Back Up & Restore Ubuntu Packages with APTonCD - A Guide

From here, you can begin backing up or restoring your installed packages.

Creating Package Backups

The "Create" function within the application enables the generation of a disc containing your downloaded DEB packages. This process involves copying these packages from the APT cache, which is typically found in the /var/cache/apt/archives/ directory, onto the chosen disc.

It's important to note that if system maintenance tools, like Computer Janitor, have been utilized, the cached packages might have been removed from your system.

Package Selection

APTonCD displays a comprehensive list of your currently cached packages, automatically selecting them for inclusion. Users retain the ability to deselect individual packages if they are not desired on the backup disc.

Should you have additional DEB packages to include, the "Add" button facilitates their addition to the selection list. Alternatively, packages can be directly dragged and dropped from a file manager into the application window.

Burning the Disc

After finalizing your package selection, initiate the burning process by clicking the "Burn" button. A new window will appear, allowing you to choose between creating a CD or DVD image, specifying a filename and location for the resulting ISO image file, and optionally generating a meta-package.

A meta-package functions as a single package with dependencies on all other packages present on the disc, simplifying installation by allowing APT to install all packages with a single command.

Finalizing the Backup

Confirm your settings by clicking the "Apply" button. APTonCD will then proceed to create the ISO image at the designated location.

Upon image creation, APTonCD can automatically launch a disc-burning application, such as Brasero, for immediate disc burning. Alternatively, the ISO image can be burned to a disc at a later time.

For systems lacking a disc drive, the ISO image can be saved as a file and transferred to other computers via a USB drive.

Installing Packages from APTonCD

Should you have created a disc image, inserting the disc into your drive allows you to access its contents via a file manager. Double-clicking the "aptoncd-metapackage" package initiates the installation of all packages contained on the disc.

This process effectively installs all previously saved software. Note that this metapackage will only be available if APTonCD was configured to generate one during the backup process.

Installation from an ISO Image

Alternatively, if only an ISO image file is available, it can be mounted as a virtual disc. This enables the installation of packages directly from the image file.

Mounting the ISO provides access to the archived packages, allowing for restoration without requiring a physical disc.

Utilizing a Disc as a Package Repository

Within APTonCD, selecting File --> Add CD/DVD integrates the optical disc into APT as a software source.

This allows the disc to function as a repository for APT, enabling package installation via tools like Synaptic or apt-get.

Importantly, this functionality remains accessible even when an internet connection is unavailable.

How it Works

By adding the disc as a source, APT recognizes the packages contained within it.

Consequently, you can install, upgrade, or remove software directly from the disc, mirroring the process of using an online repository.

This is particularly useful for offline installations or when dealing with limited bandwidth.

Re-establishing Packages within the APT Cache

The functionality to initiate restoration via the Load button on the restore interface remains inactive until the hal package is installed on your operating system. Installation can be achieved through the following command:

sudo apt-get install hal

Following the execution of this command, a restart of APTonCD is necessary. This will enable the restoration of packages by utilizing the Restore button.

Package restoration is adaptable to various systems, provided they share the same architecture. For instance, attempting to install 64-bit packages on a 32-bit Ubuntu installation will be unsuccessful.

The Load button, located on the Restore screen, allows you to designate either a disc drive or an ISO image file as the source for restoration.

Once a source is specified, clicking the Restore button will initiate the process of transferring the downloaded packages into your APT cache.

Subsequently, APT will leverage these cached packages for installation, bypassing the need for re-downloading.

APTonCD proves especially beneficial for systems lacking internet connectivity. It also offers a streamlined method for quickly reinstating preferred packages after a fresh Ubuntu installation, eliminating the requirement for manual recollection.

Have you previously utilized APTonCD? We invite you to share your experiences and insights within the comments section.