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On 06/11/2019 12:22, Paul Sutton wrote:
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA512 If you boot a live cd then you should be able to gain access to /home If you plug in an external storage device you should be able to copy items to the external backup, reinstall the OS then copy them back. If you show hidden you can also back up key configuration and other data e.g if you're using thunderbird then .thunderbird. This is a good argument to use a separate /home partition as when you re-install you can opt not to format /home. I think to maintain file permissions you need to use the same username. Unless you want to manually change the file ownerships with chown etc. However I am sure others will agree this is no substitute for backup of important files. External hard disks are not expensive but worth the investment. Failing that you can back up to cloud storage too. I am sure others may have a better solution or be able to expand / advise further. Hope this helps, Paul On 06/11/2019 12:15, Neil wrote:My daughter has just arrived with her laptop. She cannot log in as normal. When she tries the screen simply starts flashing on and off. At the moment I am running a memory test. I can upgrade her to a new distro easily enough and set up her email again. However there are some photos on the current distro which she would like to save. No backup of course, and yes I have told her, many times. Any suggestions please? Neil- -- Paul Suttonhttp://www.zleap.net gnupg : 7D6D B682 F351 8D08 1893 1E16 F086 5537 D066 302D -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Comment: Using GnuPG with Thunderbird - https://www.enigmail.net/ iQIzBAEBCgAdFiEEfW22gvNRjQgYkx4W8IZVN9BmMC0FAl3CuwoACgkQ8IZVN9Bm MC0ZGQ/+Mz8anxR/uBRmEo9jf+ub3ApB/5hNzMKW6/baVHFNSd2stdfT0OjSGIuK TRXbu0Bz3M46kirUDXmNiHXE/ub0xNEW8ETR8ma7aNOCcUH3pI1kOuqncQc7QunY X3x5tv+4JkTNqmqBiucJCXR26BkHAoZRttB2H0Va27laGi7Yu1DeegjtjmFa3N6/ R4Vi8Rp7ehiYhtj6wU67Suk3v1SNMpsXcjNQTr/vjL0NAxBb+VFFY6Puj2UsYdFN QKm2sdnRNR8TLguRCMqbL1yjbLfiErihy9zxz6Z9Try/qxnAaZTEsHQK8/Mvfpd3 bIXMromWlSKW79gi9iha8m+YMNG15oWwISFk0haI4MspI/otTcxKzd+O8z5m+GwS pMwyNMyrqXyCsSxNfAed+fLwpn+Wc8z54EdpWh7QDlsPSuxCz29WfFdBEC1gjoa4 QXX21EYT0oM61FfMl13eXKzxTyCMAQBPVIqmgCqlIjWy6gwOxc/vo5v5j0w5yRMj ZRfettwXyyJhFUbXvsZc0cFwgHwSukV+LKFFzXB5g55cPwJeha3nm5ygaZOaBMjc 0tDLlXYfvWOlSOTBfCsJgvx4McPOXkpb4sXAb9hkl0ila68Ru/9SKpd046uOHPC5 VITP8EpMPxbbrcqmlPhQBVFIxTrUkTvT1usY0Q1ptT96x0IQ0BM= =ZX1B -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
Penny worth on user and password.Using a Live Linux you need to discover IF the original has door "/" and home "/home" as separate partitions under her user name. The ".Thunderbird' will be that under her user name. ensure all . files can be seen.
If not, copy off all her data onto hard disc, reinstall with two separate partitions for "/" and "/home" plus a swap partition
I would copy all home files including all 'hidden' files to separate hard disc. (Your recovery set) but as well as using the exact same user name when reinstalling only the "/" root partition you must also use the same password as before. Password and user name must be identical to that used before.
If then you set up a new distro or the old one, and copy back the "user" file she will have all her old emails photos etc.
PS I always keep a separate copy of ".Thunderbird" on a USB stick monthly as that is for me the main thing. So when trouble beyond by understanding i just re-install the "/" root system and overwrite the ".Thunderbird" set up by it by the copy from the USB stick
Photos, docs etc are then copied back to /home. -- regards Eion MacDonald -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG https://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/listfaq