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I want to configure my full monthly backup settings to backup my user data only, not the OS. If I needed to do a complete restore, I would re-install Ubuntu and then add back my data. Is all data specific to me contained in the /home directory, including the settings changes, profiles, etc. I make in various apps, like Tbird, Firefox, etc.? (I do incremental backups of the most used folders more often.) I am the only user on this system Ubuntu 22.04.

SharonK
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3 Answers3

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In a word "Yes"

Yes, for a "normal" desktop user, all the personal data including changes in personal profiles, app settings etc. are stored in /home/$USER folder.

If you setup the default Backup app in your Ubuntu desktop to periodically backup the default folder, then it will backup your Home folder, /home/$USER. Make your backup destination is either an external drive, a network drive, or to the cloud. In other words, do not keep your backup in the same drive you are backing up!

The Example of Thunderbird and Firefox

The settings and saved emails in Thunderbird are stored in a hidden folder /home/$USER/.thunderbird/. Similarly the Firefox settings, installed extensions etc. are stored in /home/$USER/.mozilla/. So backing up your /home/$USER/ folder will backup your personal configurations and settings of apps like Thunderbird, and Firefox.

Other things other readers may want to backup

Note, none of what follows are required for what you want to do. I am putting them here just in case someone else finds them helpful.

Oldfred's comment to the question lists other things you may want to backup along with your Home folder:

  1. A list of applications you have installed. See How to backup settings and list of installed packages Note: I do not recommend you backup applications and system files. Just make a list. For example, if you have installed Chrome, Zoom, Gimp, etc. that did not come pre-installed with Ubuntu, make a list so that you know what you may want to install on top of the fresh Ubuntu installation.
  2. Any changes you have made to files or sub-folders of /etc. "Normal" users do not need to make change to these files. But if you did, you may want to back them up. Warning: Do not backup the /etc/ folder as a whole. The configuration files for a newer version of Ubuntu may change, and the old configuration may not work. It is best to leave this folder alone if you don't know which files you need to backup.
  3. If you run web, email or any other types of servers in your computer you may want to backup those folders. They typically reside outside your Home folder. The web server data may be in /var/www/. For an email server, the locally retrieved emails may be in /var/spool/mail, or /usr/spool/mail.
  4. If you run QEMU/KVM based virtual machines, you may want to backup the virtual disks used by them. By default they reside in /var/lib/libvirt.
  5. If you automate some tasks using systemd, cron, crontab, anacron, etc. you may want to backup those configuration files as well. Location of the files would depend on the tool use for automation.

You may find this answer useful: Odd Error With deja-dup Backup Application

Hope this helps

user68186
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In a word "No"

Depending on the system, locally received email is stored outside the users home directory. These days, typically /var/spool/mail, classically (and correctly) /usr/spool/mail.

You might want to compare the list of installed files and the list of files outside users home directories. You will quickly learn other things to ignore (/var/log/, /var/lib/dpkg/, /var/lib/apt/lists/, etc...) but may find other things to ignore and others to backup. (Do not assume all of /var or /usr is unneeded.)

Some commands to consider (that both include directories):

dpkg-query -W -f 'dpkg -L ${binary:Package}\n' | sh | sort -u
find / -path /home -prune -o -print | sort
David G.
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All your personal data including Thunderbird, Firefox, Chrome and other browsers, Music, Pictures (photographs), Videos, Downloads, Desktop and Documents, .ssh, .profile, .local, .var are all stored in /home/$USER folder.

PMF
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