Re: Backup Question <System & User configuration>

On Aug 28, 2:08 pm, houghi <hou...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
zmdmw52 wrote:
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?

The main thing for personal data is /home.
Also backup /etc and /var/spool




   2. How can I backup (using what application)? (Will a simple copy
to an external HDD suffice to restore from later)?

Yes.


Don't get me wrong, re-installting (especialy for smebody who just
begins) is not a bad thing. You will learn if you look around in the
installatons. I have done many installations and when I started I did
about 10 at least per version before I finaly was happy. (Then I was NOT
beta testing) Now I just do one (except for beta testing) till the
reboot to see what options are available and then one completely. Faster
to start again then to press back 700 times. :-D


Thanks for the reply. I have copied the /home dir to ext USB drive
already. Will also backup the other 2 dirs.

Now doing the NVidia drivers, I think it is easier to just do them all
again from the start. That is just one click.

I agree, re-installing the nvidia drivers would not be much of a
problem, being as have already done it twice.

From what you have mentioned, I just need to copy-paste the /home dir
contents to the new /home dir. But will this also restore the updated
& new applications (done thro online update, packman repo, 3rd-party
codec installs, etc....so it will be a time-consuming effort to re-
install them all over again. Is it possible to backup-restore the apps
by copy-pasteing (I beleieve the apps are in the / (i.e. root) dir.


I also have a question. It sounds as if you intend to do a
reinstallation. Normaly a reinstallation will not solve that problem and
if it does, then it could have been solved by other ways as well.


That's right: after 1 final attempt tonight to try & solve the
problem, I will do a re-install [already did the repair option (with
'expert' sub-option) ] from the boot DVD, but this did not help.

My problem is as follows- (mentioned between the "=====" lines for
sake of clarity
===========================================================

On openSUSE 11.0 with updates, the net connection using a DSL Router
connected through a USB port (detected as eth1: TI NDIS USB Device,
where TI = Texas Instruments) worked fine till now (installed a week
ago) ; but by error I altered the connection settings to include DHCP
(i.e. obtain DNS Name addresses via DHCP). Now, I cannot configure it
connect using a static IP & using the DNS Servers that the ISP
provides.

Now, the 'Update DNS data via DHCP' box remains checked (it is greyed
out, as seen in the picture) & I cannot connect to the web. The
screenshot is that of the Yast Network Configuration screen with the
error is here -

http://lvznow.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pRtlIJQHvXf9lNHCWxmMDLY4N-Scv98HFVVA0Lm-3JMo4sRInkw-IYpZVDj-WnPwtRzQKb8c9ZQQ/Screenshot-Network%20Settings%20-%20YaST_28Aug08.jpg

I have a feeling that if I can get rid of the DHCP-enable option (the
grayed-out button in the pict in url above), then after changing to
static IP & DNS (ie I would eneter them manually from provided by
ISP), it would resolve the problem, since the past week, I had net
access with the static IP option). Any suggestions/further steps on
how to resolve this?

PS:
- On shutting down the system yesterday, there was a message stating
the eth1 (TI NDIS USB Device) connection was not detected/changed &
that I should file a bugzilla report. It scrolled out too fast for to
note the exact message.

- I have not added any additional hardware or made any significant
system changes other checking the DHCP one (obtain IP Address & update
DNS address via DHCP); that I can't seem to reverse now.
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