[ILUG] Backing up debian

[Paolo Marchiori]

Colin O'Keeffe, Sat, Jun 04, 2005 at 06:40:11PM +0100:
> Is there a way to backup important debian files like X settings and
> kernel image incase I break something ?

We can divide data worthy to be saved in three categories:

* System status and settings:
 Machine-vital data is backed up daily or as it changes in /var/backups
  things like passwd, shadow, groups, gshadow, and related to dpkg.
 System settings are obviously in /etc

* Data:
 Application data such as mysql databases are in /var
 Users' data are of course in /home

* Non-system-integrated applications:
 Local applications and data are obviously in /usr/local/etc and /usr/local/var
 Third-party applications may be in /opt

All this according to LFS - and provided you didn't mess around with the
system or used extremely invasive and badly behaving applications with
custom installation procedures.

Don't waste time and space in backing up binaries or libs - back up sources
instead; of course if you need to be up again in zero time, you may need a
disk image - but you will still need a complete, up-to-date, set of your
data too.

p.
-- 
pbm - "it's easy to be a genius when you're 25, but try
    -  doing it at 50..."				(Elliott Murphy)