Solved: Can someone pls do a good Backup Tool HowTo!

[RevMike]

Can someone pls do a good Backup Tool HowTo!

Quite rightly Mint is proud of having a Backup and Restore tool.
But it is badly let down by not having simple User Instructions allied to it.
Thanks in anticipation.
Mike

[RevMike]

Hi Folks - Have I made a rude suggestion?
Or is everyone just sitting back and thinking - this bloke is really dumb!
It's just that there has been no response to my request for a BackUp Tool HowTo.
I just want to make sure that I and other people can use it confidently in the best and most helpful way.

For instance: I now understand how to use removal of Folders and Files I don't want backed up. But:
1. Can someone please explain the meaning and use of the Advanced Options.
2. Backup can take a long time. Can that time be shortened safely?
3. Do existing and unmodified files get skipped?
4. What points need watching when restoring?
5. And other practicalities I may have missed.

Thanks folks - looking forward to some help here!

Mike

[RevMike]

Thanks Ikey - it goes a long way towards what I was seeking.

However, as it is well buried and not easily found by search, I have added an 'Idea' in the hope it and any other critical Tutorial can be found more easily to support people new to Linux and Mint in particular.

Mike

[Elisa]

IMHO the best tool is Remastersys - http://www.geekconnection.org/remastersys/info.html
Info also:
http://klikit.pbworks.com/Remastersys
http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/remastersys.html -> the best know-how, I am sure you'll like it

[xnostradamusx]

remastersys is good if you gonna install from scratch and make an image of it. otherwise if he don't want some installed applications i think aptoncd will do the job?

[Elisa]

remastersys is good if you gonna install from scratch and make an image of it. otherwise if he don't want some installed applications i think aptoncd will do the job?

I do not know 'aptoncd' and due his questions it seems he is really a newbie so I suppose to get know a cool tool like remastersys it's wort of time

[xnostradamusx]

aptoncd is already included in the default installation you might want to check that out

[Elisa]

AFAIK and I always first => RTFM the info in repo is not too rich I've rather chosen this source => http://aptoncd.sourceforge.net/

After all I do think the difference between remastersys and aptoncd is:
apton can create more flexible distribution with main point to share the same packages with/for others as she/he likes them and can install them for her/him as well as for her/his friends etc.

But remastersys is in the first point very personal tool when I have been building my own customized distro for months everytime when I see it's stable and cool and reliable with no problems on my PC, whenever I create my backup (by remastersys) so the same working good distro is possible to install (in some minutes ) on whatever computer with my account, settings etc.

Simply if I don't have laptop but make my distro backup (by remastersys) then I can move my pc everywhere I install my backup.
It's also like a substitution of (my big, 1000 kg heavy ) home PC or if I don't have a laptop but need "to have my computer" everywhere with all my all, security and other settings etc. etc. - remastersys is - IMHO - the best solution.

AFAIK another remastersys choice of its menu is creating shared distros, similar like described above about aptoncd.
I haven't tried that choice yet.

Another app for total copy / clone of any current pc/distro is ghost4linux which can also clone disk like byte-by-byte, if someone needs

Simply, I mostly make my personal backups by remastersys, first after fresh install by downloaded .iso from LinuxMint web then some other backups created when I installed some new apps and have seen distro is stable, good working etc. then at once I do another backup - which is latest ~ current.
This policy is similar like policy in Norton ghost when you can after any crash turn back to your previous status.
! => However except remastersys I do also my /home backups due /home stuff is more frequently changing than the rest/base distro...

So - it really depends on what this post author wanna have, which backup and for what purposes.
Then he can make choice among cool mentioned tools and ways...

[xnostradamusx]

wow thats very detailed mate. this info is very useful for everyone

[Elisa]

remastersys is all well and good if you want to make a redistributable live ISO
of your current installation.

Nice skilled way how to backup
Just one note - remastersys is not only for live because you can install your iso backup as a regular (not aka live) distro also (on a new hdd or/and new pc, laptop etc.).

[plenthoz]

Can anyone explain to me step by step how to backup Linuxmint (i use Mint Julia)

i've already create backup with remastersys ,but it always fail/broken....
for anyone guide me out there...thanks a lot master!!