Solved Question about Timeshift usage

[Danbor]

I have a computer with two ssd's. I installed Mint 22.2 on the 1TB drive a few weeks ago and got it configured to my taste. The other day, I installed Debian 13 with the KDE desktop on the second drive. I don't care for the background of the grub menu from the debian install so I set about trying to change it. As far as I can determine, the only way to change it is to install a different downloaded theme, which will not have the image I wish to be displayed. Neither can I find any information on how to make the system boot using grub on the Mint drive.
With that in mind, I would like to back up the Mint system, boot from the Mint install USB stick, install Mint, thus making it the last installed OS so it's grub will be the one the machine boots from. Then restore the original Mint from the backup. I was hoping to do this without installing any more software.
Can I do this with Timeshift itself by changing it's settings to include all files and storing the snapshot on USB storage media? If not, can someone reccomend a backup program that would easily do this? While I do use Timeshift to back up system files, it's done manually, and rarely. I don't add or remove programs frequently nor do I tweak settings once I get things set the way I want. As for user files, they get shared on the other computers in my network, manually, weekly. So I don't use a dedicated backup program other than Timeshift at this time.

 

[wizardfromoz]

G'day @Danbor and a Happy New Year from Oz.

I have working answers for all your questions above. I just have to do some housekeeping around the site, while I sip on my second coffee for this year and try to resemble a human, then I'll be back with my answers.

Cheers

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz

 

[wizardfromoz]

With your Original Post, I can see 3 paragraphs with 3 issues, if that is not correct, let me know.

1. Debian 13 KDE grub menu background
2. Changing grub menu order of which of Mint and Debian is on top of the menu and boots first
3. Timeshift methods

Depending on whether you wish to swap the order of 1 and 2, make the necessary adjustments with the instructions below.

I will deal with them one at a time, below.

 

[wizardfromoz]

DEBIAN 13 KDE - GRUB MENU BACKGROUND/THEME

I have outlined details here, which IMO are worth reading from start to finish, albeit you will find a bit of chit-chat from my friends.

https://www.linux.org/threads/brighten-up-your-day-grub-menu-theming-wizards-corner.35683/

Your current Debian grub background is likely a pastel blue-green bunch of wavy shapes.

That is determined by Debian using a file grub-background, found in /usr/share/images/desktop-base, symlinked via /etc/alternatives/ , but that can be complicated to work with.

Better, IMO/IME, is to place a wallpaper of your choice in /boot/grub and then run sudo update-grub .

Files of a .png extension work better than .jpg or .jpeg , so if you have one of those, you can either use Gimp and export it to .png, or even simpler use ImageMagick, both of which should be installed on your Debian.

cd to where your image is stored/downloaded and run similar to the following (my file was called helicopter.jpg)

convert helicopter.jpg helicopter.png

and then do the move to /boot/grub and update grub.

A sign of your success will be seeing the image referenced in the output of the grub update.

NEXT - changing the grub menu order.

 

[Danbor]

Hello wizardfromoz!
Of the 3 issues, I would prefer Mint be the first option in the boot menu and boots first. It really doen't matter to me which grub is used as long as Mint is the first option and boots if another option is not selected. And I can use a self supplied background image. Everything I've been able to find on these subjects leads me to the above listed conclusions.
Of course, I freely admit that, sadly, my internet searching skills are woefully inadequate.
As for the Timeshift backup question, well, I have read that a lot of folks like Foxclone for backups. I used it several years ago when I had only the one computer. But, and I may be mistaken, Foxclone also backs up grub, which if you understand my reason for doing it would defeat the whole purpose of the exercise.
I saw your thread about spiffing up grub and was planning on perusing it when I had the Mint grub back in the saddle. But if it's possible to do what I want with the debian/KDE grub, there's really no point in doing the whole backup / reinstall process.
It will be tomorrow here before I can get back to this. New Years eve family get together going on here at present, have to get back to it before they come roust me!
Wishing you and yours a safe comfortable year!

 

[wizardfromoz]

, ...there's really no point in doing the whole backup / reinstall process.

