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Not to argue, but the reinstalling part isn’t so difficult these days. I don’t have a current bootable ISO, but I have a bunch of old 8…16 Gb USB drives just

Not to argue, but the reinstalling part isn’t so difficult these days. I don’t have a current bootable ISO, but I have a bunch of old 8…16 Gb USB drives just for that. Also, there is Ventoy that makes it even easier. So making an installer is a trivial task these days. For me, it’s either downloading Arch Linux media, which is 400 MB or something. Or it’s downloading a Fedora installer, which is 3…4 Gb and takes minutes to do. If I go the Fedora way (which I would, if I need a working computer right away), it’ll take up to an hour to get back to work. I understand that for an average user that could be a serious issue, but if that user is managed by someone competent, it’s really the non-issue. The only thing that needs to be done is a proper backup system for the data of that user. Recently, I had a case with some distant friend whom I help with his computer. He needs just a ‘Word’ and a browser, so he uses Debian and LibreOffice. I haven’t paid him visits for years, so the Debian was 10 or even 9, while the current one is 12. He wanted to install something, and as the system was very obsolete, I insisted on updating it first. I did the proper way (from version to version), but at some point the installation just broke for no reason. I tried to fix it, but even the help of ChatGPT didn’t allow me to do the job quickly. So I just nuked everything on his ssd (his data was on a separate hdd), went all-in Fedora and went talking and drinking tea with him. I was surprised how easy the whole reinstatement was. I’m talking Linux, which is very easy when you know what you do. But macOS or Windows not that difficult these days, when all you need to do is to reinstall. Again, considering the data is saved separately. Preferably beforehand.

DEADMINCE 3y ago
Why not setup your system the way you like it and take regular Clonezilla snapshots, so you can just restore from a known good ISO with all your programs and settings?
- walteweiss 3y ago
  Personally, I don’t know. Although, a friend of mine does exactly that with his Windows install. The first time he described this to me was like 15 years ago! I never went that way, maybe because I don’t need the exact same system most of the times. When I reinstall, that happens voluntarily these days. And I just reconsider what I need. But overall that’s a great idea.
Karellen 3y ago
You do make some good points, but... > For me, it’s either downloading Arch Linux media, which is 400 MB or something. ...that's fine, if you have a separate non-compromised computer handy to download the installer from. Which not everyone will. ...and, is the only software you use included in that default 400 MB base system? How much else do you have to install? Did you keep a list of the extra packages you used, or are you going to have to keep going back to `pacman -S ...` every 5 minutes for the first couple of hours as you run into that thing you use frequently suddenly not being there?
- generalizations 3y ago
  Software installation is trivial on linux, and periodic re-installations aren't a bad idea anyway - seems like that should be extremely preferable to, as GP said, "boiling the frog of linux DRM". These seem like weird justifications IMO.
vlovich123 3y ago
How do you accurately reinstall Arch to the same operational point as before? I’ve wanted to reinstall but it feels like a large long tail to reinstall all the same applications and fix up all the config files to the right state that I want things (e.g. is there some way to list all the packages installed & feed it back during the installer?).
- walteweiss 3y ago
  Yes, there is a way of restoring your packages. Arch has some decent wiki entries for this: - https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/migrate_installation_to_new_hardware https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/migrate_installation_to_new... - https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Install_Arch_Linux_from_existing_Linux https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Install_Arch_Linux_from_exi... Although, my way of work is quite different. I do keep a lot of notes about what I do. And when I need to reinstall my system (e.g. to a new laptop), I reconsider what I need. My Arch Desktop systems are very minimalistic. I use Arch on my laptops and servers. I use Fedora on my desktops, so it’s different from Arch. Usually, I don’t mess with Fedora, and treat it as I treat macOS. My way of working with Fedora or macOS is just to note what I need to change, in plain text with screenshots (when needed). As most of the changes are either in Settings app or just a couple of terminal strings. Also, I keep all my custom configs in a git repository. Usually, that system is called dotfiles.

DEADMINCE 3y ago

Why not setup your system the way you like it and take regular Clonezilla snapshots, so you can just restore from a known good ISO with all your programs and settings?

walteweiss 3y ago
Personally, I don’t know. Although, a friend of mine does exactly that with his Windows install. The first time he described this to me was like 15 years ago! I never went that way, maybe because I don’t need the exact same system most of the times. When I reinstall, that happens voluntarily these days. And I just reconsider what I need. But overall that’s a great idea.

Karellen 3y ago

You do make some good points, but... > For me, it’s either downloading Arch Linux media, which is 400 MB or something. ...that's fine, if you have a separate non-compromised computer handy to download the installer from. Which not everyone will. ...and, is the only software you use included in that default 400 MB base system? How much else do you have to install? Did you keep a list of the extra packages you used, or are you going to have to keep going back to `pacman -S ...` every 5 minutes for the first couple of hours as you run into that thing you use frequently suddenly not being there?

generalizations 3y ago
Software installation is trivial on linux, and periodic re-installations aren't a bad idea anyway - seems like that should be extremely preferable to, as GP said, "boiling the frog of linux DRM". These seem like weird justifications IMO.

vlovich123 3y ago

How do you accurately reinstall Arch to the same operational point as before? I’ve wanted to reinstall but it feels like a large long tail to reinstall all the same applications and fix up all the config files to the right state that I want things (e.g. is there some way to list all the packages installed & feed it back during the installer?).

walteweiss 3y ago
Yes, there is a way of restoring your packages. Arch has some decent wiki entries for this: - https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/migrate_installation_to_new_hardware https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/migrate_installation_to_new... - https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Install_Arch_Linux_from_existing_Linux https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Install_Arch_Linux_from_exi... Although, my way of work is quite different. I do keep a lot of notes about what I do. And when I need to reinstall my system (e.g. to a new laptop), I reconsider what I need. My Arch Desktop systems are very minimalistic. I use Arch on my laptops and servers. I use Fedora on my desktops, so it’s different from Arch. Usually, I don’t mess with Fedora, and treat it as I treat macOS. My way of working with Fedora or macOS is just to note what I need to change, in plain text with screenshots (when needed). As most of the changes are either in Settings app or just a couple of terminal strings. Also, I keep all my custom configs in a git repository. Usually, that system is called dotfiles.