Question About moving software to new OS (SOLVED)

[War Horse]

I currently have Mint Cinnamon 19.3 and would like to do a fresh install to 20.1
The question I have is, can I do a backup on my current 19.3 software installs and move them over to 20.1 ?
Also, would this be easier with a USB stick, or should I look into getting an external HD ? If so, which external HD's work with Linux Mint the best (or easiest) .

As a side note, I need to move quite a few personal pictures and videos as well.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Hoser Rob]

Moving personal pics and video is easy, just use a backup drive.

I wouldn't do that with software though, you will tend to need newer versions for the new release due to the general lack of backwards compatibility in Linux. I just reinstall them after the clean reinstall.

[Flemur]

I currently have Mint Cinnamon 19.3 and would like to do a fresh install to 20.1
The question I have is, can I do a backup on my current 19.3 software installs and move them over to 20.1 ?

Unfortunately, no. Linux is (overly) sensitive to versions of libraries, and most programs have their installation files in several places.

Also, would this be easier with a USB stick, or should I look into getting an external HD ? If so, which external HD's work with Linux Mint the best (or easiest) .

Probably doesn't matter much.

As a side note, I need to move quite a few personal pictures and videos as well.

Absolutely make backup copies of those files before upgrading. Depending where those files are, you might be able to preserve the ones you already have (e.g. separate data partition). But definitely make backups in any case.

Some info in this thread:
viewtopic.php?t=238303

[War Horse]

Thank you for the information.
I've read where doing a standing upgrade from 19.3 to 20.1 will not work well. As a matter of fact, I don't even get the option for an upgrade in my 'update manager' edit column. I don't mind doing a fresh install, I just hate doing all the work of reinstalling all the software programs I have on the comp. Not the end of the world tho.

How about moving all the pictures and videos? I imagine that should be fairly easy with a USB stick ?

[War Horse]

Moving personal pics and video is easy, just use a backup drive.

I wouldn't do that with software though, you will tend to need newer versions for the new release due to the general lack of backwards compatibility in Linux. I just reinstall them after the clean reinstall.

Thank you, i think that's what I'll have to do. What would be a good/cheap backup drive to get that works with Linux?

[Moem]

As a matter of fact, I don't even get the option for an upgrade in my 'update manager' edit column.

That's because that is a major upgrade to an entire new codebase, and it's a lot more involved than going from x.x to x.x+1. It's not offered in the update manager, it's done in the terminal, and not recommended for novice users. Personally I feel that a new installation is the better option.

[War Horse]

Thanks, that's what I'll do then.

[AndyMH]

You can use mint's backup tool to backup the system (software selection), but it's limited. It will only restore applications you have installed from software manager. Backing up and restoring /home or if you have a separate /home partition means you can keep all your config files.

[War Horse]

You can use mint's backup tool to backup the system (software selection), but it's limited. It will only restore applications you have installed from software manager. Backing up and restoring /home or if you have a separate /home partition means you can keep all your config files.

I think I might just do a fresh install on the software.

The question I have now is, can I use the backup tool to do all my pictures and videos and reinstall them on 20.1?
And, what is a good external HD that will work with Linux Mint without breaking the bank (old retired guy here). All I see on Ebay are these Chinese things that mention Windows and Mac. I'm getting very confused and Youtube videos aren't very helpful with Linux stuff.

[blueicetwice]

Horse, I would backup everything with FoxClone, as prescribed by Andy [he posted in your thread].

For under $70 bucks, you can purchase a 2TB USB HDD from Western Digital, with a 2 year warranty.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=WD+2TB+El ... 20BBK-WESN

[War Horse]

Horse, I would backup everything with FoxClone, as prescribed by Andy [he posted in your thread].

For under $70 bucks, you can purchase a 2TB USB HDD from Western Digital, with a 2 year warranty.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=WD+2TB+El ... 20BBK-WESN

Thank you, that's what I'll do. I need to order the external drive today and get this done next week.

I sincerely appreciate all the advice everyone here has given me.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Horse, I would backup everything with FoxClone, as prescribed by Andy [he posted in your thread].

For under $70 bucks, you can purchase a 2TB USB HDD from Western Digital, with a 2 year warranty.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=WD+2TB+El ... 20BBK-WESN

Thank you, that's what I'll do. I need to order the external drive today and get this done next week.

I sincerely appreciate all the advice everyone here has given me.

