From: Gordon@leaf.net.nz   
      
   On 2025-09-01, Alan K.  wrote:   
   > On 9/1/25 12:01 PM, Monsieur wrote:   
   >>   
   >> Linux can be an ass sometimes.   
   >>   
   >> I finally got a new machine on which I installed the latest Mint. Works   
   >> beautifully. Next I copied my complete home folder from the old machine   
   >> on an external ssd and then copied that back to the new machine.   
   >> Unfortunately nothing showed up in the new home folder when I rebooted.   
   >>   
   >> Chatgpt advised me to sudo chown -R $USER:$USER ~ to change the   
   >> ownership of all files in home but that didn't help.   
   >>   
   >> Another internet page told me to copy all the folders starting with a   
   >> dot again, which I did. Now a few things are back (wallpaper settings,   
   >> Thunderbird found my e-mail profiles), but most stuff isn't there yet,   
   >> like all the icons in my panel or the start menu. The home folder is   
   >> still empty, except for a folder .dosbox which somehow wriggled its way   
   >> into there.   
   >>   
   >> I am willing to redo the whole installation if necessary, but what is   
   >> the best way to copy my home folder to the new machine without all the   
   >> trouble I'm having right now? Anyone experienced this too?   
   >>   
   >> Thanks for any pointers in the right direction.   
   >>   
   >>   
   > I piece meal copy items.   
   > I don't need the entire .config folder, just parts.   
      
   This is the takeaway point of this thread. In my experience re-install, after   
   backing up /home, and then copy back your data files.   
      
   Then copy back any obvious config files which are not there, if the   
   programme fires up "new" as if it has had a fresh install.   
      
   >  .local/share is another.   
   > As a matter of fact, if moving from one install version to another, you   
   might not want to   
   > copy some config files.  They do change from app version to version.  And   
   Mint OS version   
   > to version.   Or one could trip you up at least.  One panel applet change   
   the location of   
   > their settings on me.   
      
   Some config files are installed with the prgramme and copying over the   
   backed up ones messes with the fresh ones.   
      
   >   
   > Yes, Thunderbird mail and Firefox and Microsoft Edge I just bulk copy.    
   ~/.thunderbird and   
   > ~/.mozilla folders.   
   >   
   > I have just found and documented (backup-weekly-files.txt) all the little   
   files that are   
   > configs or icons etc that I can, so later I just copy these selected things   
   back.  Works   
   > great as a backup script too.   
   >   
   > list=${HOME}/bin/backup-weekly-files.txt   
   > tar czf ~/Downloads/backup.tar.gz  -T $list 2>&1   
   >   
   > It takes time but after years, I'm pretty happy with my results.   However,   
   I still have   
   > to manually config a few things.  Can't get them all huh?!!   And I do image   
   the partions too.   
   >   
   This is the route I am on. The needs to BU the conf files is yery handy.   
   Alot of them are in /home/.config/ but there is a few others hiding.   
      
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