[clug] [anne.a.gunn at gmail.com: Ubuntu problem]

[Scott Ferguson]

On 04/08/15 21:21, bryan at netspeed.com.au wrote:
> Scott:
>  
>> the download of packages for the automagical dist-upgrade had dropped
>> out. Graphical boot had failed.
> 
> I had the same problem a week ago.

Symptoms? Could be that the "problem" is different.

>  
>> backed up user's settings and documents
>> backup up system configs and records
> 
> How do you do those?


Basically:-
tar cfp  --exclude=$stuff $SomeDirs | ssh -> $BackupServer | xz -f
Backup-$ClientName-`DateStamp`.tar.xz

The process is semi-automated (PXE server).

cat /usr/local/bin/DateStamp
#!/bin/bash
date +%H%M-%d%m%Y

rsync would likely be quicker. For full disk backups I remove the HDD
and put it into a box for disk -> disk copy (fastest).

>  
>>
>> installed English_Australia dictionary into Firefox
> 
> That seems like a good idea. I can't recall most of such tweaks.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/english-australian-dictionary/


apt-get install dokuwiki
navigate to http://localhost/wiki in your web browsers and start taking
notes instead of relying on your memory.

>  
> 
>> removed 8! older kernels and header packages ('that' trimmed the GRUB
>> menu)
> 
> How do you do that safely?

Slight correction (I failed to scroll right in my notes). 21 kernels and
header packages.

determined the kernel in use e.g.:-
uname -r
3.16.0-0.bpo.4-686-pae

confirmed that the kernel functioned properly

listed all the kernels and kernel header that were installed, except
what was relevant to the kernel in use, and removed them:-
apt-get -s remove `dpkg --get-selections|grep
'linux-image\|linux-headers'|grep -v 3.16` | more

If the projected results look fine, rerun the command but replace "-s"
with "--purge -y", and also remove the "| more".

If it turns out that was the wrong thing to do... just as well you have
a working box with a package cache and an internet connection, and that
you recorded what you did (starting with the initial "dpkg
--get-selections | ssh $SomeWhereSafe")

<snipped>


Kind regards