Create reinstall script of all packages used in running system? or?

yvonney · 2009-05-20 01:37:24

Hi...

I've got what I consider to be my best fresh install to date.
So... if I was going to do it again I'd have to think a lot and it would then again occur incrementally over several days or even weeks which is how I got where i am now.

I've got a dwm/dmenu system with as many programs running in screen as was sensible.
Then there's a few big apps like scribus. And a bunch of video and audio stuff. All kinda small compared to a gnome desktop install however.

I'm interested in whatever gottchas or best practices some of the gurus must use to do a script based (?) reinstall.

So, I can do a cat to find out which packages I have installed.

Would I do a base install and then somehow run a script of just type all the packages used into a pacman line and away I go?

I have had some great times with larch and I guess rsync has some tricks as well. Though, I'm really trying to understand/achieve kind of a manual reinstall ability WITH I guess some scripting assist or other.

Very interested in any thoughts on this.

thank you

ataraxia · 2009-05-20 01:58:15

Here's what I'd do. Make a backup including these things:
- /boot/grub/menu.lst
- all of /etc
- as much of /home as you have space for (leave out any large music or video collections if they're too big)
- any files you customized or created from any other place on the system
- a file containing the output of things like "pacman -Q", "pacman -Qq", "pacman -Qe" or whatever variant of this you think would be most helpful, this file will tell you exactly what to reinstall

Write a script to save this backup somewhere so it'll be easy enough that you'll want to do it regularly. (Make sure the backup script goes in the backup, too.)

Since it's hard to remember all the changes you make to the default files when setting up a new system, I also suggest making a list of them now while you still remember most of them. No need to be really detailed, it just needs to be enough to remind you. I have a list like this. Some example items from mine:

kill beep and alsactl store
rankmirrors
run abs
mail - aliases
krb5.conf
ntpd.conf
dhcpcd -C resolv.conf
resolv.conf
...

With this system, I can go from a blank disk to completely installed, set up, and customized, in under 4 hours.

I don't think having a totally scripted install would be that useful. By the time you need to use it, it will probably be out of date, or you'll have a different machine with different needs. Use the machine to do what it's best at, and the human brain to do the rest, I always say

Gen2ly · 2009-05-20 02:50:23

Here's a way to create a pkglist that can be used to restore (or reinstall) the packages you have installed now:

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Pac … re_Restore

You might want to consider backing up all the package tarballs so you don't have download them all again.

Last edited by Gen2ly (2009-05-20 02:58:18)

yvonney · 2009-05-20 06:59:24

Thanks to you both!

This past 6 months I've done 3 reinstalls, all the while asking myself what could I not install. And though there's likely some changes/additions/swaps I'd make I think I'm just about there as far as minimalism goes.

So, very cool to have had your comments and also I will study up on pacman etc. etc. I will keep all the packages I have downloaded and will try a test install in a few weeks I think!

very very nice to have your thoughts as I keep all my setting etc. and I now have a better idea of how to move quicker on this when I reinstall. It wil be very interesting to see if by:

saving my home folder main setting files/folders (basically the entire folder) And as well /etc ... and other misc folder I already backup. Then following what I've learned an been reminded of here to see if I can get a running system like the one I now use by bulk reinstalling all the packages I have downloaded already.

I wonder if pacman will know what order to install in or if I'll get dependency probs, depending on the order of installation, of duplications, etc. I guess there will be a fair amount of me having to decide what to do when pacman say:

'reinstalling' when a package is already installed/already exists from prior installed package.... hmmm? or.... well, still thinking on this. fun to try in a few weeks.

yvonney · 2009-06-11 02:59:37

The wiki found me! AND: thanks again!
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Cat … _(English)

Last edited by yvonney (2009-06-11 03:02:32)

Arch Linux

#1 2009-05-20 01:37:24

Create reinstall script of all packages used in running system? or?

#2 2009-05-20 01:58:15

Re: Create reinstall script of all packages used in running system? or?

#3 2009-05-20 02:50:23

Re: Create reinstall script of all packages used in running system? or?

#4 2009-05-20 06:59:24

Re: Create reinstall script of all packages used in running system? or?

#5 2009-06-11 02:59:37

Re: Create reinstall script of all packages used in running system? or?

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