Re: best way to re-install and keep cygwin configuration

["Larry Hall (Cygwin)" <reply-to-list-only-lh@cygwin.com>]

On 7/12/2012 4:10 PM, Earnie Boyd wrote:
> On Thu, Jul 12, 2012 at 2:08 PM, LMH wrote:
>> I am getting ready to re-install XP and I would like to avoid having to
>> completely redo my cygwin install. Is there a way to export the current
>> settings (installed packages, etc) and then re-import it after re-install?
>>
>> I was thinking of just copying my cygwin_install directory that has
>> setup.exe and the mirror folders and then reintroducing that to the new
>> install, or just copying the entire cygwin root folder as well.
>>
>> Is there a prescribed method for this?
>
> Barring a backup utility to restore it later, I would suggest a
> straight copy to an external disk or perhaps burn it on a DVD.  Be
> sure to export a copy of the registry so you can later import it.
>

<http://cygwin.com/faq-nochunks.html#faq.setup.registry>

So the only reason to care much about the registry is if you want cygcheck
to be able to report where your Cygwin installation is.  This can be nice
if you need to send your cygcheck information in when getting help from the
list but it would also presuppose that you put Cygwin right back in the
same location as in your current installation.

While I would also tend to just copy off my current Cygwin install and then
plop it back in when I finished the O/S reinstall, there will be things
like local user and group accounts in '/etc/passwd' and '/etc/group' that
will need updating.  A reinstall of Cygwin avoids some of these little
clean-up tasks that come from just copying over a previous installation.



-- 
Larry

_____________________________________________________________________

A: Yes.
 > Q: Are you sure?
 >> A: Because it reverses the logical flow of conversation.
 >>> Q: Why is top posting annoying in email?


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