[SC.LUG] Backing Up Query

[Richard Smedley]

Hello Matthew, 

On Fri, 2008-02-08 at 05:54 +0000, Matthew Tolley wrote:
> My Ubuntu 7.10 has become intolerably 'buggy' and I'm planning a 
> re-installation after I've backed up my stuff.

What sort of `buggy'? It should be possible to fix without 
a re-install. Do you have a separate /home partition?
This would mean that a re-install won't overwrite
your settings.

> Is there  a file(s)  which I can back up with my  web (i.e. firefox) 
> passwords in it so I don't have to re-enter them all when I go back to 
> the websites I've joined? If so is it under /.mozilla?

That's right - it's all under ~/.mozilla
Depending on your system, it wil be under something like:
~/.mozilla/firefox/l0lc4tz.default/

Also there will be history, cookies, etc., which you may 
also want to copy.

Simplest is to copy the lot onto your back-up disk:
cp -a ~/.mozilla/ /media/BackUpDisk/WhateverDirectory/

and then copy it back after re-install (you can back up
the installer's .mozilla first).

> Also, I've customised the Gnome Panel and Background  - is it
> possible 
> to save these customisations when I back up, and what folder should I 
> look in for these?

I'll leave the details to GNOME users. I think everything
is under ~/.gnome2/ but won't guarantee it, as sometimes
gconf magic is needed for carrying some GNOME settings
(unless this is no longer the case). Let me know what 
happens ;-)

 - Richard

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