Backup Question <System & User configuration>

For updated openSUSE 11.0-

There has been a problem (hardware-can't detect the USB device/Network
Connection & Applet does not work), due to which I would like to
backup my personal user settings (updated applications & libraries,
drivers (nvidia), and esp. the gnome desktop settings, panels, etc as
I spent some time configuring these). If it is possible to backup the
system configuration files, I would like to do that also.

Questions are (being from a Windows background)-

1. What should I backup? (which directories/files) & how to restore
them later, after re-install of system?
2. How can I backup (using what application)? (Will a simple copy
to an external HDD suffice to restore from later)?

Links to articles/programs would be helpful.

TIA,
.

Relevant Pages

  • Backup and Restore Files
    ... What is the best way to backup and restore a runtime database file? ... pszDisplayName As String ...
    (microsoft.public.access.gettingstarted)
  • Re: [opensuse] About Backing Up
    ... there is a data failure we can restore. ... the restoration is to get the backup file that we first complete as it ... failure, physical destruction, or it has been half inched. ... Other data should be archived to media. ...
    (SuSE)
  • Re: Exchange in Recovery Mode
    ... On the backup SBS server, did you restore Mailbox Store from backup ... After Mailbox Store was restored, ... Create a Recovery Storage Group. ... Restore the backup to Recovery Storage Group with NTbackup. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • Re: Computer problem, need help
    ... >>> defining the three levels of backup and recovery. ... >>> has been corrupted, use backup and restore. ... >>hard drives and a reliable backup utility like Ghost. ... doesn't work I use my preferred backup utility, ...
    (soc.retirement)
  • Re: RAID, SCHMAID.......
    ... And risky to change it later without a full image backup. ... partition, & then restore only the OS, but still verydoable. ... partition before an install of something you havent installed before, ... but so many ppl make a mess of things esp with today's big drives. ...
    (comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage)