future move Kubuntu 8.04 KDE 3.5 to Kubuntu 9.10 KDE4

[Clay Weber]

On Tuesday 15 September 2009 08:44:34 am O. Sinclair wrote:
> O. Sinclair wrote:
> > I have just downloaded and am running Karmic Alpha in a VBox. And I must
> > admit that this far I am impressed. Yes there are some things I don't
> > get just yet, such as why KPackageKit has replaced the (for non-pros)
> > intuitive Add/Remove Programs completely. And a few other things.

I think no one has written a KDE4 based version of this

> > But it DOES look good and most things work well. It seems the time to
> > switch is coming.
> >
> > So I am trying to think of how to plan this. Given that I would like a
> > "partially clean start" meaning I do not want to lose my emails (Kmail)
> > or old saved feeds (Akregator), Kopete accounts, files such as documents
> > etc but I want to "lose" most of my other hidden .whatever directories
> > that have amassed over time.
> >
> > If I make a clean install with the same identity as now and then copy
> > back files/folders (non-hidden), then what directories in .kde do I
> > need? Any others?
I would *back up* the entire .kde directory.  Then your .mozilla folder if you 
run firefox, (and .mozilla-thunderbird if you run t-bird) and want to save 
those settings.

Also any folders that are from any other programs you use that , such as 
.wine. You can also save your .config folder - some non-kde apps save their 
configs there- though I think the actual *data* for them might be in their own 
folders, iirc.

those are the only non-obvious folders I back up when doing a clean install
> > Should that copying be done before I fire up Kmail, Kopete etc the first
> > time?
Yes, that is best
> > Will the transfer from a ext3-based harddisk to the new ext4-based home
> > directory be a problem?

no

> > how about the /etc directory?

That can be backed up as well, but I usually just save my xorg.conf as it has 
tweaks. So only save anything you have modified from in that folder, unless  
you run a lot of server-type applications

My suggestion is to back up your entire home folder. If you have home on its 
own partition (highly recommended and very handy), boot from the live cd and 
then delete anything from your home directory  you don't want to save, and 
install your new system. In this case you already have your app settings and 
data in place, the only settings that don't carry over to kde4 are your 
desktop settings. I vaguely remember having to recreate my email accounts, but 
not my filters or mail folders or any other settings - but that was during the 
Intrepid alpha/beta stages last year involving kde4.0/4.1

Now if you don't have a separate /home partition just copy your saved folders 
and files back into place, making sure you don't have any apps open as kde apps 
write configs back to disk when closing and may overwrite your copied config

> Just a "bump" as I have not had any response re the method I suggest or
> the concerns I have
> 
I have been doing it this way since back in the kde2 days without issue or 
data loss that wasn't pebkac or hardware related.
-- 
Clay Weber
http://kubuntuforums.net
http://flyballmaine.com
http://emacdogsports.com