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Ubuntu

Step-by-step?: How to migrate parts of the Home folder to another PC?

Hotspur

11/28/22, 10:46 PM

I'm requesting step-by-step help, as I'm an Ubuntu user, not a computer systems/software person. I can follow explicit detailed instructions for Terminal commands. (For example, I do not know how to move between different directories in Terminal.)

I have searched and have not found explicit step-by-step instructions for a proper way to move over contents of the Home folder in an old PC (running LUbuntu 18.04.5 LTS) to the Home folder of a new PC (running Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS).

During my (unguided) attempts at the moving-over process so far, I have deleted and tried to replace most of the contents of the new Home folder. So I think that the new Home folder is messed up by now.

I want to move across:

my data files (music, photos, documents, videos, desktop, downloads, etc.)
all personal content, settings, etc. from my old programs, including from Firefox (bookmarks, history, extensions, open sessions, etc.), from Thunderbird (accounts, local folders, etc.), from Zoom, and other programs that I will try to use again in future.

Immediately after I installed Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS from a disc to a new PC, the OS seemed to behave well. (By the way, the internal HDD in the new PC has over 200 GB unused space.)

Next, I ran into trouble, trying to migrate over a copy of the files and folders from the Home folder in my old PC (which is running LUbuntu 18.04.5 LTS).

Here's what I did, and what went wrong.

FIRST I BACKED UP (MOST PARTS OF) MY OLD HOME FOLDER.

I opened my old Home folder in a window of PCManFM 1.2.5 (the file manager).
I selected 'Show Hidden Files'.
I did Select All (items in the window), and then de-selected the large folders that contain videos (which I plan to migrate to the new PC later).
In a second window of PCManFM 1.2.5, I created a new folder in an empty external HDD, then named it (not with name 'Home', and not with name Username), and then I opened the new folder.
I dragged all the selected items from the first file manager window and dropped them into the second window.

I TRIED TWO WAYS OF MIGRATING OVER THE CONTENTS OF THE BACK-UP HOME FOLDER.

1. In File Manager in the new PC:

I did 'Select All' in the back-up home folder in the external HDD.
I dragged the selected contents, and dropped them into the Home folder in the OS in the new PC.
When prompted, I opted to merge those new and old folders which had the same names.
After that, I found I could open my browser or the Image Viewer program, but then the resulting window of that program would be empty and unresponsive, and in fact the new PC would be frozen. And I had to do a hard restart in order to repeat the attempt to run a program.

After (1) above, I deleted everything in the Home folder in the new PC (except .local, .config, and .cache, which did not seem amenable to being deleted).
Then, similar to what I had done in (1) above, I did 'Select All' in the back-up home folder in the external HDD. Then I dragged the selected contents, and dropped them into the Home folder in the OS in the new PC.
When prompted, I opted to Skip All when asked about merging new and old folders having the same names.
There were some other prompts. And similarly, I opted for Skip All.
After that, my browser loaded and worked for a few minutes before freezing.
After a hard restart, I opened Image Viewer, which froze.
After another hard restart, I opened an image file in GIMP, which seemed to work with a few filter operations that I tried.

I'm wondering whether I should try deleting the Home folder in the new PC, and if successful drag the back-up folder from the external HDD into the same place. If so, should I rename that folder 'Home'?

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guiverc

11/28/22, 11:05 PM

I'm not sure what you want to save/move across. Lubuntu 18.04 used the LXDE desktop and it was the last releases to use the old GTK2 desktop; so I can't see any value in moving those settings across, esp. if you're going to use GTK3/GNOME. If you're talking data files you can just copy; but we don't know the directory structure (or types of files) so cannot give commands to copy only what you want to save (eg. my mail data is handled by `evolution` (a GNOME MUA or mail user agent program) so it exists in a hidden directory `~/.local/share/evolution`) but we don't know what program you used.

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Sun Bear

11/28/22, 11:06 PM

In terms of migrating, it is best to only migrate your non-hidden directories and files. Those directories and files that are hidden in 18.04 may not all be suitable/compatible for 20.04 and can affect the performance of Ubuntu 20.04. You can migrate those hidden directories and files unless you know what you are doing will not break your system and apps in Ubuntu 20.04.

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guiverc

11/28/22, 11:07 PM

I found I prefer to copy my data across to the system I'll install onto, so new files replace old; but in your case I'd like `cp -prn` (copy -preserve.metadata, recursive, new.files.only), You mention deleting .local - data can be stored there as already stated (eg. all my mail is stored there! for my chosen mail program).

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zwets

11/28/22, 11:47 PM

You may want to use the Backup utility instead of copying files over?

