.

Thanks in advance.

clone user-profile copy 20.04

3 Answers

  1. Because you're a newbie I suggest you to install and use deja-dup. It's a backup graphical interface very easy to use. You can make backup of your home directory and save it on the cloud or in a usb device. You don't need to backup your entire system, just the configuration folders and files in your home directory. If you're on 20.04 you can install deja-dup by sudo apt install deja-dup or by sudo snap install deja-dup

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  2. Pasted from my other post:

    Pinguybuilder is a tool that can create a ISO out of the running system (containing all its files, applications and configurations) which then can be used to re-install the system in the state it was when the ISO was created.

    There are different packages at the link above, the one that worked for me in Kubuntu 20.04 was pinguybuilder-menu-based_5.2-1_all.deb which lacks a GUI in the proper sense (unlike in the tutorials I see on the net that all involve a GUI). After installation it shows a group of launchers, each with a different purpose. One of them automatically creates a ISO out of the running system.

    The ISO is saved in /home/PinguyBuilder/.

    The above has the advantage of creating a much smaller image than the one of the entire partition. (It takes time to "squash" the files into a small partition though: in my case it ended up with a 2.4 GB iso out of a 17 GB system.) Another advantage is the integrity of the image is easier to verify (by flashing it on a usb and booting) than that of a partition image.

    For the purpose of simply creating a system back-up the most recommended these days is Timeshift. It is meant to be used for recurrent backups of the system from within the system, and the backups are also meant to be restored from the running system (after restart). It is less suited to restore after a system or drive failure (although it should work also from a live session; personally I had problems with the program recognizing/accessing all of its backups in such cases though.)

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  3. There is no single method that works best for everybody.

    Here is one way: I use a three-step method.

    1. I keep a journal (it used to be on paper, now it's a text file). I simply keep notes about what I install or customize.

      • What I install, when, why.
      • The URL of the instructions that I followed.
      • The exact commands I used.

      This means I can rebuild my system quickly and easily anytime. I DON'T back up applications - my journal tells me where to find them and how to install them.

    2. Passwords their associated URLs go into my separate, secure Password Manager. The PM syncs to my phone, and my Journal happens to be a file in the PM.

    3. I backup the data in my /home/me directory using the Ubuntu Backup tool (deja-dup).

      • Email, browser profiles, user-level application settings and application data.
      • Media, photos, personal files, etc.

    When building from scratch, I start with my phone.

    • Open the Password Manager on my phone and retrieve my Journal.
    • Use the Journal's notes to reinstall applications and customizations. Takes about 5 minutes.
    • After the system is set up, I launch Backup and restore my data onto the system. Takes another 5 minutes.
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