[Discuss] Backing up the entire software installation

[richard.pieri at gmail.com (Rich Pieri)]

On Wed, 24 Oct 2018 20:53:01 -0400
Nancy Allison <nancythewriter7 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Is it possible to create a copy of everything, my Fedora 28 operating
> system, all the programs, all the nifty Firefox plug-ins, all my
> Favorites
> -- everything? So if this hard drive died and I needed to get a new
> laptop, I could copy over the entire contents of this computer
> without having to recreate it?

These are two different but related things: the OS and your home
directory (what some operating sytems call a profile).

> If so, how would I do that?

The OS? You can but restoring to different hardware can be difficult. I
know exactly how to do it and I still prefer fresh installs. I would
say don't bother.

For your home directory simply copy /home/nancythewriter7 somewhere.
cp, rsync, tar, cpio, take your pick. There are lots of ways to back up
home directories.

> If I can't do that, how can I at least generate some kind of list of
> everything I have installed so I don't have to rack my brains trying
> to remember everything I had on this box?

Keep notes of everything you do. Really. Good notes will have all the
information you need to build a new system like the old one or close
enough. Fresh install, follow your notes, restore your home directory,
done.

-- 
Rich Pieri <Richard.Pieri at gmail.com>