Solved Timeshift schedule question

[Magrid0]

Hello y'all, since the first day i've installed linux, I also installed timeshift on it. Fortunately since I got it I never had to use it.
When I set it up the first time it asked me if I wanted to schedule backup, and I told it to do one at every boot.
My question is, is it more convenient to have it do a backup at every boot or just daily? What scheduling are you using if you're using one?
Thanks in advance, have a nice day.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

I don't use any software for backup, and my schedule is manual.
I do backup to external HDD when I feel it's time.

 

[Rocketing-warp9]

All depends on how much you change your system between each time. If you don't change much- you'd probably get away weekly basis. Change it a lot, then I'd recommend more backups in-case if it backfires so you don't lose anything critical.
All depends on your style of using it and how much storage you want to use.

 

[Magrid0]

All depends on how much you change your system between each time.

I usually don't play much around, the last "critical" thing I did was replacing Gnome with Niri a week ago. And also I usually do a manual backup right before starting "dangerous" thing just in case, but on the other hand scheduling backup at boot never gave me issue so is it even worth to change it? Maybe I'm just being influenced by something I saw.

 

[Rocketing-warp9]

In my opinion, you can just leave it be and you should be just fine. You can never have too many backups!

 

[Magrid0]

In my opinion, you can just leave it be and you should be just fine. You can never have too many backups!

yeah I guess you're right.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

backup right before starting "dangerous" thing just in case

There are 2 types of backup:
1. data you care about, e.g. files you modify or create
2. system settings and configs.

For 1 you want backup, but for system files you can completely avoid, simply have 1 USB with Linux on it to reinstall it when OS goes unusable.
Backing up system files is IMO waste of time and space because you can just reinstall and have brand new system.

I have 2 USB sticks always ready, one has installer to reinstall whole system, and another USB is live Linux which I can use if I want to recover my system.
However, recovering system is normally not what most people can do, because you have no internet and no GUI, you success is solely in your head, or if you're lucky another PC to communicate your problem with others.

 

[Magrid0]

There are 2 types of backup:
1. data you care about, e.g. files you modify or create
2. system settings and configs.

For 1 you want backup, but for system files you can completely avoid, simply have 1 USB with Linux on it to reinstall it when OS goes unusable.
Backing up system files is IMO waste of time and space.

I have 2 USB sticks always ready, one has installer to reinstall whole system, and another USB is live Linux which I can use if I want to recover my system.
However, recovering system is normally not what most people can do, because you have no internet and no GUI, you success is solely in your head, or if you're lucky another PC to communicate your problem with others.

my timeshift is configured to backup everything except /root and /home/myuser so it's basically just for system files in case I screw something up and don't want to reinstall the whole system.

I also have a ventoy usb with my current distro, some distro I used in the past and liked, distro to boot in ram from pc that aren't mine and various rescue tools just in case.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

my timeshift is configured to backup everything except /root and /home/myuser so it's basically just for system files in case I screw something up and don't want to reinstall the whole system.

Note that sometimes a portion of your system backup will be older than what it should be, e.g. after update, in those cases you'll restore some files to possibly outdated configuration or partial restore, not something I'd want.

 

[Magrid0]

I never thought about that to be honest since I never had to use it...

 

[deb_user]

It depends a lot on what you're running, and how often it updates. I run Debian Sid, which has updates almost daily, so I have timeshift to make a backup daily. I keep 6 backups, in case I need to go back that far. It's also possible to have timeshift keep weekly and/or monthly backups, if you think you might need them. There is no single perfect schedule for everyone. One thing that makes having multiple backups available is that timeshift does incremental backups, so each backup includes only changed files, not everything. If no files have changed, a backup includes basically nothing, just links to previous backups. On my server, running Debian Stable, I don't schedule backups daily, because I don't do daily updates.

 

[Magrid0]

It depends a lot on what you're running, and how often it updates.

I'm on EndeavourOS so basically arch and I update basically when I remember to do so, so like maybe 3 to 5 times a week. I do backup at every boot and keep 6 of them.

 

[deb_user]

Whatever schedule works best for you. It's your system, so back it up as you see fit.

 

[KGIII]

I only preserve my home directory and anything I've stored on some network-attached storage. That gets rotated out to keep a copy that's no longer in my house. I do not back up the OS at all.

The backup does run on Tuesday mornings. It's just a simple cron task. I actually usually run it myself with a simple aliased command.

