Installing a previous version and backing up

[IsaacJGL]

I recently updated my ubuntu from 10.04 to 12.04 LTS. There are various problems and crashes in my system and I am wondering if when I backup my system that when I reinstall it back to 10.04, all of my applications and data, etc... will still be there when I reinstall it. If not, please tell my how (if any way) I can keep my stuff when reinstalling ubuntu.

[darkod]

If you backup your personal data, you will have it after reinstalling 10.04 of course. But the applications won't be there by default, only personal data you copy to another hdd. And many applications are different between 10.04 and 12.04.

But even if you install 10.04 back, it has support until April 2013 which is 4 months from now. I suggest you try to work out the problems instead of going back to 10.04.

Also, the problems might be a result of the upgrade. The upgrade process has errors sometimes. It is often enough to do a clean install of 12.04, not 10.04. It will probably work better than the upgraded version.

In any case, all data not backed up is lost when you format during reinstall. Have that in mind and back up everything you need.

[IsaacJGL]

I was also thinking of reinstalling because I'm using 'PyTivo' and it is not working for 12.04. So the best thing to do would be just putting all of the applications on an external hard drive or something like that?
And one more question, Define data; does that mean all of the folders on the desktop, in the home folder, and in all of the other folders in the system, or does it mean the config files and stuff?

[2F4U]

So the best thing to do would be just putting all of the applications on an external hard drive or something like that?

It is very unlikely that this will work. 10.04 has most likely much older versions of software and libraries than 12.04, so applications from 12.04 are unlikely to be working correctly on 10.04.

[darkod]

That's why I used the term "personal data". I mean the data that you created/copied yourself, not the system data.
Like your documents, videos, music, etc. They might be inside your Home folder, or in any folder, it doesn't matter, it's still your data.

Copying settings between 12.04 and 10.04 would rarely work. I don't think it's worth bothering with it. In fact you can create more problems than solve them.

So, just copy what is yours (that includes all your work, not just documents, if you have any), and you are ready to do a new clean install.