Fresh install + Timeshift

Support
1

Hello,

First I’ve searched and read some topics on the subject. Still confused.

I need to do a clean install of the latest Manjaro XFCE (previous installation is no more).
On this old laptop I have installed on sda1 MX Linux with it’s GRUB (also in sda1).
On sda2 I want install fresh Manjaro XFCE and I want it’s GRUB to manage the dual boot (like I had before). Visually I like the Manjaro GRUB.

The main thing:
I have a Timeshift snapshot from October from Manjaro in an external HDD.
Can I make a fresh installation of Manjaro and do a Timeshift in order to recover all my configs./settings?

What is the best procedure in order to have all my configs back?
This configs/settings (apart from the apps installed) are mainly cosmetic/visual.
What I want is both OS (MX Linux and Manjaro) to look the same (I had this on my previous Manjaro installation).

Since MX Linux is also XFCE would copying the /home folder over to Manjaro carry over the configs./setttings?

Thank you for any guidance

2

The default setting of timeshift is not to include home and settings. Check what is in your backup first.

3

I had that included when I made the TS.

4

Timeshift will recover your old system - unless you deliberately set it to include everything else, or (as you say) to only include your settings etc.

I used to do it this way, and whilst it’s possible to restore the system this way, it also imports all documents and images - possibly overwriting any work you did recently…

So now, my solution is:

  • Timeshift for system

  • Back-in-Time to backup home.

You can browse your Timeshift snapshots to see what is included there…

The reason I changed is that I had some issues as my snapshots got too unweildy, taking 20 minutes to scan before even getting started on a restoration and it got to the stage where the restoration failed.

Still, worth a try.

5

In my experience, it probably succeeds 96% of the time.
There are rare cases where it doesn’t work.
If it were me.
In this pattern, I would run it after taking backups other than timeshift (I won’t cry even if I fall).
dd / partclone.

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