Migrating to new graphics hardware?

General system Newbie
6

Here is what I would you do if I were going to “migrate” my packages and configuration to a fresh install.

In the old install:

  • Backup the whole of your home directory: your personal data plus all the .files and .folders where almost all the configuration on the user level is kept.

  • Make a list of all the native packages installed in your system (those found in the sync data base):

    pacman -Qqn > native.pkg.list

  • Make a list of foreign packages (for example from AUR):

    pacman -Qqm > foreing.pkg.list

  • Backup /etc for the system-wide configurations

In the new install:

  • Reinstall what is needed from your native.pkg.list (I assume that your system is fully up to date):

    sudo pacman -S - --needed < native.pkg.list

  • Have a look inside the list of your foreign package list and install them manually from AUR for example

  • Assuming that you are going to install the same DE, you could restore your personal data and .files and .folders from backup.

  • Finally, if you had done system-wide configuration under /etc in your old install, restore them from backup on a per case basis.

You should be up and running in pretty much no time.

I may have missed one or other details but I am sure other forum members looking in here will chime in and provide their suggestions.

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