Help with Timeshift setting

Hello, can anyone help me? I have no idea which to choose on wizard for my preferences snapshot.

I want to backup:

  • The current state, config, app, and wallpaper and desktop layout that I’ve used (if possible)

I don’t want to backup:

  • All my document which reside in /home/file etc…

Maybe OOT, but why my /home has hidden file? Are those just config file or where the app is installed?

Sorry to create this topic, I’ve never used this kind of system backup before. Never knew this is a powerful tool.

That is possible, but the official policy of the developer of timeshift is that it should not be used for backing up the home directories. It’s intended for backing up the operating system only. There are other backup tools for backing up your home directory. :wink:

But if you do want to go there nevertheless… :arrow_down:

  1. Click on Settings. :arrow_down:

  2. Click on Users . :arrow_down:

  3. If your user account is not in the list, add it and then select what you want to back up. :arrow_down:

  4. Click on Filters. :arrow_down:

  5. Add directories to the list ─ one at the time ─ that it must include or exclude. A + in the left column means “include”, and a - means “exclude”.

Hidden files ─ i.e. files whose name starts with a period ─ are almost always user-specific configuration files. They are hidden because they would otherwise clog up the view when you’re doing a listing of your documents, and so on. :wink:

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So does it include /home? Let me guess, it’s not :smiley:
Only root folder

Ahh, so that .firefox on /home are my configuration setting. The actual file are on /root

/root == :C
/home == : D

Am I right? Sorry for ask, this new disk system really confuse me.

By default, /home is not included. You can include it though. See step #2 and #3 in my previous post.

:arrow_down:

Yes, all files and directories (“folders”) in your home directory are configuration files for your personal user account.

I think you mean “the root filesystem”, not /root. /root is the root user’s own home directory.

I know it’s a bit confusing ─ / being the root directory and the directory named /root.

Microsoft Windows also has the concept of root directories, but there, they are denoted by a backslash, \, and Windows has a root directory for every volume. So the root directory of the C: drive is C:\.

GNU/Linux is a UNIX sustem, and rather than approaching storage by way of drives or volumes, UNIX has only one (logical) root directory ─ i.e. / ─ and a uniform directory hierarchy (or “folder structure”, if you will).

Other volumes are then mounted onto directories in that hierarchy, so that to the end-user, the directory tree will always look the same, regardless of whether the contents of a specific directory live on the same filesystem, a different partition, or even another computer across the network.

Hmm… Not really a correct analogy, but I guess you could think of it that way. :wink:

Here’s an overview of the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard, which explains what each of the directories is for. :wink:

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Wow you’re awesome, the explanation are great. I wonder if you’re a teacher or system analyst. Never mind, the link is really helpful, I’ll read it for better knowing Linux.

Thank you so much!

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I’ve studied IT, but I’ve never finished it ─ at least, not in college; I did continue studying on my own at home. And I have also taught people in computer-related subjects, yes. :wink:

I’ve never really been a Windows user. My only experiences with Windows (on a computer owned by me) were only six months with DOS 5.0 and Windows 3.0 in the early 1990s, and two years with Windows NT 4.0 between 1997 and 1999.

In between, I was using OS/2, and after Windows NT, I’ve been exclusively using GNU/Linux. I did however have a bit of UNIX experience from college and work, and that helped. But I didn’t find it all that difficult.

There is loads and loads of documentation on your system itself ─ the man pages and info pages ─ and nowadays you can also find loads and loads of documentation on the web, which was a luxury I didn’t even have back in 1999, because I didn’t have an internet connection at home yet. :wink:

The key is to forget your Windows experience. GNU/Linux is a very different operating system design, and what applies to Windows does not necessarily apply to GNU/Linux. If you keep that in mind, then you’ll learn quickly enough. :wink:

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