Re: From Squeeze to Wheezy: An upgrade problem

[Ralf Mardorf <ralf.mardorf@alice-dsl.net>]

Using apt:
----------

"Create a backup of what packages are currently installed:

sudo dpkg --get-selections > list.txt

Then (on another system) restore installations from that list:

sudo dpkg --clear-selections
sudo dpkg --set-selections < list.txt

To get rid of stale packages

sudo apt-get autoremove

To get installed like at backup time

sudo apt-get dselect-upgrade" -
http://askubuntu.com/questions/17823/how-to-list-all-installed-packages



Using Synaptic:
---------------

"Once Synaptic is running, select Save Markings from the drop-down File
menu. You will be prompted for a location. Obviously, save to a USB
stick (and make sure too that you check the box marked Save full state,
not only changes otherwise you may create an empty file!).

Installing all that software is simply a matter of opening Synaptic in
the other machine(s) and this time selecting Read markings from the File
drop-down menu and selecting that backup and leave Synaptic to do its
work. Of course, some of the packages may have been installed via a PPA
and that means you'd be well advised to also backup your sources files,
which contains a list of all enabled repositories including the PPAs.
Synaptic does not have a facility for doing this, so just copy it (as
root) with this simple command:

cp /etc/apt/sources.list.d ~/sources.list.d.backup" -
http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/using_synaptic_package_manager_clone_installed_software_another_computer



Without a tool:
---------------

Restore a backup of an already existing Debian and upgrade it to the new
version.