[clug] what is best way to migrate a whole computer's content to another?

[Paul Wayper]

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On 03/09/2012 10:41 AM, Mike Carden wrote:
> I suggest taking the opportunity to eliminate the accumulated cruft
> from the old machine and only copy across the things that you actually
> need. I'm pretty sure that we all end up with stuff that we don't
> really need or want lurking on machines that we've used for a few
> years.

I do this with LVM.  Create a new root in the volume group, back up the /boot
partition (which isn't in LVM), and install into the new volume group.  Then
if you need your old stuff you can just mount the old LV and rummage around.
When you're finished you can say goodbye with lvremove.

Likewise, when upgrading, plug in the new disk using a USB to SATA dongle,
create the partitions and copy across the boot partition, pvcreate on the new
partition, vgextend the volume group onto the new disk, pvmove the old stuff
to the new disk, vgreduce the old disk out and pvremove the old volume so it
doesn't accidentally think that it's part of the volume group.  I've done this
on my laptop while using it!  Then shut down, change over the disks, and boot
up onto the new disk.

LVM.  Use it.

Have fun,

Paul
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