Create system restore points in Debian 10.1 Buster

[4joeyirosh1]

Hi!I have installed Debian 10.1 Buster 64 bit on my laptop.

I occasionally undertake installations of new packages and altering configuration files which at times can be risky as one can make a mistake and result in crashing one's current debian OS forcing one to undertake a laborious recovery or even fresh installation of the OS.

I was hoping to avoid such disastrous situations by having a debian package that creates system restore points to a specific time pre-messy configurations for me to easily recover my OS.The package should also be able to schedule creation of OS backups for system restore e.g. I should be able to specify create a OS backup image to a file location of my choosing every 4 pm and I can also create a backup image on the fly as I deem fit so that I create backup images when I feel I maybe making risky changes to the OS.Ideally,I would like a package that replicates the same system restore features of Windows OS.

I have seen that Ubuntu has systemback package not available in Debian and it would be EXTREMELY UNWISE to break my Debian by forcing installation of Ubuntu packages.Thus whats the equivalent of systemback for Ubuntu and System Restore in Windows and how do I setup the backups and restores?

[Head_on_a_Stick]

https://packages.debian.org/buster/snapper

[4joeyirosh1]

https://packages.debian.org/buster/snapper

Thanks for informing me about snapper package.I have installed it.

However I dont know how to configure or use it.From the research I have done on the package on debian,I have found almost no websites or documents of how to configure and use it especially on debian.Also,it seems I have mostly seen snapshot creation for btrfs filesystems while I use ext4 filesystem for my Debian.It would also be best to have a GUI interface for snapper that enables a relatively novice user to create backup images and restore easily.I would like a document on how to configure and use snapper on both GUI and terminal commands

Thanks

[tynman]

From http://snapper.io/faq.html

Does snapper support ext4?
Yes, but only experimentally and you need a special kernel and e2fsprogs. For more information see the next4 project.

Ext4 doesn't have built-in support for "snapshots", at least not in the sense that btrfs and zfs have snapshot functionality (in both btrfs and zfs, snapshot functionality is provided by "snapshot" commands).

[stevepusser]

Timeshift would seem to fit the bill:

Description: System restore utility
Timeshift is a system restore utility which takes snapshots
of the system at regular intervals. These snapshots can be restored
at a later date to undo system changes. Creates incremental snapshots
using rsync or BTRFS snapshots using BTRFS tools.

Edit: it's also dead easy to set up and run.

[Head_on_a_Stick]

I would like a document on how to configure and use snapper on both GUI and terminal commands

The tool originates from SUSE so check their documentation. I have my own backup & restore methods so I've never used snapper.

[4joeyirosh1]

Timeshift would seem to fit the bill:

Description: System restore utility
Timeshift is a system restore utility which takes snapshots
of the system at regular intervals. These snapshots can be restored
at a later date to undo system changes. Creates incremental snapshots
using rsync or BTRFS snapshots using BTRFS tools.

Edit: it's also dead easy to set up and run.

Thanks stevepusser for your advice.I have installed timeshift and selected RSYNC as my snapshot method (since I use ext4 filesystem instead of btrfs),did some basic configuration like scheduling the number and time of backups and tried to create the first snapshot.

However,when I try to create snapshot from GUI,the RSYNC create snapshot window runs indefinitely permanently showing 00:00:00 remaining and thus not finishing to create the snapshot.I am able to see snapshot files on on ../timeshift/snapshot/ directory but the snapshot creation process does not complete.

I have also tried to create snapshots via terminal though command below and the snapshot creation stalls indefinitely at 99.99%

Code: Select all

#timeshift --create --comments "joey_snaphsot_1" --tags D
Creating new snapshot...(RSYNC)
Saving to device: /dev/dm-0, mounted at path: /data
Synching files with rsync...
99.99% complete (00:00:00 remaining)

i have raised to the developer this issue on github link https://github.com/teejee2008/timeshift/issues/505 but he hasnt responded yet.Maybe you have insights on what is wrong and how it can be fixed.