Best Home directory Backup Tool for Linux Mint (& Ubuntu derivatives)

Last week, during a reinstall of Linux Mint 17, I decided to backup the Home directory & software selection & tried to do so with what appeared to the the simple one that Mint offers. 

However, after about 15 minutes, it got hung on an ESET NOD32 file (yes, there's NOD32 for Linux) & wouldn't proceed. So I had to reinstall from scratch, as this involved moving the install from an HDD to a SSD. The install didn't take long, but it could have been shorter, had I been able to backup the home directory contents & software selection. Actually the software selection was a bonus that I didn't expect & may not find in another solution. 

So if anyone knows, what's the best Linux tool to backup the contents of the Linux Mint Home directory? I know that backup software for Windows won't get it, free or paid. Any of those tools would have required a GRUB repair if the install had been cloned. That's what I would have done, but the Home folder on the HDD was huge from running virtual machines. Now the entire install is somewhere around 30GiB total & running fast as greased lightening. 

Now I need a tool to backup the Home directory for just in case. I realize that if I'm going to be running Linux, that I cannot continue to depend on imaging with Windows tools. For a disk image that's on the same drive, it'll work, but I'm speaking of how to backup the Home contents in a reliable manner, not the partition itself. 

Any advise would be highly appreciated. 

Cat

 

Aptik (Automated Package Backup and Restore) is a GUI application that lets you backup your favourite PPAs and Packages. It is very difficult to remember to which packages are installed and from where it has been installed them. We can take backup and restore of all the PPAs before re-installation or up-gradation of OS.

 

Déjà Dup is a simple backup tool. It hides the complexity of backing up the Right Way (encrypted, off-site, and regular) and uses duplicity as the backend.

Features:
 • Support for local, remote, or cloud backup locations, such as Amazon S3 and Rackspace Cloud Files
 • Securely encrypts and compresses your data
 • Incrementally backs up, letting you restore from any particular backup
 • Schedules regular backups
 • Integrates well into your GNOME desktop

OK Nick, thanks for this!

I need a good Linux backup tool, will point pcpunk to the Topic also. 

Cat

I actually use Aptik. When backing up Aplication settings hit select all then backup.

Don't worry cat I am following, I need this badly.

So do I, pcpunk!

Disk & partition images are handy & this isn't a replacement for these, but rather a solution to backup my personal data on Linux. There's several choices with Windows, including a built in option on Windows 7 & above, plus my paid backup solutions. But they do me no good with Linux. 

As I've stated, if I & other Windows converts going to be running Linux, then we need to be using Linux backup solutions. In the morning, am going to reinstall ESET NOD32 for Linux on the Mint 17 install that my wife primarily uses (though I'm the administrator, she's a user with limited rights for the safety of the computer), and will then backup the install. 

Have been doing some of the things needed to speed it up in the pages that Nick provided us with 3-4 months back. Many of these speed-up tips & others to add features are very useful. Though I've found that the xfburn option isn't really needed, it's primary target is towards Xfce users. Am keeping this install small, as it's on a 120GiB SSD booting beside of Windows 8.1. 

The only regret I have in regards to the install, is using GParted to create the partitions, they're all Primaries. I wanted to add a blank 1024MiB NTFS partition at the end, so that I could set over provisioning with Samsung's tool, but I guess that the free space serves as the same purpose, regardless if Samsung created it or it's empty. My only concern is if it can be used by the controller with 4 primaries. I was going to try & delete Swap & re-create it as Logical, but with my luck, it won't boot. 

I need to get away from using GParted to install with. Am going to be doing my MSI the same way in a month or two, as soon as I can RMA this 250GiB Samsung EVO & get another unit. Something's wrong with it & I don't believe firmware will fix it, as other who has the same size SSD are reporting similar issues. Will be installing either Kubuntu 14.04 or Linux MInt 17 KDE on it, both are KDE versions & if one likes eye candy, KDE is the way to go. Didn't think I'd like it at first, bit it's becoming interesting. Will have to try both Mint & Kubuntu & make up my mind. 

