How can I backup my programs/applications, so... https://askubuntu.com/questions/243387/how-ca...

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How can I backup my programs/applications, so that after I reinstall a new one, I can still use the backup-
ed ones?

Is there a way, that I could backup all my programs, all apps, put them in a directory or something, so that I could install them quickly next time,
without having to manually going over the app center, downloading them from terminal, etc?

Note that I might import them from a distro other than the one I exported them on. So, say I'm in Ubuntu, exported some stu, and then installed
BT and wanted to import them from there.

backup

edited Oct 10 '13 at 16:07 asked Jan 15 '13 at 9:16

Jorge Castro VeXe
28.9k 99 409 605 188 1 4 12

3 @Martin Betz: I disagree that that question is a duplicate. The OP clearly wants a comprehensive back-up of all
installed applications, including ones that weren't installed through apt-get or dpkg. Flimm Jan 15 '13 at 13:08

4 Possible duplicate of How to backup settings and list of installed packages raphael Jul 2 '16 at 23:05

3 Answers

When I have to format my Ubuntu I follow this steps:

1. dpkg --get-selections > package_list This creates a text le ( package_list ) with all
package installed in your system. You can edit the le if you want to delete some
packages.
2. Backup /etc/apt/sources.list le and /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ folder. Here there are
all the repositories.
3. Backup /home/MyUser folder. All application settings are hide folders/les in your user's
home folder, maybe you want to select what settings you want to restore.
4. Format and install new Ubuntu.
5. Restore your repositories ( /etc/apt/sources.list le and /etc/apt/sources.list.d/
folder).
6. sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

7. sudo dpkg --clear-selections and sudo dpkg --set-selections < package_list . To

restore the information of your installed packages.
8. Install them: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dselect-upgrade

9. Finally, sudo apt-get autoremove to clean some packages.

Well, there are 9 steps, but you have an easy Ubuntu clean install.

Another solution is to mantain a list with your installed applications, then sudo apt-get
install app-name (you can create a bash script).

answered Jan 15 '13 at 10:34

ilazgo
326 3 5

@lago Is it possible to avoid default installed applications. As an example refox is default installed, and vlc is not.
So next when i will install system only install vlc. shantanu Oct 31 '13 at 12:26

@shantanu for do that you have to build your own Ubuntu image. There are some software that helps you. Search
in Google or ask another question :) ilazgo Oct 31 '13 at 13:09

@lago sorry for my bad explanation. Actually i mean that, A fresh installed ubuntu has refox installed. Now i
install vlc. Lets get package list. There should be two package, refox and vlc. Now i want to install fresh ubuntu
again. Want to restore my packages. dpkg --set-selection < package_list. dpkg will run for refox and vlc. But i don't

1 of 1 9/10/17, 7:46 pm