Arch Linux

seelk

Member

From: NJ

Registered: 2005-04-07

Posts: 38

Essential configuration files

Is there a list of essential system configuration files like /etc/rc.conf, /etc/fstab, /etc/X11/xorg.conf, etc., for backup purposes?  This is just in case I screw up and I need to restore my system.  Unless Arch/Linux provides a system restore utility ala Winblows...

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"smooth as seelk"

Snowman

Developer/Forum Fellow

From: Montreal, Canada

Registered: 2004-08-20

Posts: 5,212

Re: Essential configuration files

Why don't you backup the whole /etc directory. It should only be a few MB after compression.  There also the database of the installed packages:  /var/lib/pacman/local that could be backup. I think there are also some apps designed to do backup. However, I can't suggest any as I use CLI tools (tar and bzip2) to do my backups.

ozar

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2005-02-18

Posts: 1,686

Re: Essential configuration files

Not sure about a list, but I usually keep copies of the following in case I should need to refer to them:

rc.conf
fstab
menu.lst
resolv.conf
pacman.conf
xorg.conf

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oz

postlogic

Member

Registered: 2005-02-24

Posts: 410

Website

Re: Essential configuration files

I keep copies of the aforementioned, as well as .bashrc, .Xdefaults, my conkyrc's, .screenrc, menu.xml and rc.xml for Openbox and minor stuff like that. It's all in the details, you know ;-) Oh, and I have a directory of my own (and other's!) scripts in ~/bin that is nice to have a backup of.

Snowman

Developer/Forum Fellow

From: Montreal, Canada

Registered: 2004-08-20

Posts: 5,212

Re: Essential configuration files

I keep copies of the aforementioned, as well as .bashrc, .Xdefaults, my conkyrc's, .screenrc, menu.xml and rc.xml for Openbox and minor stuff like that. It's all in the details, you know ;-) Oh, and I have a directory of my own (and other's!) scripts in ~/bin that is nice to have a backup of.

Speaking of which, you can also keep copies of the root's config files (in /root directory) like .bashrc, .Xdefaults, .aliases  etc. I remember that once my /root/.bashrc was messed up in an upgrade.  If you made some PKGBUILD, you might want to back them up too.

The way I do my backup is that I have a dedicated HD for that. As disk space is not a problem, I backup my  complete home directory, /etc, the pacman DB and my university account. I'll probably add root's config files too.