Saving and restoring Ubuntu settings for fresh Ubuntu installations
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I use Ubuntu 16.04 LTS whose GUI allows customization. These include
- Launcher Icon Size
- Behaviour of the launcher (hides, size of launcher, reveal sensitivity)
- System Language
- My dual display settings, their positioning
- My items docked on the launcher
Basically, all such settings I applied to the system via GUI for my ease.
I want some sort of a hack to back up such settings to a file and reapply them when I reinstall the OS.
backup settings system-settings
edited Feb 28 at 21:47
Volker Siegel
8,66043349
asked Feb 16 at 6:51
Dina
14711
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
I use Ubuntu 16.04 LTS whose GUI allows customization. These include
- Launcher Icon Size
- Behaviour of the launcher (hides, size of launcher, reveal sensitivity)
- System Language
- My dual display settings, their positioning
- My items docked on the launcher
Basically, all such settings I applied to the system via GUI for my ease.
I want some sort of a hack to back up such settings to a file and reapply them when I reinstall the OS.
backup settings system-settings
edited Feb 28 at 21:47
Volker Siegel
8,66043349
asked Feb 16 at 6:51
Dina
14711
1
Generic answer: each of these settings can be set through command line. 1 and 2 are done withgsettings, 3 is editing 2 text files, 4 and 5 are probably also text files. So put the commands to edit these files in a script and save that script. Execute when needed. AskUbuntu expects 1 question per topic and there are 5 here. 1+2 are likely already answered. 3 and 4 probably also will have an answer. 5 is probably about setting a .desktop file you can store somewhere so you can reapply; will also have a topic+answer on AU.
– Rinzwind
Feb 16 at 9:08
1
Icon size: askubuntu.com/questions/809914/… 2: probably askubuntu.com/a/132394/15811 but you will get the gist:gsettings set, you need thekey, and avalueto change a setting. Language: askubuntu.com/questions/133318/… (related: keyboard: askubuntu.com/questions/209597/… )
– Rinzwind
Feb 16 at 9:11
1
AFAIK they are all config files stored in~/.config/. So if you copy over your home directory, or at least that (hidden) folder, you should see most(all?) your settings restored.
– Robert Riedl
Feb 16 at 11:23
@Robert Riedl This is exactly what I wanted. Please post this as asnwer.
– Dina
Feb 18 at 4:10
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
I use Ubuntu 16.04 LTS whose GUI allows customization. These include
- Launcher Icon Size
- Behaviour of the launcher (hides, size of launcher, reveal sensitivity)
- System Language
- My dual display settings, their positioning
- My items docked on the launcher
Basically, all such settings I applied to the system via GUI for my ease.
I want some sort of a hack to back up such settings to a file and reapply them when I reinstall the OS.
backup settings system-settings
edited Feb 28 at 21:47
Volker Siegel
8,66043349
asked Feb 16 at 6:51
Dina
14711
I use Ubuntu 16.04 LTS whose GUI allows customization. These include
- Launcher Icon Size
- Behaviour of the launcher (hides, size of launcher, reveal sensitivity)
- System Language
- My dual display settings, their positioning
- My items docked on the launcher
Basically, all such settings I applied to the system via GUI for my ease.
I want some sort of a hack to back up such settings to a file and reapply them when I reinstall the OS.
backup settings system-settings
backup settings system-settings
edited Feb 28 at 21:47
Volker Siegel
8,66043349
asked Feb 16 at 6:51
Dina
14711
edited Feb 28 at 21:47
Volker Siegel
8,66043349
asked Feb 16 at 6:51
Dina
14711
edited Feb 28 at 21:47
Volker Siegel
8,66043349
edited Feb 28 at 21:47
Volker Siegel
8,66043349
edited Feb 28 at 21:47
Volker Siegel
8,66043349
8,66043349
asked Feb 16 at 6:51
Dina
14711
asked Feb 16 at 6:51
Dina
14711
asked Feb 16 at 6:51
Dina
14711
14711
1
Generic answer: each of these settings can be set through command line. 1 and 2 are done withgsettings, 3 is editing 2 text files, 4 and 5 are probably also text files. So put the commands to edit these files in a script and save that script. Execute when needed. AskUbuntu expects 1 question per topic and there are 5 here. 1+2 are likely already answered. 3 and 4 probably also will have an answer. 5 is probably about setting a .desktop file you can store somewhere so you can reapply; will also have a topic+answer on AU.
