[SOLVED] Any way to keep settings while doing a clean install?

[Gromm]

It is time to upgrade my Kubuntu 22.04.5 to 22.04.2 since the security updates will stop for my current installtion will stop in a few days. I prefer a clean installation because my experience with an upgrade is that is slows down your system like it's windows (:P). However, I would like to know if there is a way to keep my settings like: wallpapers, system setting, colour schemes etc. Is there any way to backup those and put them back once the installation is done? Or perhaps another method possible?

[claydoh]

Your entire /home/username directory stores all of that.
Back it up.
Copy it over to the new install, even from the live session, if you select "try Kubuntu" before you reboot.

When doing a new install, you can also manually partition the drive, and create a separate one to be mounted as /home. Doing so allows you to only need to wipe out / on any future clean installs, using the same or similar manual partitioning scheme, and the exact same username.

Now, you do not have to rush and do this right away. While the Plasma desktop bits won't see any future updates, the OS bits still will, for the full 5-year LTS lifespan.
I am betting that there have been little to (more likely) zero Plasma or KDE-related updates in a while now.
It will be the same for 22.04, in two years' time.

[Gromm]

Well I think I have to upgrade after all. I checked the system and it is not even 22.04 it is still 20.04

Besturingssysteem: Kubuntu 20.04
KDE Plasma-version: 5.18.8
Versie van KDE-Frameworks: 5.68.0
Qt-versie: 5.12.8
Kernel-versie: 5.15.0-69-generic
Type OS: 64-bit

Still, if I check https://kubuntu.org/getkubuntu/ I see that 22.04.05 is supported until april 2023. Me thinks they refer to the OS and not the plasma desktop? What do you know I still do not? And if so, why don't they make the difference clear?

Anyway: thank you for your info.

My home folder is copied to a storage partition as we speak.

[claydoh]

Still, if I check https://kubuntu.org/getkubuntu/ I see that 22.04.05 is supported until april 2023. Me thinks they refer to the OS and not the plasma desktop? What do you know I still do not? And if so, why don't they make the difference clear?

It is sort of a loophole, since Ubuntu LTS have a 5-year security support span.
The "Flavours" only offer three.
But since the Flavours only provide the Desktop GUI bits on top of Ubuntu, the actual OS underneath (Ubuntu 20.04) has support for 5.
I just point this out so that you do not need to be in a rush to upgrade or do a fresh install right away, if that is a concern.

Kubuntu will archive the iso image, and stop any work on 20.04 that they might be doing still. But the packages are still in Ubuntu's software repositories, and won't be removed or anything.
It just will be no longer supported - no more security patches to KDE or Plasma-related stuff.

[Gromm]

"I just point this out so that you do not need to be in a rush to upgrade or do a fresh install right away, if that is a concern." No, you just taught me something thank you. It sounds pretty logical to me actaully.
Does this mean that I have to upgrade manually through the terminal or will Kubuntu still notify me when there are updates?

The next question might be: Why oh why do the flavours only offer three years? But let's enjoy the weekend

[claydoh]

Does this mean that I have to upgrade manually through the terminal or will Kubuntu still notify me when there are updates?

You update as you normally do, no changes there

The next question might be: Why oh why do the flavours only offer three years? But let's enjoy the weekend

A number of reasons. Mainly because the desktop software projects don't usually support for that long - KDE doesn't support or update Plasma's own LTS releases for more than two years.
So there is nothing for Kubuntu to package, essentially

Another is manpower and time - if Kubuntu wanted to support old Plasma and KDE software for a long time, they would have to do so themselves. This is most likely outside of their skill sets, let alone the time, number of people it would require, and effort involved.

The last is related to both, really - volunteer work. Ubuntu as well as Red Hat can pay for people to support what it wants to support, at a professional level.

Kubuntu and most of KDE is strictly volunteer work.

[Gromm]

You update as you normally do, no changes there


A number of reasons. Mainly because the desktop software projects don't usually support for that long - KDE doesn't support or update Plasma's own LTS releases for more than two years.
So there is nothing for Kubuntu to package, essentially

Another is manpower and time - if Kubuntu wanted to support old Plasma and KDE software for a long time, they would have to do so themselves. This is most likely outside of their skill sets, let alone the time, number of people it would require, and effort involved.

The last is related to both, really - volunteer work. Ubuntu as well as Red Hat can pay for people to support what it wants to support, at a professional level.

Kubuntu and most of KDE is strictly volunteer work.

Again, logic in this answer. Thank you

[arsivci]

If you're going to choose clean install, I recommend a separate partition for /home. This way, you can easily keep your settings across distributions.

[Gromm]

If you're going to choose clean install, I recommend a separate partition for /home. This way, you can easily keep your settings across distributions.

Sounds good as well, but do you need something special to do to make that work? It seems to me the home partition needs to be on the same hd as the system installation.

[Schwarzer Kater]

No, /home doesn't have to be on the same HDD/SDD (or whatever) as e.g. the root partition - you could even put your /home on an USB stick (normally not advisable due to the short life time of an USB stick)…

[Gromm]

And thank you as well. I do not come here very often; how can I put a topic on 'solved´?

[Snowhog]

how can I put a topic on 'solved´?

Go to first post. Click Edit button. Select [SOLVED] from drop down list to left of Topic Title.

[Gromm]

Done! Thank you