15-02-2024, 11:10 AM
(15-02-2024, 09:47 AM)Murphyv310 Wrote: You also can in the main copy your Home folder after selecting hidden files to an external SSD and then copy and paste them back to a new install and you'll not loose anything, there is one caveat though that I can explain in due course.You can add multiple desktops without a new install using the Software manager. Then at log-in screen you pick Mate, Cinammon, KDE, XFCE, LXDE or whatever ones you installed before you enter the password. You click on the icon for desktop version at the login-box.
Also copying the hidden files from one install to another can break things unless the other install/new install is the same version with same settings, same programs added and the user is the same system ID.
Timeshift is the recommend backup. Also a USB HDD is cheaper and more reliable than an SSD for backups. Also any backup device need to be ext4 format (or whatever format the Linux OS is using). Fat32, exFat and NTFS formats on external devices are only good to copy user files to non-Linux systems.
A new install is only ever needed if you deleted part of the system such that it doesn't boot at all, or if the disk fails. Every other issue can be fixed by a search on the Internet (on a phone or tablet if needs be) and typing in the command.
