Q4OS Forum

racekracek

Member

Registered: 2017-03-09

Posts: 3

Reinstalling Q4OS without formatting partitions

Hello,

I had used your great OS for a long time and it served me very well as my primary desktop and in my computer classroom with XPQ4 addition. When I am installing any Linux, I had always created very simple filesystem way, first partition with ext4 FS and second as a swap, so my /home partition is in the first partition. When I installed Debian, Arch, Opensuse or Slackware, there is option to do not touch existing fs, so I removed every directories and files from live usb and leave only my /home.

Q4OS has not this possibility, in the standard installation I always must format first partition. I had tried stable and development version with the same result. Is here some possibility to help me with this? I know, that is best to create a separate home partition, but for me this simple solution is ideal for many years.

Ludek Stastny
Czech republic

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 4,256

Website

Re: Reinstalling Q4OS without formatting partitions

Is here some possibility to help me with this?

Yes, you only need to use Q4OS 'Install CD' instead of 'Live' media. Boot the install CD and proceed manual partitioning, there is an option to keep existing data on the target disk, however we don't recommend to do that.

racekracek

Member

Registered: 2017-03-09

Posts: 3

Re: Reinstalling Q4OS without formatting partitions

Many thanks for your quick answer, Install CD has the same installer as pure Debian, so I am able to proceed. I know, that my solution is not the best, but for my home computers it works very well. Q4OS is great for old computers including my favorite Panasonic Toughbook, I used it on my Raspberry PI 1 B plus too, soon I am preparing a review for Czech linux portal, so I hope that more people will hear about this perfect OS.

bin

Member

From: U.K.

Registered: 2016-01-28

Posts: 1,300

Re: Reinstalling Q4OS without formatting partitions

Is here some possibility to help me with this?

Yes, you only need to use Q4OS 'Install CD' instead of 'Live' media. Boot the install CD and proceed manual partitioning, there is an option to keep existing data on the target disk, however we don't recommend to do that.

Why? I've been doing just this for more years than I care to remember.
There can be issues if you (re)-install using the same username as not all the skel files get copied in correctly.

2 solutions.
1. When booting from live CD, mount the partition - say sda6 - and the do sudo mv usernamefolder to usernamefolder.old or whatever.
Then, once all the setup is done you just need to get your data into the new user. Now, the trick here is to look at the new user folder layout and delete the (empty) Documents, Pictures,Downloads etc folders. That way you can move the identical folders from old to new almost instantly. If you use Copy it can take forever.

2. Proceed as above but call the old user folder Data or Files or something like that. The create symlinks in the new user to the stuff in the permanent storage area. This works for everything including .mozilla and other application config files. etc. I let the appearance config files sort themselves out in the new user folder. Beware of stuff hat gets installed in .local.

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 4,256

Website

Re: Reinstalling Q4OS without formatting partitions

@bin
Yes, both described solutions are correct. The only note, we strongly recommend to rename users home folders first, then perform OS installation and first run, and finally move backup-ed folders to the fresh home folder. Keep in mind, rewriting initial config files in .trinity, .config, .local and a few other directories will change the basic TDE configuration. We can recommend to use Dai_trying's backup utility for that http://www.q4os.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1027

racekracek

Member

Registered: 2017-03-09

Posts: 3

Re: Reinstalling Q4OS without formatting partitions

I agree with both recommendations, I have used Install and Live CD together, first I will rename the user home folder, then delete all directory structure except /home and after clean installation I simply move my Documents, Pictures, etc. folders. There is not need to do anything else, because in Q4OS I always used XPQ4 with simple Windows XP theme and I do not need any special desktop configurations.

However I thank you for very interesting application Dai_trying's backup utility, it can be useful for other users, I will try it and I can recommend it for any interesting person with this needs.

Q4OS is very simple and useful solution not only for my personal needs, I am very glad to your perfect work.