Is it possible to exclude all of / and just backup /home with Timeshift? Or is that beyond it's purpose? Excluding /root only excludes the /root folder, not all of /. I tried excluding /** and then including /home/**, but there are still a lot of folders and contents in / that get included in the backup.
Backup /home with Timeshift
- Thread starter willyum
- Start date
@craigevil is totally right. Adding a bit more context, timeshift is designed as a system recovery tool, meaning that you can recover the whole system after a catastrophic failure because it creates snapshots of the files that are not caches or re-generable on a normal startup. They are excluding user directories by default as they would make the snapshots too big.
The alternatives that @craigevil recommends are not only the right tool for the job and more configurable, but they also won't prevent you from using Timeshift for the rest of the system (as for example I do):
The alternatives that @craigevil recommends are not only the right tool for the job and more configurable, but they also won't prevent you from using Timeshift for the rest of the system (as for example I do):
Not to argue your good advice, but just to seek the reasons why. During my first experiments with Timeshift, I said ah ha, simply switch the includes with the excludes and you can do either or both system and/or user files. How nice. But no. You can do that, but it still includes some of the system files even if you set it not to. What is it that makes Timeshift suitable for only system files and why?
I used Deja dup and it works just fine. From a user standpoint, I'm not sure that I like it any better than Grsync. Are there any advantages of one over the other? Pika Backup is not in the repository. So, I haven't tried it yet.
I used Deja dup and it works just fine. From a user standpoint, I'm not sure that I like it any better than Grsync. Are there any advantages of one over the other? Pika Backup is not in the repository. So, I haven't tried it yet.
Why would you just want to backup Home...wouldn't it be better to backup the whole Drive. ?
Have a look here...
https://www.linux.org/threads/what-i-use-to-create-an-image-of-my-system.44089/
Have a look here...
https://www.linux.org/threads/what-i-use-to-create-an-image-of-my-system.44089/
The last time I did it, I installed a new system onto a newer computer and then transferred /home from a backup. Another time I had an unfixable problem with the system and I reinstalled it from a backup without touching /home. I like to keep them separate.
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
We will call the expert in the matter of all things Timeshift
@wizardfromoz
he will arrive at a time of his own choosing
be patient.
@wizardfromoz
he will arrive at a time of his own choosing
be patient.
Not all things, Brian - my expertise in Timeshift is limited to EXT4 filesystem.
If the OP has done a default install of his Fedora, he is likely using Butter FS (aka Better FS), that is BTRFS. I use EXT4 on my Fedora.
I'll come back with a couple of salient points, but I cannot go into extensive detail.
Wizard
If the OP has done a default install of his Fedora, he is likely using Butter FS (aka Better FS), that is BTRFS. I use EXT4 on my Fedora.
I'll come back with a couple of salient points, but I cannot go into extensive detail.
Wizard
GitHub - teejee2008/timeshift: System restore tool for Linux. Creates filesystem snapshots using rsync+hardlinks, or BTRFS snapshots. Supports scheduled snapshots, multiple backup levels, and exclude filters. Snapshots can be restored while system is
System restore tool for Linux. Creates filesystem snapshots using rsync+hardlinks, or BTRFS snapshots. Supports scheduled snapshots, multiple backup levels, and exclude filters. Snapshots can be re...
github.com
If you want to backup files you are better off using a tool that is designed to backup user data since timeshift is a system backup tool to go back to a point in time.
The design and the intent of the tool. It has been created for that, you should expect some side effects when you try to use it outside of its scope.
Every backup created with timeshift includes the system files that the tool will need to execute a recovery that involves a reboot and that potentially can include grub, because that's its mission.
I do use ext4.
Fine, then I'll cobble some thoughts together and return a little later on my Sunday.
Wiz.
