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Accepted
Mohd Arafat Hossain
Asked: 2012-05-04 01:57:50 +0800 CST

How do I open Deja Dup as root?

  • 772

I wanted to backup /var/cache/apt/archives using 'Deja Dup' but it keeps saying >>

Could not backup the following files. Please make sure you are able to open them.

/var/cache/apt/archives/lock

Any help?

root backup deja-dup

5 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    1. Configure Deja Dup for your root backup: gksu deja-dup-preferences.

    2. Run backup then with: gksu "deja-dup --backup".

    At least this worked for me. (You have to configure Deja Dup for root, too, at first - next to your configuration for the "normal" user.)

    As mythsmith says: "You can do that just for system folders, and still keep your home folder configured in your user account."

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  2. In 12.04 the following simple command works, if you have sudo privileges:

    sudo deja-dup-preferences
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  3. Start by:

    1. Run DEJA backup GUI and configure what you want to backup and where to save your backup files, without clicking backup now, just save your backup setting and exit Deja GUI.
    2. Start terminal ALT+CTRL+T and type this command when you are ready to start backup sudo deja-dup --backup.

    GUI window will open and backup should start.

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  4. If you are interested in having it in the Unity launcher that way, there's a pretty easy way to do so, at least in Ubuntu 16.04.

    First, open Nautilus as root:

    gksu nautilus /usr/share/applications

    You are likely to find three Backup app launchers there:

    enter image description here

    Locate the one which command is plainly deja-dup-preferences:

    enter image description here

    Now, with that one selected, use Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V to duplicate it.

    enter image description here

    Right click on the icon that's highlighted and open Properties. They should be the same that you have seen before. Change them so they look like these:

    enter image description here

    Once you've made the changes, close that window and drag that icon you just have edited into the Unity Launcher so it's locked there.

    enter image description here

    That's it. Now every time you click on that launcher, it will request your root password and run deja dup as root instead of your current user.

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  5. I think you have a few configurations to do with deja-dup first and then run it. Please do try referring to this : http://techie-buzz.com/foss/deja-dup-ubuntu-1.html

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