Two suggestions: 1. Instead of buying an external HDD, buy an internal type HDD and install it in and external enclosure. It will cost a bit more but you will get a much better quality backup drive.

2. DO NOT buy from Newegg (or, as I now call them, Screwegg). Ever since Newegg was sold to a Chinese company a couple of years or so ago, their reliability and customer "service" quality has plunged downhill. I seriously believe that the only qualification they have for their customer "service" agents is that they be complete idiots. I used to shop only exclusively at Newegg with only rare problems, usually with the carrier they used for shipping, which their customer service agents would quickly take care of but, after the last few orders I made with them, especially the last one which was a complete nightmare to straighten out due to more foul ups than I have ever seen a company make, I will not buy anything from them again unless they were the last company on Earth to have what I need or want, and maybe not even then. Even Amazon is now more reliable with better customer service.

[War Horse]

Horse, I would backup everything with FoxClone, as prescribed by Andy [he posted in your thread].

For under $70 bucks, you can purchase a 2TB USB HDD from Western Digital, with a 2 year warranty.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=WD+2TB+El ... 20BBK-WESN

Thank you, that's what I'll do. I need to order the external drive today and get this done next week.

I sincerely appreciate all the advice everyone here has given me.

Two suggestions: 1. Instead of buying an external HDD, buy an internal type HDD and install it in and external enclosure. It will cost a bit more but you will get a much better quality backup drive.

2. DO NOT buy from Newegg (or, as I now call them, Screwegg). Ever since Newegg was sold to a Chinese company a couple of years or so ago, their reliability and customer "service" quality has plunged downhill. I seriously believe that the only qualification they have for their customer "service" agents is that they be complete idiots. I used to shop only exclusively at Newegg with only rare problems, usually with the carrier they used for shipping, which their customer service agents would quickly take care of but, after the last few orders I made with them, especially the last one which was a complete nightmare to straighten out due to more foul ups than I have ever seen a company make, I will not buy anything from them again unless they were the last company on Earth to have what I need or want, and maybe not even then. Even Amazon is now more reliable with better customer service.

I already ordered the WD Elements 2 Tb external HD through Ebay. I refuse to buy anything from Amazon (has nothing to do with recent developments), I never liked their pricing and policies.
I just needed this for a quick transfer of pictures and videos from the old OS to the new one. I have 6 computers and one has a 1TB slave drive in it that I use for storage, of course non are networked. the external HD I ordered was only $49.00 so nothing really lost if I don't use it often.
But thank you for the advice.

[blueicetwice]

Horse, I would backup everything with FoxClone, as prescribed by Andy [he posted in your thread].

For under $70 bucks, you can purchase a 2TB USB HDD from Western Digital, with a 2 year warranty.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=WD+2TB+El ... 20BBK-WESN

Thank you, that's what I'll do. I need to order the external drive today and get this done next week.

I sincerely appreciate all the advice everyone here has given me.

Two suggestions: 1. Instead of buying an external HDD, buy an internal type HDD and install it in and external enclosure. It will cost a bit more but you will get a much better quality backup drive.

2. DO NOT buy from Newegg (or, as I now call them, Screwegg). Ever since Newegg was sold to a Chinese company a couple of years or so ago, their reliability and customer "service" quality has plunged downhill. I seriously believe that the only qualification they have for their customer "service" agents is that they be complete idiots. I used to shop only exclusively at Newegg with only rare problems, usually with the carrier they used for shipping, which their customer service agents would quickly take care of but, after the last few orders I made with them, especially the last one which was a complete nightmare to straighten out due to more foul ups than I have ever seen a company make, I will not buy anything from them again unless they were the last company on Earth to have what I need or want, and maybe not even then. Even Amazon is now more reliable with better customer service.

Baroness Fritzgerald, I thought about buying another SATA HDD but optioned for an USB HDD. Had I known
what you stated, I would have purchased the internal instead.

Over the past 17 years, 90% of my PC purchases have been with OldEgg. My second to last was a USB
cable and it took them nine days to deliver I wrote a review of that, with two stars and it was
never posted. Now that you have told me it new parent company is a mainland ChiCom firm,
I will place them official on my Gircott list. BTW, we also do not do business with the Zon, as well. [Amazon]
Tanks for letting me know about the change in ownership! OldEgg, was once a fabulous entity to shop with.