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zwets

11/28/22, 11:54 PM

For starting from scratch, I would not recommend emptying your home directory, but instead create a temporary user (with Admin privileges), login as that user, remove and recreate your original account (and again give it Admin privileges). Then log back in as yourself and remove the temporary user. After that restore the Documents and other relevant folders from the Backup drive - which you'd really want to have and keep up to date anyway.

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Hotspur

11/29/22, 12:19 AM

I have edited the post, to say the sorts of things I want to move over to the new Home folder. So which hidden items should I move across AND EXPLICITLY HOW TO DO THE MOVING OVER? SO far, I have dragged and dropped into the new Home folder - and I deletedmost of the contents of the new Home folder during my several attempts at the moving over process.. I do not understand the comment about cp -prn (as I am not familiar/adept with Terminal commands).

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Hotspur

11/29/22, 12:20 AM

For zwets, the Backup program does not work in LUbuntu 18.04.5 (and I was never able to resolve that problem following a previous fraught interaction with AskUbuntu about that about a year ago, and even after contacting Github). When zwets says 'For starting from scratch . . .', are you recommending me to reinstall 20.04.2 again from scratch?

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Organic Marble

11/29/22, 1:30 AM

Deja-Dup (aka Backups) works great in 18.04.5 We use it frequently. This is the exact program designed to perform the task you want done. Your most promising path to success is to fix whatever keeps Deja-Dup from working for you.

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Hotspur

11/29/22, 2:44 AM

For Organic Marble, I am far, far, far from confident about getting Backups (Deja Dup) to work. I think it is very unlikely. Last year, the LUbuntu- and other -specialists were unable to resolve the problem with Backups in my LUbuntu 18.04.5. After losing much sleep, hair, etc. over it, I contacted Github, and then the 'help' seemed to disappear down a rabbit hole.

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Hotspur

11/29/22, 2:44 AM

For Organic Marble, anyway, assuming the unlikely event of getting Backups to work, as Thunderbird local folders are in /home/username/.thunderbird/7j07yqqn.default-release/Mail/Local Folders, I would have to tell Backups to backup at least part of the hidden folder '.Thunderbird'.I expect something similar in order for me to backup settings, bookmarks, etc from Firefox. So, which hidden folders would I need to tell Backups to back up?

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oldfred

11/29/22, 3:40 AM

I typically start FF & TB to create a profile. Then copy entire profile over & edit .ini file to use my profile in place of new empty profile. New versions now also have installs.ini that needs editing. I also prefer using rsync to copy folders from one system to another or to flash drives. Links to more info on profiles. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_data_to_a_new_profile_-_Thunderbird

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Hotspur

11/29/22, 3:56 AM

For oldfred, did you read what I wrote in my post (request for help) about my not being a systems/software type? Those sorts of suggestions may be good for people who know the system, but to me they are vague and lead to open ended projects instead of solutions. I request and do need explicit directions. I know not about profiles and how and where to alter and use them. Similar for rsync. Should it be this obscure to upgrade Ubuntu in a new PC?

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Hotspur

12/1/22, 5:58 AM

@zwets . Following your suggestion I did a fresh install of Ubuntu 20.04.2 from a dvd, then I logged in, then I added a new user (with admin privileges).Then I logged out, intending to then log back in as the newly added user. However, after logging out all I got was a blinking cursor at screen-top-left. So, then I did several hard restarts- to no avail. All I got after the hard restarts was the blinking cursor at screen-top left. By the way, what is the purpose of the adding and deleting of users that you suggested?

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Hotspur

12/1/22, 6:06 AM

@guiverc . I have read the answer you provided to the posting at https://discourse.lubuntu.me/t/18-04-5-lts-to-20-04-1-lts-update/1649/2. And I have read the article at https://ubuntu.com/blog/how-to-upgrade-from-ubuntu-18-04-lts-to-20-04-lts-today . The two articles seem mutually contradictory. I notice that your article post dates the other article by about 5 months. And now is 10 months later. Can you say now how best I might successfully move over my local (email) folders and my email account in Thunderbird, and my bookmarks, history, extensions, open sessions, etc. in Firefox?

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Hotspur

12/1/22, 6:57 AM

@Organic Marble . Well, 'Blow me down and shiver m' timbers', as Popeye might say. I took encouragement from your suggestion - and then the GUI of Deja-Dup seemed to indicate that I did a successful backup in LUbuntu 18.04.5! So now, does what you wrote here imply that using deja-dup to restore from the backup to Ubuntu 20.04.2 will properly bring over local folders and accounts in Thunderbird and settings, bookmarks, history, open sessions in Firefox?

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Organic Marble

12/1/22, 1:34 PM

Yes, it should indeed.

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