Ubuntu

Can I transfer my system as it is on another desktop?

Asked by Алексей

I need transfer Ubuntu 8.04 with all its data from one at another comp. I have two ways for this as I think. I can install at the second desktop Ubuntu 7.10 from the disk I have and step by step made a system the same as it is at the first one. It is
  laborious way . I have installed some additional programs and don't remember exactly how I did it...
   The second way is to make the copy of all my system at its present state with aditional programs, system renewals due to all my files and documents and then install such a system at anothe comp. Is it possible or not ?

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Harvey Muller
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Best Harvey Muller (hlmuller) said : 		#1

Алексей,

If the both machines are exactly the same, meaning both have the exact same hardware, then you can create an image of the hard drive in computer A, and then copy that image to the hard drive in computer B.

If that is not the case, you will first need to install Ubuntu on computer B, and make all the updates to bring it up to 8.04.

That is the easy part. The hard part is ensuring you replicate all your additions and customizations.

The first thing I would do, is to get a list of all currently installed applications on computer A:

    $ dpkg --get-selections > installed-packages.log

Copy that file to a USB flash/hard drive, take it to computer B and run:

    $ sudo dpkg --set-selections < installed-packages.log

If I remember correctly, your machine is not networked. Backup all of the *.deb files in /var/cache/apt/archives from computer A and then restore them to computer B.

Then you can run:

    $ sudo apt-get dselect-upgrade

These are the locations of files you will probably want to backup and restore from computer A to computer B:

/home - Pay attention to hidden files beginning with '.'
/etc - Particularly anything you customized
/boot/grub/menu.list - If you made any customizations
/var/... - You are likely to have application data here, depending on what you installed.

Basically, I would take a look at all the *.deb files in /var/cache/apt/archives. Then read about where they store their configuration and user data, to make sure everything gets transferred.

I would then test my desktop configuration to make sure it works as I expected it to.

Then I would test all my applications to make sure it is configured the way I expected and that your data is present.

If this resolves your question, please return to Launchpad and mark this question Solved.

Thanks!

Harvey

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Алексей (colovrat) said : 		#2

Thank you, Harvey ! I shall try you mannual for running the transfer. And hope it
will be succesfull.

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Алексей (colovrat) said : 		#3

Thanks Harvey Muller, that solved my question.