How to restore settings while reinstalling Ubuntu

[Tejus]

Hey!

I would like to make my system dual boot with WinXP and Ubuntu (Karmic). I have only Ubuntu installed right now. I decided to remove Ubuntu first, then install Windows, and then reinstall Ubuntu. This is because I have read in many places that installing Ubuntu on a system with Windows is easier than the other way. I don't want to dabble with restoring GRUB and what not.

Do I have to create all the users and configure all the settings again once Ubuntu is reinstalled, or is there a way of saving the settings etc of my current install of Ubuntu in an external location, and "import" them in a new installation of Ubuntu?

I don't save my documents in my Home folder, they are located in a second hard drive, so my data will not be a problem.

[wilee-nilee]

If your going to install the same Ubuntu distro you can save the synaptic information. The only thing is if you have added other repositories to the sources list you want to add those before you use the saved information.
Here is one link see if this works.
http://lifehacker.com/5146028/save-s...reinstallation

So you can save your source list but depending on how the keys for any extras are saved you could save that to.

Personally I just always install Ubuntu Tweak from a ppa these days to get the extra ppa's so I generally the keys are somewhere but I have never looked for them.

[Tejus]

Oh right! lifehacker too links to a thread in this forum! Should have searched before posting I guess...silly me.

Anyway, thanks!

[wilee-nilee]

Oh right! lifehacker too links to a thread in this forum! Should have searched before posting I guess...silly me.

Anyway, thanks!

No problem.

[Tejus]

Sorry, forgot one thing. Can I copy my home folder as is and paste it into the new install?

[wilee-nilee]

I have never done that so I don't know the back up for that. I just have everything on a external HD so I can reinstall whatever I want whenever I want.

With another quick Google search I found this.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BackupYourSystem
and this
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/backup

With the bookmarks in FF I use xmarks a addon which synchs all your computers and saves them on a server.

Like I said I just make it easy by having a external HD I am just plain lazy. I also don't have my computers highly customized, just the launchpad ppa's from Ubuntu Tweak and a few other extras. I think the second link will have the best solution and is a good site to bookmark. You may know already but this link is maintained my a mod from the forums.

[Tejus]

hmm...okay, thanks!