– Rinzwind
Feb 16 at 9:08
1
Icon size: askubuntu.com/questions/809914/… 2: probably askubuntu.com/a/132394/15811 but you will get the gist:gsettings set, you need thekey, and avalueto change a setting. Language: askubuntu.com/questions/133318/… (related: keyboard: askubuntu.com/questions/209597/… )
– Rinzwind
Feb 16 at 9:11
1
AFAIK they are all config files stored in~/.config/. So if you copy over your home directory, or at least that (hidden) folder, you should see most(all?) your settings restored.
– Robert Riedl
Feb 16 at 11:23
@Robert Riedl This is exactly what I wanted. Please post this as asnwer.
– Dina
Feb 18 at 4:10
add a comment |Â
1
Generic answer: each of these settings can be set through command line. 1 and 2 are done withgsettings, 3 is editing 2 text files, 4 and 5 are probably also text files. So put the commands to edit these files in a script and save that script. Execute when needed. AskUbuntu expects 1 question per topic and there are 5 here. 1+2 are likely already answered. 3 and 4 probably also will have an answer. 5 is probably about setting a .desktop file you can store somewhere so you can reapply; will also have a topic+answer on AU.
– Rinzwind
Feb 16 at 9:08
1
Icon size: askubuntu.com/questions/809914/… 2: probably askubuntu.com/a/132394/15811 but you will get the gist:gsettings set, you need thekey, and avalueto change a setting. Language: askubuntu.com/questions/133318/… (related: keyboard: askubuntu.com/questions/209597/… )
– Rinzwind
Feb 16 at 9:11
1
AFAIK they are all config files stored in~/.config/. So if you copy over your home directory, or at least that (hidden) folder, you should see most(all?) your settings restored.
– Robert Riedl
Feb 16 at 11:23
@Robert Riedl This is exactly what I wanted. Please post this as asnwer.
– Dina
Feb 18 at 4:10
1
1
Generic answer: each of these settings can be set through command line. 1 and 2 are done with
gsettings, 3 is editing 2 text files, 4 and 5 are probably also text files. So put the commands to edit these files in a script and save that script. Execute when needed. AskUbuntu expects 1 question per topic and there are 5 here. 1+2 are likely already answered. 3 and 4 probably also will have an answer. 5 is probably about setting a .desktop file you can store somewhere so you can reapply; will also have a topic+answer on AU.– Rinzwind
Feb 16 at 9:08
Generic answer: each of these settings can be set through command line. 1 and 2 are done with
gsettings, 3 is editing 2 text files, 4 and 5 are probably also text files. So put the commands to edit these files in a script and save that script. Execute when needed. AskUbuntu expects 1 question per topic and there are 5 here. 1+2 are likely already answered. 3 and 4 probably also will have an answer. 5 is probably about setting a .desktop file you can store somewhere so you can reapply; will also have a topic+answer on AU.– Rinzwind
Feb 16 at 9:08
1
1
Icon size: askubuntu.com/questions/809914/… 2: probably askubuntu.com/a/132394/15811 but you will get the gist:
gsettings set, you need the key, and a value to change a setting. Language: askubuntu.com/questions/133318/… (related: keyboard: askubuntu.com/questions/209597/… )– Rinzwind
Feb 16 at 9:11
Icon size: askubuntu.com/questions/809914/… 2: probably askubuntu.com/a/132394/15811 but you will get the gist:
gsettings set, you need the key, and a value to change a setting. Language: askubuntu.com/questions/133318/… (related: keyboard: askubuntu.com/questions/209597/… )– Rinzwind
Feb 16 at 9:11
1
1
AFAIK they are all config files stored in
~/.config/. So if you copy over your home directory, or at least that (hidden) folder, you should see most(all?) your settings restored.– Robert Riedl
Feb 16 at 11:23
AFAIK they are all config files stored in
~/.config/. So if you copy over your home directory, or at least that (hidden) folder, you should see most(all?) your settings restored.– Robert Riedl
Feb 16 at 11:23
@Robert Riedl This is exactly what I wanted. Please post this as asnwer.
– Dina
Feb 18 at 4:10
@Robert Riedl This is exactly what I wanted. Please post this as asnwer.
– Dina
Feb 18 at 4:10
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
accepted
They are all stored as config files in ~/.config/ or ~/.<software-name>
So if you copy over your home directory, or at least that (hidden) folder, you should see most(all?) your settings restored
answered Feb 18 at 8:16
Robert Riedl
2,740623
No, not all settings are restored. A lot may be missing.~/.config/contains data from "modern, well behaved" programs. Examples of programs storing their configuration elsewhere: vim, Skype, mpd, ssh, and many more. Look for directories like~/.vimetc.
– Volker Siegel
Feb 28 at 21:52
@VolkerSiegel, thats why I said to copy the whole home directory
– Robert Riedl
Feb 28 at 21:56
Oh, sorry - seems like I only read the first and last line. Copying the home directory completely would work, right. Or just all hidden directories and hidden files.
