Reinstalling/Downgrading Ubuntu

[NoOp]

On 05/20/2009 01:14 PM, Rashkae wrote:
> NoOp wrote:
> 
>> 
>> Thanks... I'm looking more on how to use the existing commands/tools
>> provided on the install CD's. For example, sometime back I actually
>> managed to reinstall while keeping the home intact using the alternate
>> CD - unfortunately I don't remember how I did that. Plus the
>> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbiquityPreserveHome &
>> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/partman-target/+bug/174619
>> indicates that this is available, but I've yet to find instructions to
>> do this for hardy, intrepid & jaunty. Still searching :-)
>> 
>> 
> 
> The best way would be to copy the home folder somewhere else, either
> with cp -a or tar, re-install, then restore the /home.
> 
> In a pinch however, you could delete every other folder *but* home, then
> Install ubuntu, providing you are careful during the installation to
> *not* format the / drive.
> 

Well... I got it to install using the hardy liveCD while maintaining
home. It preserved the tempdir folder that I'd placed there & the gnome
desktop settings. Before I post how I did that I want to repeat a few
times (install jaunty, then back to hardy back to intrepid etc) to make
sure that it sticks. Then I'll try the same with the alternate CD.

Note: AFAIK using this method only preserves /home. So if someone has a
lot of added data/packages in /opt /usr/ etc., this excercise does them
no good without backups of those directories of course. But preserving
/home is the main goal here, so I'm happy on the first successful
attempt. I of course have an alternate motive for getting this right...
I have a college student that I gave one of my 'Ubuntu Christmas'
systems to & I'm scheduled to give her a faster system in a few weeks
following graduation & want to make the transition as easy as possible.
I'll of course back up her entire drive before the swap, but this may
make things go a little faster with the actual install part.