I'm a big fan of the 3-2-1 backup method:

How To: Have A Proper Backup Of Your Data • Linux Tips

In today's article, we're going to show you how to have a proper backup of your data. I've wanted to write this article for a while.

linux-tips.us

It's important to note two things. First, an untested backup is not a backup. Second, an untested backup is not a backup.

Make sure your solution works for you.

 

[Condobloke]

Schedule:

I have the space to keep them. (external drives)
I also keep 1 Rescuezilla image taken on the first day of each month

if my OS went belly up, I would swear profusely. But, only because of the time it would take to set it back up again.

Note that sometimes a portion of your system backup will be older than what it should be, e.g. after update, in those cases you'll restore some files to possibly outdated configuration or partial restore,

I have never felt the need to take that into account. On more than a few occasions I have noticed Linux Mint updates at work after I have destroyed something and used a timeshift snapshot to fix that situation.
The interaction between my OS (Linux Mint 22.3) and Timeshift is an absolute marvel.....it has not given me cause for concern. Ever. I trust it.

Do I semi regularly destroy stuff ? Yes. I am a tinkerer by nature.

Timeshifts main screen tells the story of my latest 'adventure/stuff up etc

A 'haram blocker' I experimented with turned out to be not nice.....not nice at all.

I was quite cranky with that. So I deleted a few snapshots that had traces of it, and Created a couple of snapshots of the system without that blocker (unnecessary, but I did it anyway)

I was more cranky with myself for having installed it.

I also installed (via updates) the 7 kernel, and noted that the percentage of space used by the OS on my main drive is 10.9%

I have not found a scenario where I have to take into account any inbuilt/known failing on Timeshifts part.

The Rescuezilla image taken on the first of the month, is perhaps unnecessary. Although I have screwed up my system sufficiently to actually need to use it a couple of times.

Been doing this Linux thing for 13 Years +

 

[Magrid0]

A 'haram blocker' I experimented with turned out to be not nice.....not nice at all.

I saw that thread too, why was it not nice? wasn't it just an /etc/hosts file?

 

[Condobloke]

The master of Timeshift is @wizardfromoz.

He is far more aware than I of any 'failings' on timeshifts part, which I think have more to do with the current admins of the timeshift system.

Tutorial Thread 'Timeshift Snapshot Failed To Complete - What To Do? Wizards Corner'

Dec 4, 2025

BACKGROUND

Two days ago at time of writing, I had just installed a new distro - Devuan 6 'Excalibur', with the MATE DE.

As is my wont, after I enabled my software firewall, I installed Timeshift, and commenced taking a full snapshot, prior to running updates, adding fave apps, tweaking ... all the usual things.

Rsync, the underlying engine for my Timeshift, had copied a couple of hundred thousand files to the snapshot, but maybe 20 - 30 seconds prior to it completing, Timeshift simply closed down.

Timeshift for the most part is eminently reliable, but once in a blue...

• wizardfromoz
• Replies: 0
• Forum: General Linux Topics

• 
• 

...gives an insight into his knowledge. He is usually more than willing to expand on any questions/concerns you may have.

=============================

/etc/hosts file?

Yes, it was.
if it was a simple hosts file and nothing more, then I would have had no problem.
However, it reflected the makers religious leanings to an extensive degree.
It blocked everything. Not just the weird creepy stuff that we expect a hosts file to block.

It gave the 4 browsers on my pc a near heart attack.

Ridiculous.

No more .....never again.

 

[Magrid0]

It gave the 4 browsers on my pc a near heart attack.

Damn i'm kinda curious now

 

[Condobloke]

the reality is....there is no need for a stand alone hosts file anymore.

Between the default settings on browsers and uBlock Origin, the need for that type of thing is long gone.

Librewolf browser does quite a good job with default settings. More importantly, it allows you to get on with life.

 

[Magrid0]

the reality is....there is no need for a stand alone hosts file anymore.

Between the default settings on browsers and a uBlock Origin, the need for that type of thing is long gone.

Librewolf browser does quite a good job with default settings. More importantly, it allows you to get on with life.

yeah I agree, I personally just use default firefox + uBlock origin with some custom filters in case some ads aren't blocked or I don't want to see certain stuff and that's it, has been working flawlessly for years. I tried stuff like nextdns in the past but it's kinda if you already have ublock.