In any case, I need a backup tool & this looks promising. 

pcpunk, hope it works out well for you as well. 

Let us know if you have any troubles, it's what we're here for, is our members. This is a team effort here. 

Cat

Simplest is to use the dd command, as illustrated in this link!  Put it on a USB device, as in of=/dev/sdb1.

lophophora1,   to BC Fourms!

Yes, that command has been around for some time & in experienced hands is great. We have to deal with many that's less experienced, and note this was clearly in bold on the page you linked. 

 

 

Warning: While using dd command, if you are not careful, and if you don’t know what you are doing, you will lose your data!

Many of the Linux users hare are Windows converts & some are still using the OS to some degree. I still do myself & will be participating in the Windows 9 Preview. Though I haven't made a transaction on Windows for over 2 years, maybe getting close to three by now. Have been a Linux Mint user for over 5 years & is the OS I use the most, my wife, 100% of the time. 

During Preview testing, my Linux usage drops, then jumps back up once the smoke clears. This time may be different because I'm using Linux a lot more than in 2012 when the Windows 8 Previews were going on. It's actually doubled since I joined this forum back in March. I was a 50/50 user of both brands, now it's like 90/10 in favor of Linux Mint. 

Problem is, the default Mint backup, while may be fantastic for a select few, the majority feels otherwise. And Windows solutions aren't the answer for Linux Home directory backups, free or paid. 

I want to see our members move forward, but carefully. Highly skilled, more confident Linux users may wish to take that approach. But for the most part, the skill set on this forum, we're growing. Many are XP converts looking to get away from Windows & cannot afford a new computer. Some are ticked off Windows users concerned about privacy (me). 

As a BC Advisor, I cannot instruct these newcomers to use such powerful commands. The result could end up being like secure erasing a SSD, all data gone forever. 

I do appreciate your input & hope that you will stick around, experienced Linux users are needed here. 

All the Best,

Cat

 

Warning: While using dd command, if you are not careful, and if you don’t know what you are doing, you will lose your data!

And this is why I did not mention it.

Most of the people who use this forum are novices.

Thank you for the welcome, cat1092.

For myself, FUBARing the OS was a right of passage in GNU/Linux.  It taught me to be very careful with the command line and rewarded me with what makes the OS so appealing to many -- its power to perform tasks beyond the capabilities of most other Operating Systems.  It also showed me the ease with which the OS of my choice may be reinstalled when compared to the dominant OS with its paranoid proprietariness and EULA.  It pointed out the value of making backups using either the dd command or the likes of Clonezilla, as well.

So, I must ask -- is it desirable to protect novices from making mistakes to the point where they are unlikely to advance expeditiously along the learning curve GNU/Linux imposes on its users, especially given the fact that most of us who use this OS have a propensity to learn the hard way?  If so, it would seem to make unsavory demands on the time and patience of volunteer Moderators, too.

Label me curious.

Edited by lophophora1, 24 September 2014 - 01:42 AM.

Well, actually Nick who participated in this Topic above was teaching most everyone Puppy who were interested, one of the harder versions of Linux to master. The reasoning was that if one could run Puppy, then the rest would be easy. It actually worked out for a couple, the rest dropped out fast. I don't even care about Puppy, for starters, though I use FatDog64 versions to quickly test some computers, it's an unattractive OS, way too much work to learn the ins & outs of & I'm satisfied with Linux Mint. 

Though I'm in the process of working on learning the KDE version, am not sure if I'll stick with Kubuntu 14.04 or Mint 17 KDE. 

No, I don't feel that most users should be over-protected, but there's a few that has to be. If you stick around, you'll learn fast the ones who needs more protection than others. I tend to work with a couple of these members because they're my friends, they're never going to have the skillset to risk it all, while there's others who are expressing a desire to learn more & have actually "cut the cord" so to speak. 

