How can you backup and restore apps on linux without internet?

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ahawkua

How can you backup and restore apps on linux without internet?

Post by ahawkua »

I want to be able to backup my installed apps on linux and restore them on another computer with the same 64 bit linux OS without internet. how could i do this?
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wallaroo
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Re: How can you backup and restore apps on linux without internet?

Post by wallaroo »

I don't think there is an easy way to backup individual installed apps. They can create directories and files all over the linux file-system for binaries, work areas, configurations, preferences, temp storages etc., so it's nearly impossible for a backup utility to identify these. Someone might prove me wrong though. Hardware differences might get in the way too.

Obviously the easiest and cleanest way is to new-install these apps on the other devices and manually copy any relevant settings and config files from the main PC.

You can get the install files ('.deb' files) off the main PC. You'll find the deb files for installed apps in directory '/var/cache/apt/archives'.

Remember though that some apps may want to pull in extra dependancies from the online repositories during installation.

These dependancies however should also have their '.deb' files in the cache that can be used, if you know which ones they are, but 'Synaptic Package Manager' can list an app's dependancies.
Cosmo.
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Re: How can you backup and restore apps on linux without internet?

Post by Cosmo. »

I suggest to use Aptik. Obviously you need the Internet for downloading it (just as for writing here), but not for executing it.
ahawkua

Re: How can you backup and restore apps on linux without internet?

Post by ahawkua »

Cosmo. wrote:I suggest to use Aptik. Obviously you need the Internet for downloading it (just as for writing here), but not for executing it.
I tried aptik but it would not work without having an internet connection
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Re: How can you backup and restore apps on linux without internet?

Post by Cosmo. »

ahawkua wrote:I tried aptik but it would not work without having an internet connection
Which step precisely?
ahawkua

Re: How can you backup and restore apps on linux without internet?

Post by ahawkua »

Cosmo. wrote:
ahawkua wrote:I tried aptik but it would not work without having an internet connection
Which step precisely?
When I tried to restore my apps on an offline pc
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Re: How can you backup and restore apps on linux without internet?

Post by Cosmo. »

Where is the backup stored? If you should have put in the cloud or on another computer, which is only reachable via network, than yes, you need the network and in the first case of course an Internet connection.
ahawkua

Re: How can you backup and restore apps on linux without internet?

Post by ahawkua »

Cosmo. wrote:Where is the backup stored? If you should have put in the cloud or on another computer, which is only reachable via network, than yes, you need the network and in the first case of course an Internet connection.
I put the backup on a flash drive. But all it did was make a list
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Re: How can you backup and restore apps on linux without internet?

Post by austin.texas »

Did you backup "Downloaded Packages (APT Cache)" ?
You need that.
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ahawkua

Re: How can you backup and restore apps on linux without internet?

Post by ahawkua »

austin.texas wrote:Did you backup "Downloaded Packages (APT Cache)" ?
You need that.
Yes but I have that backed up anyways.
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Re: How can you backup and restore apps on linux without internet?

Post by austin.texas »

Well, if Aptic doesn't cooperate you can just dump all those .deb files into /var/cache/apt/archives. That takes care of the download part. Then you install programs in the usual way.
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Re: How can you backup and restore apps on linux without internet?

Post by Cosmo. »

ahawkua wrote:I put the backup on a flash drive. But all it did was make a list
This has nothing to do with the Internet. What does the list contain?
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