is it possible to "save" my version of Arch

christian1122 · 2016-09-25 11:39:42

I have Arch Linux installed. A friend liked it and asked if he could get exactly the same.
is it possible to make an iso of my Linux and install it on his PC? or do I literally have to install every single program again on his PC?

graysky · 2016-09-25 11:55:55

Assuming you have all needed partitions mounted (/boot if you have a separate one for example), just boot to a live environment and tar up your install. As a learning point, it's probably better for your friend to install Arch on his or her own...

christian1122 · 2016-09-25 11:59:25

so what you are saying is that I could just copy paste everything and it would work?
do I need to install things separately like grub?

graysky · 2016-09-25 13:08:40

@christian - See, this is why I recommend against the tarball. To answer your question, yes, you will need a boot loader which is beyond the scope of the tarball. You may also need to adjust /etc/fstab and/or /etc/mkinitcpio.conf depending on how you setup your system and any possible hardware differences between the two systems. Also know that any private info you have (/home/foo for example or /etc/passwd and related files) are given to your friend with the tarball method.

Spider.007 · 2016-09-25 13:19:58

Assuming your not using any packages you built yourself; "installing every single program again" is as simple as executing

pacman -Qeqt|tr '\n' ' '

on your machine and executing pacman -S + previous output on his machine after performing a normal install

Last edited by Spider.007 (2016-09-25 13:20:50)

christian1122 · 2016-09-25 13:25:30

Spider.007 wrote:

Assuming your not using any packages you built yourself; "installing every single program again" is as simple as executing
pacman -Qeqt|tr '\n' ' '
on your machine and executing pacman -S + previous output on his machine after performing a normal install

but then i still have to configure all the programs and edit all the settings

is there really not a script or program that can do that? even windows has the possibility to capture an image

loqs · 2016-09-25 13:30:42

As your friend would not have installed arch themselves using the Installation_guide they would not be supported on the forums and would be reliant on you for support.

ronw · 2016-09-25 14:20:25

christian1122 wrote:

is there really not a script or program that can do that? even windows has the possibility to capture an image

Typing "arch disk image" into everyone's favorite search engine seems to indicate there are many such programs:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/disk_cloning

But take the advice already given: Your friend is much better served by doing his own install and learning along the way.

theking2 · 2016-09-25 15:30:34

I think an important question would be if your friends computer is exactly the same. Did you build it? Is it a standard PC or laptop? Does it contain the same amount of memory and storage?
If no to any or all questions above don't image but install. It is so easy to do these days.

ayekat · 2016-09-25 17:14:46

christian1122 wrote:

but then i still have to configure all the programs and edit all the settings

Those "settings" are mostly limited to personal config files ("dotfiles"), and it shouldn't be that much of a hassle to copy them over. Maybe also /etc.
But as so many other people have pointed out, your friend is better served if he installs Arch on his own. This "copying your system" would just be a disservice to him (e.g. he won't receive any help for whatever he ends up with in the Arch community).

-- edit --
Also, copying the configs might not be recommended, for the same reason as... well, I think you get it.

Last edited by ayekat (2016-09-25 17:16:32)

ewaller · 2016-09-25 17:45:28

So your friend wants your root password? And they have the same user names as do you? And those users are okay with having their their passwords on another system -- another system that uses the same salt for their password hash?
Are both systems going to have the same hostname? On the same network?

Xyne · 2016-09-25 19:23:13

As a starting point, you can use the pkg-backup script in pkg_scripts (AUR page). It will scan package files in each packages "backup" array (the ones that generate .pacnew files) and export any that have changed to a directory. It can then restore those files to the system on another computer. That should catch most custom system configuration files, but not the ones that you create yourself (maybe I'll add an option for that).

As noted, you will need to adjust computer-specific files such as fstab and you should remove files such as passwd, gshadow, sudoers, etc.

The best solution would be to get your friend to set up the system himself.

Arch Linux

#1 2016-09-25 11:39:42

is it possible to "save" my version of Arch

#2 2016-09-25 11:55:55

Re: is it possible to "save" my version of Arch

#3 2016-09-25 11:59:25

Re: is it possible to "save" my version of Arch

#4 2016-09-25 13:08:40

Re: is it possible to "save" my version of Arch

#5 2016-09-25 13:19:58

Re: is it possible to "save" my version of Arch

#6 2016-09-25 13:25:30

Re: is it possible to "save" my version of Arch

#7 2016-09-25 13:30:42

Re: is it possible to "save" my version of Arch

#8 2016-09-25 14:20:25

Re: is it possible to "save" my version of Arch

#9 2016-09-25 15:30:34

Re: is it possible to "save" my version of Arch

#10 2016-09-25 17:14:46

Re: is it possible to "save" my version of Arch

#11 2016-09-25 17:45:28

Re: is it possible to "save" my version of Arch

#12 2016-09-25 19:23:13

Re: is it possible to "save" my version of Arch

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