Debian/Backups

< pingfloyd> normally, I wouldn't worry about backing up executables
< pingfloyd> easier to just reinstall if disaster strikes

< pingfloyd> ryouma: what about "reinstall" directive?
< pingfloyd> e.g., aptitude reinstall ...
< mutante> what can be nice to have a backup of is
the list of installed packages, just that tiny file you would get from
dpkg --get-selections. then you can restore it even easier

< somiaj> !aptitude clone
< dpkg> To clone a Debian machine using aptitude
(or install your favourite packages) use
aptitude search --disable-columns -F%p '~i!~M!~v' > package_list;
on the reference machine;
xargs aptitude --schedule-only install < package_list; aptitude install;
on the other machine.
This preserves information about "automatically installed" packages that other methods do not. 

 See also <reinstall>, <things to backup>, <debian clone>, <apt-clone>.

< somiaj> mutante: I like that over --get-selections because it saves autoinstall info

< missmbob> i like <debian clone> since not all machines have aptitude

< pingfloyd> the problem with --set-selections is it marks it all as manually installed

< pingfloyd> mutante: here's another alternative:

apt-mark showmanual > pkg_list; then on target; xargs apt-get install < pkg_list