– Volker Siegel
Feb 28 at 22:06
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
tar is your friend.
I recently updated from mint 17.3 to 18.2 and I wanted it to be as smooth as a transition as possible and it was thanks to tar.
- Create a backup of your home directory
tar -cvf home_backup.tar ~/*~/*is all the files in your home directory
- Put the tarball on a separate drive or machine
- Extract the tarball right ontop of your home directory (in new machine)
cd ~tar -xf home_backup.tar
answered Mar 1 at 0:37
market_zero
865
Yep! Its pretty amaizing right? All settings inside that! power of linux!
– Dina
Mar 8 at 7:38
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
accepted
They are all stored as config files in ~/.config/ or ~/.<software-name>
So if you copy over your home directory, or at least that (hidden) folder, you should see most(all?) your settings restored
answered Feb 18 at 8:16
Robert Riedl
2,740623
No, not all settings are restored. A lot may be missing.~/.config/contains data from "modern, well behaved" programs. Examples of programs storing their configuration elsewhere: vim, Skype, mpd, ssh, and many more. Look for directories like~/.vimetc.
– Volker Siegel
Feb 28 at 21:52
@VolkerSiegel, thats why I said to copy the whole home directory
– Robert Riedl
Feb 28 at 21:56
Oh, sorry - seems like I only read the first and last line. Copying the home directory completely would work, right. Or just all hidden directories and hidden files.
– Volker Siegel
Feb 28 at 22:06
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
accepted
They are all stored as config files in ~/.config/ or ~/.<software-name>
So if you copy over your home directory, or at least that (hidden) folder, you should see most(all?) your settings restored
answered Feb 18 at 8:16
Robert Riedl
2,740623
No, not all settings are restored. A lot may be missing.~/.config/contains data from "modern, well behaved" programs. Examples of programs storing their configuration elsewhere: vim, Skype, mpd, ssh, and many more. Look for directories like~/.vimetc.
– Volker Siegel
Feb 28 at 21:52
@VolkerSiegel, thats why I said to copy the whole home directory
– Robert Riedl
Feb 28 at 21:56
Oh, sorry - seems like I only read the first and last line. Copying the home directory completely would work, right. Or just all hidden directories and hidden files.
– Volker Siegel
Feb 28 at 22:06
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
accepted
up vote
3
down vote
accepted
They are all stored as config files in ~/.config/ or ~/.<software-name>
So if you copy over your home directory, or at least that (hidden) folder, you should see most(all?) your settings restored
answered Feb 18 at 8:16
Robert Riedl
2,740623
They are all stored as config files in ~/.config/ or ~/.<software-name>
So if you copy over your home directory, or at least that (hidden) folder, you should see most(all?) your settings restored
answered Feb 18 at 8:16
Robert Riedl
2,740623
edited Mar 2 at 13:57
answered Feb 18 at 8:16
Robert Riedl
2,740623
answered Feb 18 at 8:16
Robert Riedl
2,740623
answered Feb 18 at 8:16
Robert Riedl
2,740623
2,740623
No, not all settings are restored. A lot may be missing.~/.config/contains data from "modern, well behaved" programs. Examples of programs storing their configuration elsewhere: vim, Skype, mpd, ssh, and many more. Look for directories like~/.vimetc.
– Volker Siegel
Feb 28 at 21:52
@VolkerSiegel, thats why I said to copy the whole home directory
– Robert Riedl
Feb 28 at 21:56
Oh, sorry - seems like I only read the first and last line. Copying the home directory completely would work, right. Or just all hidden directories and hidden files.
– Volker Siegel
Feb 28 at 22:06
add a comment |Â
No, not all settings are restored. A lot may be missing.~/.config/contains data from "modern, well behaved" programs. Examples of programs storing their configuration elsewhere: vim, Skype, mpd, ssh, and many more. Look for directories like~/.vimetc.
– Volker Siegel
Feb 28 at 21:52
@VolkerSiegel, thats why I said to copy the whole home directory
– Robert Riedl
Feb 28 at 21:56
Oh, sorry - seems like I only read the first and last line. Copying the home directory completely would work, right. Or just all hidden directories and hidden files.
– Volker Siegel
Feb 28 at 22:06
No, not all settings are restored. A lot may be missing.
~/.config/ contains data from "modern, well behaved" programs. Examples of programs storing their configuration elsewhere: vim, Skype, mpd, ssh, and many more. Look for directories like ~/.vim etc.– Volker Siegel
Feb 28 at 21:52
No, not all settings are restored. A lot may be missing.
