How can I transfer my Opensuse installation to another computer?

**fernando_a_martin** · 13-Feb-2011, 18:27

Hi. I want to do an apparently simple task but since I migrated to Opensuse I found no way to do it. I have an enhanced install of Opensuse 11.3, where I added softwares from different sources according to my needs. Now that it's working fine I would like to make the same kind of install for two friends of mine and for a virtual machine on Virtualbox. In Ubuntu I used remastersys and in few minutes it created a live DVD with all the content of my system, and all of this offline, without donwloading anything else. In Opensuse the only resources that most resemble that are Kiwi and Suse Studio. But it seems that in both the softwares must be downloaded from repositories online. That would not work for me because it would take a very long time to find out all the packages I installed, from what repositories and my internet connection is very slow so I could not do it all at once.
I tried Clonezilla but I was not able to restore the content of my Opensuse partition to a different machine. It gave me error messages, didn't make the restore and I didn't find a solution anywhere online.
How can I transfer the content of my Opensuse installation to another computer without having to use online resources?

**gropiuskalle** · 13-Feb-2011, 20:35

I tried Clonezilla but I was not able to restore the content of my Opensuse partition to a different machine. It gave me error messages, didn't make the restore and I didn't find a solution anywhere online.

Clonezilla indeed comes to my mind when trying to find a solution for your task (okay, I am a CZ-fanboy...), and actually it should work after a few adjustments�. You should be a bit more specific about the exact error messages.

�Those adjustments would refer to the /etc/fstab & /boot/grub/menu.lst (the /dev/disk/by-id/-parts), GFX (if applicable), soundcard- and networkcard-settings. However, these adjustments are pretty easily done when you know what you are doing.

**fernando_a_martin** · 15-Feb-2011, 07:50

One week I've been using Clonezilla and liked it. My VLC stopped working after I tried to install Videolan repo's version. All I had to do was in ten minutes restore the image of Opensuse I had kept in ntfs partition an my system was back.

I tried to use this very same image to restore my system to a virtual machine in Virtualbox. But Clonezilla told me that if the image might be corrupted (surely it's not because as I said I used it sucessfully) or if I was trying to "restore a partition to a different partition" to look at their website to see how to do it. I researched online but all I got were instructions of how to restore to a different partition number (example: restore sda1 image to sda2 in the same computer).
What can I do to restore the partition image to another machine?
I also read that if one does such I thing, after he must use the Opensuse installation media and select the option to restore a damaged system to make the installation of the precious machine fit to the hardware of the new one. Is it just all that easy? I don't have Opensuse DVD but Opensuse Gnome Live CD. Does it make that work too?

**fernando_a_martin** · 15-Feb-2011, 08:03

PS: I wrote "precious" but I meant "previous" in the above reply.

**gogalthorp** · 15-Feb-2011, 08:50

Since a new machine has different hardware you would need at minimum to change the references in /boot/grub/menu.lst and /etc/fstab to point to the new drives

You would also most likely need to reconfigure wireless and sound settings.

**robin_listas** · 15-Feb-2011, 16:03

On 2011-02-15 16:06, fernando a martin wrote:

> I also read that if one does such I thing, after he must use the
> Opensuse installation media and select the option to restore a damaged
> system to make the installation of the precious machine fit to the
> hardware of the new one. Is it just all that easy? I don't have Opensuse
> DVD but Opensuse Gnome Live CD. Does it make that work too?

The last version that had that automatic repair feature was 11.2 (and it
failed a lot). It has been removed on 11.3 and later.

--
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 "Emerald" at Telcontar)

**fernando_a_martin** · 18-Feb-2011, 11:32

Ok. I believe I may do the re-configs after copying the installation to a new machine.
I have the following steps on my mind: (Please correct me if I'm thinking wrongly in some of them)
In the new machine:
1 - Make a fresh install from CD . That would create the right partition table and grub entries.
2 - Leave the system image kept on another partition.
3 - Launch Clonezilla an restore the image to the partition of the fresh install, overwriting the whole data on that partition.
4 - Re-boot on Opensuse from that partition and correct configs.
But the main question still is: How can I restore my system image on a different machine?
Is it possible with Clonezilla? How?
Do I need another software?

**Glasairmell** · 18-Feb-2011, 12:04

I would get a copy of Parted Magic and have it ready encase your mbr does not work out.

That way you can get into your restore and use Yast's boot manager to fix things.

**robin_listas** · 19-Feb-2011, 05:50

On 2011-02-18 19:36, fernando a martin wrote:

> But the main question still is: How can I restore my system image on a
> different machine?
> Is it possible with Clonezilla? How?
> Do I need another software?

The way I do it is:

- Create a new, small, install on the new machine. This will serve as
"rescue" system.
- Boot it.
- Create target partitions, empty, for the "old" system to be transferred
to from the other computer. They don't need to be the same, nor the same size.
- Transfer all files using rsync, via network.
- Adapt fstab and grub, install grub boot code. Put entry on rescue
system, too.
- Boot "new-old" system, if possible, runlevel 2 or 3. If not, correct.
Network cable must be disconected (same name and IP as old system).
- Configure network, sound, video, etc.

--
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 "Emerald" at Telcontar)

**fernando_a_martin** · 01-Mar-2011, 12:42

I have not the possibility of connecting physically the computers to be envolved in the process. AS for Parted Magic I got excited with the idea when I read about it. It seemed to be able to do everything I wanted and even more. But aftern I burned the iso to a CD and booted from it, it loaded everything ejected the CD and got stopped on a black screen where nothing worked, not even CTRL+ALT+DEL. I had to turn computer off in the CPU buttons. Not even in Parted Magic forum there were answers to people who complained about it too.
And what about Clonezilla? Does anyone know how can I use Clonezilla to restore the image of a partition to a different partition in a different computer? Perhaps a how to or a step by step way instruction about it?