RE: Debian Reinstall

["Sean 'Shaleh' Perry" <shaleh@valinux.com>]

On 09-May-2001 Ronan O'Sullivan wrote:
> Hi there,
>    I am wondering is there anyway to save your current installed
>    packages information and when you reinstall for apt or dselect to
>    know what packages to install or remove to restore your system to
>    the previous state?
> 

2 steps:

a)
# dpkg --get-selections|sed -e 's/deinstall$/purge/'|dpkg --set-selections
# apt-get dselect-upgrade # this removes any lingering packages in your list

b)
# dpkg --get-selections|sed -e 's/hold$/install/' > package_list
# copy package_install /somewhere/safe

Then, after the install:

# dpkg --set-selections < package_list
# apt-get dselect-upgrade

The sed call is to ensure that even packages on hold get stored properly.