~/.config/ contains data from "modern, well behaved" programs. Examples of programs storing their configuration elsewhere: vim, Skype, mpd, ssh, and many more. Look for directories like ~/.vim etc.– Volker Siegel
Feb 28 at 21:52
@VolkerSiegel, thats why I said to copy the whole home directory
– Robert Riedl
Feb 28 at 21:56
@VolkerSiegel, thats why I said to copy the whole home directory
– Robert Riedl
Feb 28 at 21:56
Oh, sorry - seems like I only read the first and last line. Copying the home directory completely would work, right. Or just all hidden directories and hidden files.
– Volker Siegel
Feb 28 at 22:06
Oh, sorry - seems like I only read the first and last line. Copying the home directory completely would work, right. Or just all hidden directories and hidden files.
– Volker Siegel
Feb 28 at 22:06
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
tar is your friend.
I recently updated from mint 17.3 to 18.2 and I wanted it to be as smooth as a transition as possible and it was thanks to tar.
- Create a backup of your home directory
tar -cvf home_backup.tar ~/*~/*is all the files in your home directory
- Put the tarball on a separate drive or machine
- Extract the tarball right ontop of your home directory (in new machine)
cd ~tar -xf home_backup.tar
answered Mar 1 at 0:37
market_zero
865
Yep! Its pretty amaizing right? All settings inside that! power of linux!
– Dina
Mar 8 at 7:38
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
tar is your friend.
I recently updated from mint 17.3 to 18.2 and I wanted it to be as smooth as a transition as possible and it was thanks to tar.
- Create a backup of your home directory
tar -cvf home_backup.tar ~/*~/*is all the files in your home directory
- Put the tarball on a separate drive or machine
- Extract the tarball right ontop of your home directory (in new machine)
cd ~tar -xf home_backup.tar
answered Mar 1 at 0:37
market_zero
865
Yep! Its pretty amaizing right? All settings inside that! power of linux!
– Dina
Mar 8 at 7:38
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
up vote
2
down vote
tar is your friend.
I recently updated from mint 17.3 to 18.2 and I wanted it to be as smooth as a transition as possible and it was thanks to tar.
- Create a backup of your home directory
tar -cvf home_backup.tar ~/*~/*is all the files in your home directory
- Put the tarball on a separate drive or machine
- Extract the tarball right ontop of your home directory (in new machine)
cd ~tar -xf home_backup.tar
answered Mar 1 at 0:37
market_zero
865
tar is your friend.
I recently updated from mint 17.3 to 18.2 and I wanted it to be as smooth as a transition as possible and it was thanks to tar.
- Create a backup of your home directory
tar -cvf home_backup.tar ~/*~/*is all the files in your home directory
- Put the tarball on a separate drive or machine
- Extract the tarball right ontop of your home directory (in new machine)
cd ~tar -xf home_backup.tar
answered Mar 1 at 0:37
market_zero
865
answered Mar 1 at 0:37
market_zero
865
answered Mar 1 at 0:37
market_zero
865
answered Mar 1 at 0:37
market_zero
865
865
Yep! Its pretty amaizing right? All settings inside that! power of linux!
– Dina
Mar 8 at 7:38
add a comment |Â
Yep! Its pretty amaizing right? All settings inside that! power of linux!
– Dina
Mar 8 at 7:38
Yep! Its pretty amaizing right? All settings inside that! power of linux!
– Dina
Mar 8 at 7:38
Yep! Its pretty amaizing right? All settings inside that! power of linux!
– Dina
Mar 8 at 7:38
add a comment |Â
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1
Generic answer: each of these settings can be set through command line. 1 and 2 are done with
gsettings, 3 is editing 2 text files, 4 and 5 are probably also text files. So put the commands to edit these files in a script and save that script. Execute when needed. AskUbuntu expects 1 question per topic and there are 5 here. 1+2 are likely already answered. 3 and 4 probably also will have an answer. 5 is probably about setting a .desktop file you can store somewhere so you can reapply; will also have a topic+answer on AU.– Rinzwind
Feb 16 at 9:08
1
Icon size: askubuntu.com/questions/809914/… 2: probably askubuntu.com/a/132394/15811 but you will get the gist:
gsettings set, you need thekey, and avalueto change a setting. Language: askubuntu.com/questions/133318/… (related: keyboard: askubuntu.com/questions/209597/… )– Rinzwind
Feb 16 at 9:11
1
AFAIK they are all config files stored in
~/.config/. So if you copy over your home directory, or at least that (hidden) folder, you should see most(all?) your settings restored.– Robert Riedl
Feb 16 at 11:23
@Robert Riedl This is exactly what I wanted. Please post this as asnwer.
– Dina
Feb 18 at 4:10