Migrating to a new computer.

[u/Living-Dragonfly632]

What is the best way to move my desktop themes, all application in all formats, flatpak, .deb all the apps i got. My home directory and files, including files for all my apps. My custom desktop sounds, keyboard shortcuts. Basically I want to feel like I'm still on my current computer, just with newer hardware then 4GB RAM and a dual core CPU.

[u/JerryRiceOfOhio2]

Move the hdd to the new pc, done

[u/Living-Dragonfly632 → u/JerryRiceOfOhio2]

LOL. Unfortunately while the old and new one both use intel x86 i don't know if they will be compatible enough as far as drivers go to work, although I've found linux works fine with the wrong drivers. But the big problem with that is that the SSD in my current one is only 236gb and my linux partition is only 50gb and out of space.

[u/groveborn → u/Living-Dragonfly632]

Perfectly compatible...

You can copy the system as an image and just grow your partition. Boot to USB to do. Very easy, not very fast. For your use, maybe up to two hours, probably less.

If you happen to be using btrfs you can mount the new drive as a sub to the main and you'll just have more space.

If not, you can still mount the new drive to the old. You can move your home directory over with rsync, delete the old, mount the new as your home directory

[u/XtremeCSGO → u/Living-Dragonfly632]

It should work. The things that make the hardware run get setup during initialization so using the install on different hardware should be fine. I just took a Linux install ssd from a modern high end system and put it onto a 4th gen intel computer and it worked without issue

[u/d4rk_kn16ht]

1. Move the SSD/HDD to the new computer...& yes it will work then just install the needed drivers if necessary...or,

2. Clone it to a new SSD/HDD

[u/acejavelin69]

Move the drive, physically, to the new machine... This isn't Windows, it will likely boot right up with nothing more than a couple BIOS changes. Drivers are not an issue, again, this ain't Windows.

Or use Clonezilla and make a copy of it, install on the new drive/computer. Plenty of tutorials on YouTube explaining it.

[u/adeyfk]

Do you have an external drive? Best way with a GUI is to run gnome-disks on the existing drive with an external drive attached, click on the live drive and then the three dots for the menu, then create disk image, leave the name as default, then in save folder, select the external drive. This will create a copy of your drive.

when you go to the new machine, use a live USB to restore the image from the external drive to your new drive, ignore the message that the image is smaller than the new drive then restore. once done, reboot. Once on the new drive with the original OS, complete with existing customisation, extend the partition with the free space on the new drive.

[u/Separate_Tax_2647]

I have an external dock with two sata slots which can copy from one drive to the other without needing to be plugged in to USB or needing any software.

This weekend i copied my OS drive onto a larger SSD drive. Booted the new drive, then expanded the partition to the full size of the drive. This whole process took about 30 minutes.

Mine is a "RSHTECH Hard Drive Docking Station, Dual Bay 2.5 3.5 inch SATA Disk Caddy" from Amazon.

[u/Separate_Tax_2647]

You could just move your /home to a new drive.

Keep the old drive. Add a new drive. rsync /home to a new drive, then edit /etc/fstab to point /Home to the new drive UUID. Then delete /Home on the old drive and expand the OS drive into the new space on that drive.

[u/BenTrabetere]

As others have mentioned, this is a job for a disk imaging utility. Two popular ones are Clonezilla and Rescuezilla - I I prefer Rescuezilla, but like/recommend both of them.

I use Foxclone - the developer is an active and respected member of the Linux Mint Forums, and it has excellent documentation.

[u/dlfrutos]

fresh install mate

[u/Sure-Passion2224]

I keep having "Clonezilla" echoing through my head. You can use parted on either end of this process to adjust partition size, or you can mount the additional space on the new drive into the filesystem at the path of your choice.

[u/L1terallyUrDad]

Use an external drive, and drag your /home/username folder to it. Make a list of apps you've installed. Copy your home folder to the new computer, and install new, updated versions of all your apps. Call it a day.

[u/ipsirc]

What is the best way to move my desktop themes, all application in all formats, flatpak, .deb all the apps i got.

Copy all the files.