Totally agree.

You have a great and safe evening, and I'll finish off here soon.

 

[wizardfromoz]

Changing grub menu order of which of Mint and Debian is on top of the menu and boots first

I have a computer with two ssd's.

The following does not require re-installation.

The following makes these assumptions:

• Your computer is UEFI
• Debian is on top of the Grub Menu, Mint is next, and each of those has a line Advanced Options displayed
• If your SSDs are M2, they might be identified as /dev/sda and /dev/sdb
• If your SSDs are NVMe, they might be identified as /dev/nvme0n1 and /dev/nvme1n1
• Debian is on /dev/sda or /dev/nvme0n1
• Mint is on /dev/sdb or /dev/nvme1n1

We will only be using the device (drive) identifiers, not the partitions they are on (/dev/sda1 , /dev/nvme0n1p1 and so on).

If the Advanced Options lines are not showing, you need to edit your /etc/default/grub to have an active line

GRUB_DISABLE_RECOVERY="false"

and update grub.

STEPS

1. Boot/reboot your computer
2. At the Grub Menu, choose Linux Mint Advanced Options and press enter
3. At the subsequent submenu, arrow down to the first line that includes "recovery option" and press enter
4. On Ubuntu and Linux Mint (not Debian), your screen will be replaced with a Menu with options on a colourful background. Arrow down to drop to root shell prompt, tab to OK and press enter (see screenshot)
5. You will drop to a prompt saying "press enter for maintenance or Ctrl-D to continue", press enter
6. You will be dropped to a grub prompt as Root (ends with #)
7. You can type in and enter lsblkif you need to identify your devices. In my case above, I then simply type and enter
8. grub-install /dev/sdbfollowed by rebootand after the reboot I will be welcomed with Linux Mint on top, with my custom grub wallpaper

If, at a later date, you have chosen wallpaper you like for Debian, and want to change your daily driver to Debian - Debian has an extra security step or two to take.

I can outline that soon, meantime, I'm going to have a beer.

Cheers

Wiz

 

[Danbor]

Got the Grub boot order changed. Your instructions worked like a charm. Thanks!
I also got the background image changed as per the steps listed in post #4. However, though I used Gimp to convert the image to .png, what was displayed was a screen full of pixelation. I could "see" the image, but only because I knew it was there.
I'll keep playing with it. I suspect it has to do with the image resolution but I'm not sure exactly what to alter in Gimp to effect the change.
Going to try using ImageMagick to convert an image next.

 

[Danbor]

You're the MAN Wiz!
installed Imagemagick, converted the file, copied it to /boot/grub, and it works fine.
Thank you so much.
I owe you a cold one.

 

[wizardfromoz]

Yeah, GIMP can be a little user-unfriendly, more complicated than it needs to be, perhaps. I used to use it for all of my jpg to png exports, and got the hang of it.

However, I am getting lazier as I get older, and the ImageMagick solution is ever so easy.

For Version 7 onwards, you may get a message that converthas been deprecated, and that magick should be used, but for now, the former still applies.

Glad I could help.

 

[wizardfromoz]

Before I forget, I will leave the following for Justin (Just In case):

If there comes a time that you have found a grub background wallpaper which suits your likes, the procedure for putting Debian on top requires a Root password.

Most Debian installs prompt you to set a Root password, but if that was not done, you need to first set that up in a working session of Debian.

In Terminal use sudo passwd root and follow the prompts, then test it works with su - , that's su dash. It should drop you to a Root prompt.

Then you can reboot, choose Advanced Options - Recovery and enter.

An amount of output will spool off and it will then ask you for the Root password. Some output may continue to be produced but when you start typing your password that will cease.

That will then drop you to a Root prompt (skipping that coloured screen above).

There you can use other commands from above.

This also applies to some distros that are immediately reliant on Debian, such as Peppermint Trixie, Emmabuntus and so on.

Have fun.

BTW if you want to show us your efforts, take a phone pic and post at https://www.linux.org/threads/brighten-up-your-day-grub-menu-theming-wizards-corner.35683/