Backing up Arch timeshift and or config files???

smooth_buddha

Active Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2020
Messages
362
Reaction score
246
Credits
1,648
Hey guys i gotta Arch system up and runnning and was curious how u guys "back up". Ive heard people online talking about ho they save their config files on github . I also recently seen the wizard did a great post on timeshift which got me thinking about backing up both data and my system configs so i if and inevitably when i break my Arch again i dont have re isntall everything and reconfigure everything. Im currently running virutal machines so its not a major issue as i have been cloning my arch systems so i can play - break - and repair ect.
But eventually when im confident enough i will be installing Arch onto real hardware and would be nice to have some idea of baking up and saving config files.
Is it a case of saving individual config files and saving them on github or is there a way to save and back up all my system configs in one foul swoop?????
any wisdom on this matter much apprechiated!
 


I'm no expert on Timeshift but I have it installed on a couple of my desktops.

It's easy to set up just follow the prompts.
I don't have my configured for automatic backup.
I just manually run a backup whenever and save them to another drive.

I backup everything that's able to be backed up takes maybe 5 minutes depending on how much you got on the HDD/SSD.

I haven't had to use it yet since I installed it but give me time I will. :p

@Condobloke and @wizardfromoz seem to have the scoop on Timeshift so they'll probability stop by here and give ya better info.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hey guys i gotta Arch system up and runnning and was curious how u guys "back up". Ive heard people online talking about ho they save their config files on github . I also recently seen the wizard did a great post on timeshift which got me thinking about backing up both data and my system configs so i if and inevitably when i break my Arch again i dont have re isntall everything and reconfigure everything. Im currently running virutal machines so its not a major issue as i have been cloning my arch systems so i can play - break - and repair ect.
But eventually when im confident enough i will be installing Arch onto real hardware and would be nice to have some idea of baking up and saving config files.
Is it a case of saving individual config files and saving them on github or is there a way to save and back up all my system configs in one foul swoop?????
any wisdom on this matter much apprechiated!

TL;DR: Your .dotfiles would go in duplicity, not in timeshift. Timeshift is designed for system-wide state, not user-related content or configuration

I have been using timeshift and duplicity for a while, until the timeshift Fedora package was broken on a Fedora upgrade. Each one for their own purpose:
  • Use timeshift for creating snapshots of the whole machine except the user directories, that is, except /home and /root
  • Each user should use duplicity to an external drive for their own user directory.
    • You should not log in as root in systems that work with sudo, therefore no content should be at /root.
    • If that is not your case, the root account should also have a duplicity workflow.
As the timeshift developer explains in both the documentation and the wizard:

User Data is Excluded by Default​

Timeshift is designed to protect system files and settings. It is NOT a backup tool and is not meant to protect user data. Entire contents of users' home directories are excluded by default. This has two advantages:
  • You don't need to worry about your documents getting overwritten when you restore a previous snapshot to recover the system.
  • Your music and video collection in your home directory will not waste space on the backup device
The documentation gives some indications should you wish to proceed, but a very important note at the end of that section, that justifies why is that behaviour the default
Note: It is not recommended to include user data in backups as it will be overwritten when you restore the snapshot.
That's why one would use both timeshift and duplicity.
 
Last edited:
It certainly can't hurt to use both Timeshift and Duplicity hand in hand.

@old timer has it pretty down pat, but friend Gabriel @gvisoc , I have to disagree on the .dot files. You are using, if I am not mistaken, Fedora with BTRFS in place of EXT4.

Buddha are you using EXT4 with your Arch?

If so, you simply tweak the settings for Timeshift as follows shortly.

What I will do is copy Posts 1 - 4 to my Timeshift Thread here

Timeshift Thread current page

Note that that is at page 14, if you want to read from the beginning, just lost the page 14 part.

Why pick it up over there?

Because that Thread has 106,000 viewers and ranks highly in the search engines, so we can reach and help a wider audience there.

See you there ;)
 
Timeshift for back in time backups so you can restore your system to a working state if you or an update breaks your system. A file backup program for your personal files because timeshift isn't meant to backup and restore of personal files but to restore your system to a working state when it breaks.
 
You can get timeshift from the ARCH AUR , there are at least three versions there being maintained. I use this one :
https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/timeshift and so far no problems.

For backing up single or 1-3 files I just drag and drop; for directories I use rsync either from command line or via its gui grsync


For AUR I install manually, its not that complicated , let us know if you have tried that yet or intend to
 

Members online


Top