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#1 2013-02-14 23:09:03

adam777
Member
Registered: 2012-05-28
Posts: 161

[Solved] Fresh Installation - Install From Testing + Keep User Data

Hello all,
I decided to install my system from scratch and have 2 questions.

1. Is it possible to use the [testing] repository  for the initial installation using pacstarp?
I plan on using it anyway, so it's probably easier to just use it from the beginning other than re-installing packages.

2. I want to keep my personal files (data only, nothing system-related and inside folders that are not created as part of installation process) intact.
Does the installation process delete something on the target partition by default or can I be sure my files will still be there on the new system?

Thanks, adam.

Last edited by adam777 (2013-02-15 10:03:24)

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#2 2013-02-15 02:45:23

cfr
Member
From: Cymru
Registered: 2011-11-27
Posts: 7,130

Re: [Solved] Fresh Installation - Install From Testing + Keep User Data

If you edit pacman.conf I guess you could use testing but I wouldn't recommend it. I take it that you are basically new to Arch. That suggests several reasons not to install with testing. Not least, the Beginners' Guide which you will need to read and follow carefully will not reflect any changes in testing.

I also wouldn't recommend installing onto a partition which contains data you want to keep. Split the partition if necessary and keep the data on a separate partition. Personally, I also would not install anything without backing up my data first. Unless you won't be inconvenienced by losing the data, of course. In that case, I wouldn't worry but you wouldn't have asked.

Please read the Beginners' Guide carefully before you begin.


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#3 2013-02-15 03:03:31

frank604
Member
From: BC, Canada
Registered: 2011-04-20
Posts: 1,212

Re: [Solved] Fresh Installation - Install From Testing + Keep User Data

Testing Repo on Arch is not the same as say, Debian Testing Repo.  It would be more akin to Debian Unstable Repo.  https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Of … positories

New packages go into [testing] if:
They are expected to break something on update and need to be tested first.
They require other packages to be rebuilt. In this case, all packages that need to be rebuilt are put into [testing] first and when all rebuilds are done, they are moved back to the other repositories.

No offence meant, but if you are new to Arch, stay awhile and learn the system first before turning on testing.  You will need to know how to downgrade a package and compile, as well as staying alert on mailing list, rss feed, news, etc. 

As for the personal files, it depends on how you want to setup your partitions.  The installation guide is just a guide.  Do not follow it step by step if your configuration is different.  The guide will help you create a root partition and a home partition.  If you already have a data partition, just create the root and home on other partitions.  Do not delete the data partition.  There is no automation with the installation.  You control each action.  Therefore, do not blindly write syntax you do not understand during this part of the install if that data partition is important.  Also, ditto what cfr says, back that up.

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#4 2013-02-15 03:08:07

jasonwryan
Anarchist
From: .nz
Registered: 2009-05-09
Posts: 30,424
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Re: [Solved] Fresh Installation - Install From Testing + Keep User Data

Fsck it! Go hard, and go early!*






* Disclaimer: any and all breakage as a result of you enabling [testing] will be your own responsibility and will void your support warranty on these boards. I will, naturally enough, disavow any knowledge of encouraging you to adopt this reckless position and this thread will self-destruct after you read it. Good luck.


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#5 2013-02-15 03:17:27

frank604
Member
From: BC, Canada
Registered: 2011-04-20
Posts: 1,212

Re: [Solved] Fresh Installation - Install From Testing + Keep User Data

LOL
Smash the fsck it key key

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#6 2013-02-15 10:03:13

adam777
Member
Registered: 2012-05-28
Posts: 161

Re: [Solved] Fresh Installation - Install From Testing + Keep User Data

Thanks all.
Just wanted to clarify - I'm currently running testing, and well aware of the implications.
I guess I got an answer to both questions.

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#7 2013-02-15 11:31:39

satanselbow
Member
Registered: 2011-06-15
Posts: 538

Re: [Solved] Fresh Installation - Install From Testing + Keep User Data

You know I have never even considered trying a "testing repo" installation - yeah man! Bring on the breakage big_smile Whoooop!

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#8 2013-02-15 13:17:08

Antoine
Member
From: Picton Ontario
Registered: 2012-10-11
Posts: 90

Re: [Solved] Fresh Installation - Install From Testing + Keep User Data

jasonwryan wrote:

Fsck it! Go hard, and go early!*

* Disclaimer: any and all breakage as a result of you enabling [testing] will be your own responsibility and will void your support warranty on these boards. I will, naturally enough, disavow any knowledge of encouraging you to adopt this reckless position and this thread will self-destruct after you read it. Good luck.

Precisely. There's an old joke about Jesus and Mohammed, where Mohammed loses all his data, but Jesus doesn't; "Jesus Saves."

Backup your important data. For me, that's mostly the dotfiles in my ~/ (important "documents" are stored outside the system, seriously important stuff is stored outside the building). Arch installs so easily, you can be up-and-running with a shiny new system in about an hour or so, and it'll be missing the cruft you installed to play with and then never used and never removed.

As for the testing repos -- I enabled them for some of the Nvidia stuff I needed (as I recall); nothing's ever "broken" on that 64-bit system. I just got a nice new LInux this morning.
Edit: spelling

Last edited by Antoine (2013-02-15 13:17:50)

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#9 2013-02-15 21:47:22

adam777
Member
Registered: 2012-05-28
Posts: 161

Re: [Solved] Fresh Installation - Install From Testing + Keep User Data

Well, I ended up changing my mind on both issues.
Backed up only my most important data to an external USB and installed to a clean partition.
Decided against running testing, though I haven't had any issues in the few months I've been running it up until last week (https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/33818).

Last edited by adam777 (2013-02-15 21:47:49)

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