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Sorry if this question is too open-ended.

I would like to know what I would lose from my system if I decided to do a clean re-install of Ubuntu. I have a separate Home partition so after restoring that what we have been removed?

All applications I have installed? Firefox add-ons? I had to make a change to /etc/rc.local to fix Wifi, will that need doing again?

Thanks for any help, sorry if the answer is a massive list of potential things, I just don't know that's why I'm asking! Perhaps it would make more sense to ask, "What is saved in my home partition?"

coversnail
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2 Answers2

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You will lose everything that was not on your home partition :-)

You already mentioned or need to think of:

  • changes to /etc/rc.local and /etc/ in general
  • changes to the software sources you used (/etc/apt)
  • all software you have installed (you can save a list of the installed software via the software-center and reinstall later, but you have to think of it...)
  • software installed outside the debian system (by typing make; make install, easy_install, cpan, ctan, ...), those often live in /opt/...
  • probably a lot I can't think of at the moment...

You will not lose most of the configuration, as this is often saved under ~/.conf.

For answers on how to backup all your system components you can have a look at this question: How to backup settings and list of installed packages and Easy backup/restore of installed system?

Community
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xubuntix
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If you have a separate /home partition then you will lose nothing, on a fresh install of Ubuntu on the / partition (making sure you dont format /home during install) all of your current files and even preferences and bookmarks will remain in tact...

TenPlus1
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