2

Windows enables "restore points" to enable users to restore their systems to an earlier time, thus guarding against malware or user mistakes. Could this be achieved and implemented in Ubuntu? How?

rob grune
  • 1,068

2 Answers2

2

The closest thing to a Windows-like restore point is by using Timeshift. I use it to save snapshots to an external USB hard drive. Although it can, it's normally not used for backing up your /home directory, just system-level changes. Use Backups (Déjà Dup) for backing up /home files.

Timeshift is a system restore utility which takes snapshots
of the system at regular intervals. These snapshots can be restored
at a later date to undo system changes. Creates incremental snapshots
using rsync or BTRFS snapshots using BTRFS tools.

More information at https://github.com/teejee2008/timeshift

Add the PPA and install with:

sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:teejee2008/ppa

sudo apt update

sudo apt install timeshift

Update #1:

Timeshift can now be found in the Ubuntu 19.x repos.

heynnema
  • 70,711
  • Thanks for your suggestion. But timeshift is not the solution I am seeking. Timeshift works AFTER successful logon, which is rather useless when the system is broken and no logon is possible. I seek a means to restore BEFORE logon: ie at the grub level, where I can find the restored o/s at the boot options menu or prior to this menu. [and, btw, timeshift can be found in the ubuntu repositories using synaptic]. – rob grune Apr 25 '19 at 03:35
  • @robgrune I don't believe that you'll find what your looking for then. If you can't log in, that's exactly when you want to rely on Timeshift's last good back to restore... not some backup that was made during an OS corruption failure. Timeshift is now in the repos? That's good news. – heynnema Apr 25 '19 at 14:02
  • @robgrune status please – heynnema Apr 29 '19 at 03:43
  • update. Using Synaptic, Timeshift can be found in the repos for Ubuntu 19. T/S does not appear in the Ubuntu 18 repos. IF I can get T/S to work for me, I shall post. Adding a restore point to the grub menu seems possible, and I shall post the solution when proven. - regards, – rob grune Apr 30 '19 at 02:24
  • @robgrune status please. grsync doesn't do what you want, does it? – heynnema May 04 '19 at 13:04
  • https://askubuntu.com/questions/769329/is-there-a-way-to-restore-a-linux-system-to-a-previous-state-using-btrfs-as-in?rq=1 – rob grune May 05 '19 at 05:21
  • After many months of trials, I think the simplest means to restore a system is a 2-stage process.

    Stage 1: restore if the machine will not boot. Use "boot-repair".

     – rob grune Oct 04 '19 at 06:45
0

After many months of trials, I think the simplest means to restore a system is a 2-stage process.

Stage 1: restore boot when the machine will not boot. Use "boot-repair". https://linuxhint.com/ubuntu_boot_repair_tutorial/ The best approach is to install "boot-repair" into the bootable startup USB drive, created from the ubuntu iso file. [This requires knowledge of "terminal", how to add a repository and install files.] Boot from the USB drive and follow the instructions per the link/menus.

2/ Stage 2: restore files after successful boot. Use "Timeshift". Of course, Timeshift must have been installed prior, and snapshot been taken. [Note: Timeshift requires the hard disk be formatted to "btrfs". It will not work on ext4 drives.]*

I hope this may be of help to users.

*EDIT: Per the comments below, I stand corrected. The "note:" above should read: I could not cause Timeshift to work on my ext4 drives, so I reformatted my drives to btrfs.

rob grune
  • 1,068
  • 2
    Timeshift does NOT require a btrfs to work. I'm using it on an external ext4 partition now. – heynnema Oct 04 '19 at 13:20
  • Downvoted because of factual error - the claim that btrfs is required to run Timeshift. I have it running on 2 pc's, neither uses btrfs. – Organic Marble Oct 04 '19 at 14:05