Re-installing FC5

[Tod Merley]

On 9/3/06, Guillermo Garron <guillermo.fedora at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I upgraded my FC4 to FC5 as soon as FC5 was released, as some of you
> may know i de-installed Gnome by mistake, now it is installed again,
> but i see some problems on it, also some another problems.
>
> I would like to reinstall a complete new instalation, but i do not
> want to loose my work.
>
> I think i will have to keep my home and the etc directories.
> any other i need to keep?
>
> the most important things for me are my thunderbird emails, only
> backing up my home directory with the .thunderbird directory off
> course is all i need?
>
> thanks in advance for your comments,
>
> ah! another question, when FC6 is going to be released? maybe I should
> wait till then to make a clean instalation of FC6?
>
> thanks.
>
>
> --
> Guillermo Garron
> (Using FC5, CentOS4.4 and Ubuntu 6.06)
>
> --
> fedora-list mailing list
> fedora-list at redhat.com
> To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list
>

Hi Guillermo Garron!

I like fresh installs for several reasons:

1. They tend to be "about as stable as it gets" about one month after
the release.  Do the install, do the updates, do the updates when
things look kind of quiet and backup just in case.

2. I just listened to part of a symposium on computer security.  It
really is possible and occurs more often than we know (people who get
hit tend not to talk) that computers are made into "bot" networks.  To
completely "flush" a computer of it's operating system and all other
areas and leave only the "data that I really need now" makes us a lot
more of a "moving target" for those who would try to take our
computers as theirs!  I like that idea!!

3. It really is good to sort out what you use now and leave the rest
on a CD somewhere.

My normal process for fresh install is:

1. Grab the flash drive (if the computer has not a CD burner) and move
the "data - usable) contents of my home and Desktop directories.  I
tend to fill a CD so I may well include /etc (or part of it at least),
by boot directory (grub backup - grub config files often useful).

2. Make a list of the recent software you installed and copy the tars
if you have them to the "backup - history" CD.  I will probably grab
the latest packages and some I will not install on the "new" box but
it kind of keeps me organized.

3. Do the install, install the software packages added (that I will
really need now) and take from the CD any files / projects I am
working on now.  Your old home directory will (copied on the CD) will
contain your browser bookmark files, and your GIMP scripts, etc...  If
you really want them, use them.  Use only things you are using now
from the CD - remember - what is on it will not change and is there if
you need it.

4. Enjoy!


Tod