So, my opinion is that if they want to learn form you, that's fine. But I'm not going to force anything, that's the difference between this forum & the dedicated Linux forums, many of the members there has no patience, expects everyone to learn in a few days to a couple of weeks & won't work with others who are still running Windows while learning Linux. We want tolerance here, that's the way it is in many aspects of daily life, this isn't the 1950's or 60's, we all have to be tolerant of others, respect one another, regardless of background, you sound to be an intelligent individual & I believe you're getting where I'm coming from. We don't tolerate the arrogance here that some dedicated Linux forums openly displays. No OS bashing, 

If you want to teach Linux here, that's fine, jump in the Topics, offer solutions and get a feel for the membership. You will then see firsthand how members respond to you. We certainly need the knowledge here, so far Nick has been the primary leader. 

Just be chance, I learned by the School for Hard Knocks myself. Back in 2009, there was nowhere near the information available online to learn the OS, and in the forums I participated in, I got many cold shoulders because I was dual booting with XP. That, I don't want to see here, the Linux founders created the OS based on freedom. That freedom includes running the OS of their choice. 

You may be received well here by some, as there are a few whom has ditched Windows. The only thing you can do is get involved & see what happens. 

I, for one, would love to see the Linux section of this forum flourish, and see us be one of the "go to" forums for support. We are a huge site that attracts a lot of traffic, but we do need more Linux traffic & by that I mean quality traffic. 

Maybe you can pickup where this member whom I thought was promising left off. 

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/539766/community-standards-properly-giving-receiving-gnulinux-support/

As far as I'm concerned, you're welcome here. Hopefully you can connect with the members who are interested in LInux & maybe bring some traffic along. Experience is needed, 

All the Best,

Cat

Edited by cat1092, 24 September 2014 - 03:01 AM.

Yep - ditto re above, and welcome Iophophora1.

 

No, I don't feel that most users should be over-protected, but there's a few that has to be. If you stick around, you'll learn fast the ones who needs more protection than others. I tend to work with a couple of these members because they're my friends, they're never going to have the skillset to risk it all, while there's others who are expressing a desire to learn more & have actually "cut the cord" so to speak.

I cut the cord, nuking Windows 7 a little over two months ago, relying totally on Trusty Tahr for now. And a number of us know (at least one person) whom cat means re protection.

I broke my main install of Trusty yesterday, but had next to no downtime. I simply rebooted and chose a grub option for another install of Trusty I had. Backups AND contingency plans are my meat and potatoes now.

Feel free to check some of the other Topics people like cat1092, NickAu1, Al1000, Agent_Orange and I are involved with, and make a contribution. You may well receive as much as you give.

Cheers

Wizard

So, I must ask -- is it desirable to protect novices from making mistakes to the point where they are unlikely to advance expeditiously along the learning curve GNU/Linux imposes on its users, especially given the fact that most of us who use this OS have a propensity to learn the hard way?  If so, it would seem to make unsavory demands on the time and patience of volunteer Moderators, too.

Yes. Linux is a mysterious animal to most novices and trashing a system like that is a sure way of confirming the " Linux is not for me" mentality, I for 1 say make it as easy as you can on them till they have a bit of confidence.
As Blade once said to me,  Primum non nocere
 
I would hate to give an instruction to a member and then have them come back and say " I followed your instructions I do not know what happened but all my stuff is gone, some of it can't be replaced" or something along those lines.
 
When giving instructions when ever I can I first test those instructions on my PC in a VM and sometimes even provide screen shots.
 
EG. Trying to explain to a member how to install hplip



.

lophophora1

Welcome to BC hope you stick around feel free to jump in and help anytime.

Edited by NickAu1, 24 September 2014 - 03:41 AM.

O geez, I feel so stupid now Nick, lol, did ya have to make me the example lol.  Again, it was not initiating the install, it was the questions that were presented along the way.  Not to mention pre-installation prep, as I believe, for some systems-you would have to remove the existing driver prior to installing the new driver, perhaps not but at this time that is what I believe, oh geez I feel so alone lol.  I just want to have some fun with my pc, and be a little functional.  Okay back to your thread.

 

O geez, I feel so stupid now Nick, lol, did ya have to make me the example lol.

You are NOT stupid, Infact I find you to be the opposite, Your only problem is that you do not know Linux ( Noob ), That is not your fault, And in no way diminishes your inteligence.