Re: Install debian from scratch and keep a home partition

[Dan <ganchya@gmail.com>]

On Fri, Apr 26, 2013 at 6:22 AM, Bob Proulx <bob@proulx.com> wrote:
> Dan wrote:
>> - Backup home and the files from /etc passwd, group, shadow and gshadow
>> ...
>> - merge the old passwd, group, shadow and gshadow with the new files
>> found in /etc
>
> You so far have three votes against doing this but I will vote *for*
> doing it.  I think this is okay.  It all depends upon what you have
> already and what you are trying to save.  Backup all of /etc.
>
> I would make a good backup of /etc, /var/backups, and anything in
> /var in particular but /var whole if possible.  MySQL stores files
> there for example and you didn't say what you had installed.
>
> But I have no idea what you meant by merging.  I would only restore
> users that have files on the /home you are keeping.  Any user above or
> equal to uid number 1000.  That certainly makes sense.  Let the
> packages install their own system users for themselves is easiest.
>
> Bob

Thanks, I'll do that. By merging I meant exactly what you said