What is safest way to upgrade using new installation while keeping existing Home

[Budgie2]

Hi
Having read several threads and received excellent previous advice there are just a couple of points I want to check please before proceeding on laptop. I want to upgrade to 11.4 from 11.2. My disk setup is as follows:-

Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
240 heads, 63 sectors/track, 15505 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 15120 * 512 = 7741440 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x462d462c

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 2 5170 39077640 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 1 1 7528+ a OS/2 Boot Manager
/dev/sda3 * 5171 15505 78132600 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 5171 10047 36870088+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6 10048 10880 6297448+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 10881 10950 529168+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda8 10951 15505 34435768+ 83 Linux

Partition table entries are not in disk order

If I select existing /home root and swap partitions, format root but prevent formatting of /home and use a different user ID I believe that will leave my existing data intact and will allow me to trial new os. Is this correct approach?

If all goes well and when I have new system working correctly, what is best way make old user id date accessible. Can I simply create my old id on new system and will that allow me to access data when I log on with that id?

Second question; at present I have the ability to boot to openSUSE, OS/2 and windoze. (It used to be done entirely by Boot Manager but during my last Linux installation I messed this up a bit so now machine boots to grub and this offers all three operating systems but chain loads Boot Manager if I select OS/2)

When I do the new installation what should I select to retain this setup so that I still have access to windoze and OS/2 but when selecting linux have new 11.4 system run. In the past I have not managed this well and some pointers would be appreciated.
Many thanks.

Regards,
Budgie2

[ken_yap]

You can use the original iser id and the upgrade program will recognise that you already have an account and you don't even have to change your password.

But as always, make backups of your files before upgrading. You should be making regular backups anyway.

[gogalthorp]

OS/2 is a good question which I'll skip cause I don't know.

What you outlined above sounds fine to keep your home. But you need to understand the user name does not mean too much (other then the directory name) the important item is the user ID (UID) number. That is what defines the user to the system.

[Budgie2]

OS/2 is a good question which I'll skip cause I don't know.

What you outlined above sounds fine to keep your home. But you need to understand the user name does not mean too much (other then the directory name) the important item is the user ID (UID) number. That is what defines the user to the system.

Hi and thanks for the prompt. If I am doing a new install and use a new ID surely that will give me a new ID number or are you implying that as first user on new installation it will give me the first default ID which will be the same as that given to me on previous system. How can I be sure a different UID is used?

[robin_listas]

On 2011-05-24 22:06, Budgie2 wrote:

> Hi and thanks for the prompt. If I am doing a new install and use a
> new ID surely that will give me a new ID number or are you implying that
> as first user on new installation it will give me the first default ID
> which will be the same as that given to me on previous system. How can
> I be sure a different UID is used?

It is best (paranoid mode) to use the same UID with different user name.
This means different home directories, but both belong to you. When
everything is setup, you can move the data files from the old install.

Another method is same UID, same name. Only one directory, you reuse the
old one for the new install. It usually works well, many people do it that
way. You get your old local configuration reused in the new install.

--
Cheers / Saludos,

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

[Budgie2]

On 2011-05-24 22:06, Budgie2 wrote:

> Hi and thanks for the prompt. If I am doing a new install and use a
> new ID surely that will give me a new ID number or are you implying that
> as first user on new installation it will give me the first default ID
> which will be the same as that given to me on previous system. How can
> I be sure a different UID is used?

It is best (paranoid mode) to use the same UID with different user name.
This means different home directories, but both belong to you. When
everything is setup, you can move the data files from the old install.

Another method is same UID, same name. Only one directory, you reuse the
old one for the new install. It usually works well, many people do it that
way. You get your old local configuration reused in the new install.

--
Cheers / Saludos,

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

Hi, well I wanted to use the paranoid solution but didn't see how so I ended up using the latter method by default on laptop. For the record and future use on other machines, what should I have done during the installation process please?

I am being dazzled by bling of newest KDE desktop and after the network installation am now doing update. The KPackageKit seems very busy but no details are shown even when details button is selected. Is this a bug or is there configuration required?

I am pleased to report that wifi device is working but my wifi indicator plasmoid is not working correctly and says not associated. I have installed engine etc. More reading up required I suppose but at least I am connected.

Thanks for the help/advice.
Regards,
Budgie2

[robin_listas]

On 2011-05-25 02:06, Budgie2 wrote:
> Hi, well I wanted to use the paranoid solution but didn't see how so I
> ended up using the latter method by default on laptop. For the record
> and future use on other machines, what should I have done during the
> installation process please?

IIRC, you need to enter an new user, and edit its UID in expert mode. This
can also be done after the install is complete (login as root, text mode,
yast user management).

There are many ways to get it done.

--
Cheers / Saludos,

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

[Budgie2]

On 2011-05-25 02:06, Budgie2 wrote:
> Hi, well I wanted to use the paranoid solution but didn't see how so I
> ended up using the latter method by default on laptop. For the record
> and future use on other machines, what should I have done during the
> installation process please?

IIRC, you need to enter an new user, and edit its UID in expert mode. This
can also be done after the install is complete (login as root, text mode,
yast user management).

There are many ways to get it done.

--
Cheers / Saludos,

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

Hi and thanks for that. It kind of defeats the purpose if one does it after install is complete but I shall look at expert mode so I can do it during installation.
Thanks again,
Budgie2

[brunomcl]

I just upgraded a laptop from 11.2 to 11.4, and considered keeping /home. However, 11.2 /home partition was formatted as ext3, while 11.4 gives you full-featured ext4 (as opposed to the ext3 -> ext4 conversion) which feels quite faster.

What I ended up doing was back up /home to an external drive, a new format/install on / and /home partitions and later copying back my data.

If you really want to keep your /home but use ext4 you may, after backing up /home, use a liveCD tool like partition magic to reformat the new partitions and then restore the /home files to the new ext4 partition.

I'd resist the temptation of keeping the ~/.kde folder, however, as it's settings will most certainly give you trouble with 11.4's kde4. It's a pain to reconfigure the desktop to your liking , but IMO it's less painful than fixing the broken older settings. Of course, YMMV.

[robin_listas]

On 2011-05-25 23:36, brunomcl wrote:
> I'd resist the temptation of keeping the ~/.kde folder, however, as
> it's settings will most certainly give you trouble with 11.4's kde4.

It should not. Both kde3 and kde4 have independent configuration
directories, so both should work nicely. Further, kde4 should be able to
import configurations from kde3, if needed/wanted/whatever.

The contrary is a bug you should report.

And be careful, because removing that directory will also destroy kmail
stored emails - for example.

--
Cheers / Saludos,

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