[ubuntu-uk] Migrating between distros

HillarP hillar.poldmaa at mail.ee
Fri Jun 20 22:44:29 BST 2008


Sean Miller wrote:

> I have this laptop running Mandriva...  in the normal Ubuntu install
> situation I'd effectively wipe off Mandriva and replace it with the
> new OS, but is there any alternative?
> 
> In other words, could I migrate from Mandriva to Hardy without wiping
> out my webserver, home directories etc. as that is what I'd prefer to
> do.

I assume, that you have default installation of Mandriva. In that case you
have 3 partitions - system, home and swap. Mandriva keeps his webserver
things under the /var/www (in system partition). So do next: backup
the /var/www to the /home partition. In case that you run any databases,
make their dump also to the /home partition. If yo want to keep your users
make sure that you backup four files from /etc - group, gshadow, passwd and
shadow.

Install new OS and make sure, that you reformat your system partition but
don't touch your home. On installation show that you have system, swap and
home partitions (point to the right partitions). When istallation complete
restore your /var/www and modify those four files under /etc (any text
editor will do).

Notify:
Real users on Mandriva starts from 500 but on (K)Ubuntu (commonly on Debian)
from 1000. Mandriva webserver user:group is apache:apache but on (K)Ubuntu
(commonly on Debian) it is www-data:www-data. So you have to correct your
users/permissions in those four files and/or on filesystem.

-- 
With best regards
HillarP




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