Method you follow to reproduce the arch configuration

switcher · 2025-07-20 09:48:46

how to keep track of how you configured your network, user, disk, mount points, groups & there config,
For application I can get .dotfiles but that also need some editing as some link will be missing, some file that yet not in place

SimonJ · 2025-07-20 09:56:00

I keep a blog of all the changes I need to make, some files I copy into a directory in home as a backup. The trouble is changes you made a couple of years ago are no longer needed so you have to keep your own records updated also.

switcher · 2025-07-20 10:16:41

@SimonJ -
I guess simlink file from a one folder to all required setup is the way but do you also keep copy of network files&dir and a note where it need to be linked, like make file that I keep for dotfiles, and how to keep track for the groups & mount points and application need to be installed. And backing up these data regularly is a question too.
I am sure there is a better way but I still don't know yet.

SimonJ · 2025-07-20 10:31:41

I have a directory that has etc and systemd etc in it, I then copy the files into those. They initially act as a backup and then once changes are proven, I copy the new file to overwrite. This location is then backed up to the cloud periodically.
If I get something odd that is from a directory I hardly ever edit, I will copy the file and then add a note in the top as comment.

Last edited by SimonJ (2025-07-20 10:32:06)

WorMzy · 2025-07-20 10:40:12

Mod note: moving to System Administration

switcher · 2025-07-20 10:52:59

@SimonJ -
Okay I think this is the way that I need to follow, but these will be time consuming when maintaining for small changes and when trying to reproducing into new system
- If note taking is the way then >
-- I can rsync the file&dir preodically to a backup folder
-- add a make file with notes
-- then backup the data in dotfile by git and syncthing.
- problem always is the the setup we do only ONE time and small changes which at the time seem insignificant, then never look back.
- do you maintain any script to automate some of these task

SimonJ · 2025-07-20 11:04:32

I do not script anything as it can change and if you don't see it fail you don't know. I prefer to keep a step by step record, with commands, and then check as I go. It is very easy to notice errors this way and much easier to fix one error than miss it and wonder why something else is now not working.
I also use this site a lot for updated information and have found Vivaldi copy to note is invaluable, I can then copy this later into a normal text editor if I found it useful.

Last edited by SimonJ (2025-07-20 11:04:50)

switcher · 2025-07-20 11:52:07

I has last setup with org-journal in emacs-client so I can copy form anywhere & comment, look at the journal file for what I did and then seperately added it to the linux file at the end of day. I also prefer to keep it step by step configuration because I want to know where it failed but I also want my arch ready when I need to work on new system and not messing with configuration. I was also looking at NixOS&arch install but found they have their own set of problems.
I think I am going to work on some detailed notes. and some way to automate some admin task for new system.

SimonJ · 2025-07-20 14:24:53

The problem for me is the installations are so far apart, it is not like there is a new version to try, or things break to the point of starting again. For me it is when hardware changes. When my laptop broke, I replaced it and installed Arch. It reports installed on 2022-09-25, and this is not old for Arch.

switcher · 2025-07-20 15:39:50

My hardware failed, so I lost a lot of data, don't want to repeat. I need to figure out, how can I create dot file for the system configuration which is periodically not me forgetting it for months to push changes. So I need to add system config file in dot and notes where is belongs. I am sure some servers does it but they do for whole disk. I want what necessary, to just reproduce the settings.

SimonJ · 2025-07-20 15:45:35

For the home dot files and selected dot directories, I use a script to compress them and put the archive in the Documents directory, then rclone to upload the entire Documents directory.

There are probably hundreds of options but I ended up choosing a few to keep updated and not go down the route of a complete home backup every few days. Having said that I do a home backup to USB once a month as well.

My last laptop had actual smoke come out of it, I lost nothing except the time it took to copy the files and the money it cost to replace it :-/

Whoracle · 2025-07-20 15:47:03

For my servers I manage them via puppet. Overkill, yes, but it's what I know and like.

For the desktops I use etckeeper to a gitlab instance. Assuming you keep your dotfiles from HOME in one folder structure and symlink or copy the files to where they are supposed to go, you can do those via etckeeper also.

switcher · 2025-07-20 16:22:09

@SimonJ -
- I will keep in mind to add compression for home imp. files , etc file, dot file are pretty small, and it can also add dependency req. when replication so will look into linux utilities
- looking into cloing the dir in tri location, usb thorugh rsync, android through syncthing, git for the dot files too.

@whoracle
- I didnot know about etckeeper, will try to implement it in few hours.
- I will look into puppet, there is also ansible but all these are for servers and may require more configuration and cpu, but do you think if deployed on desktop, complexity will be a issue as you have already deployed on server.

Whoracle · 2025-07-20 16:28:43

Puppet requires infrastructure that I consider overkill for a single desktop (although I've been thinking on using it for the SOs PC once she'll make the switch later to whoracle-maintained arch later this year. But I already got the infra, so...)
Ansible doesn't, really.

What they both do, however, is force you to check in your changes into some kind of version control and then deploy from there. Won't help if you install and configure stuff outside of it and then forget to check the changes into whatever VCS. So, for a single machine I'd just go etckeeper with additional folders configured - the aforementioned HOME/mydotfiles or something, and then configure a systemd timer or cronjob to check in our changes every x hours/days/whenever so you won't forget.

switcher · 2025-07-20 16:45:37

@whoracle
I have not yet worked on ops tools or big servers so no knowledge on that.
But if I am able to configure I will prefer VCS to keep track of changes as it can solve a big note taking problem for me.
Let say to get the network up and running, I experimented with 5 fiels but only at end changed 3 files, so if vcs can track it, I can note it through emacs-client to add into org notes. this way multiple file can accurately tracked and commented for future reference without me trying to remember everything.

rantanran · 2025-07-21 23:49:02

Have you stumbled across etckeeper ?

I have not used it, but will look at it the next days.
I am on the quest to reproduce my arch setup on 3 machines with ansible, chezmoi and maybe etc keeper.
Still figuring things out.

Arch Linux

#1 2025-07-20 09:48:46

Method you follow to reproduce the arch configuration

#2 2025-07-20 09:56:00

Re: Method you follow to reproduce the arch configuration

#3 2025-07-20 10:16:41

Re: Method you follow to reproduce the arch configuration

#4 2025-07-20 10:31:41

Re: Method you follow to reproduce the arch configuration

#5 2025-07-20 10:40:12

Re: Method you follow to reproduce the arch configuration

#6 2025-07-20 10:52:59

Re: Method you follow to reproduce the arch configuration

#7 2025-07-20 11:04:32

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#8 2025-07-20 11:52:07

Re: Method you follow to reproduce the arch configuration

#9 2025-07-20 14:24:53

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#10 2025-07-20 15:39:50

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#11 2025-07-20 15:45:35

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#12 2025-07-20 15:47:03

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#13 2025-07-20 16:22:09

Re: Method you follow to reproduce the arch configuration

#14 2025-07-20 16:28:43

Re: Method you follow to reproduce the arch configuration

#15 2025-07-20 16:45:37

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#16 2025-07-21 23:49:02

Re: Method you follow to reproduce the arch configuration

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