this post was submitted on 19 Nov 2023
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I have a simple wish, with a probably not so simple solution.

I recently started with linux (Arch kde), I'm loving it, I quickly realized that this OS and almost all apps, are highly customizable, I'm laving that as well. My problem is the unavoidable reinstalls and that I have a laptop.

Is there any way that I can save all my configs, apps and my apps' configs, and transfer them over to my laptop, while almost having a very quick back-up. I realize that I could turn it into an ISO somehow, but that wouldn't work (I think) because my laptop has vastly different hardware. I also realize the partitioning problem. So in my idealistic world, there should be a solution that requires a clean install (from scripts or manual) and some .sh file, that installs all my apps, pastes all my configs and reboots.

So is this possible? and if yes, how should I go about this? did someone make a tool for this already? Or(!) can I burn it to a flash and the drivers will correct themselves/I'll deal with them later?

For final words I'd like to say that I'm far from finished configurating, but I'd like to know the proccess, to not shoot myself in the foot somewhere along the way of configing, thanks!

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I have done something similar following this post - loads of others have created similar scripted installers for Arch for their specific use cases and this guide takes it one step further with custom arch meta packages that hold deps and system wide config.

You can also do similar things with tools like ansible or saltstack or similar tools. Though these all take the approach of define your configs and system to automate the setting up of a system approach rather than the backup or clone an existing system. So are more effort initially but are able to keep multiple system in sync with system configs with far less effort then trying to create a backup/restore system for organically created configs.

that wouldn’t work (I think) because my laptop has vastly different hardware

Should not matter, you can install all the packages all your system need - such as both nvidia, amd and intel graphics drivers and the kernel will only load the ones for the hardware you have booted with. Or if you really need different configs or packages for different systems the various approaches have ways to do that.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Do you know if there is a way to generate a ansible playbook based on your current deployment state?

Or do you need to painstakingly manually code every unique facet of your system into the playbook?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Most done with the latter. But the nice thing is once you have done it once it is much easier to keep things up to date and in sync from then on words. You can also peace meal it - setup one application at a time and migrate things one by one over to it.

painstakingly manually code every unique facet

That makes it sound a lot worst then it actually it. It is only a bit more effort then setting something up for the first time manually. And pays its self back many times over when you next need to reinstall or install a new system. Assuming you keep up with making changes to the code and not directly to your system each time.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is basically the reason why I wanted to ask early. Two problems.

Already kinda late.. And, idk how to configurate Firefox addons from the terminal. Even if I did, there're a bunch of other apps too. I'd need to do so much research.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Supposedly you can configure Firefox add-ons via Nix's home manager and NUR but you'll probably still have to do a lot of research :P