Aptik Migration Utility

https://launchpad.net/apt-toolkit

Aptik is a tool to simplify re-installation of packages after doing a fresh installation of an Ubuntu-based distribution. It can be used while re-installing or upgrading to the next Ubuntu/Linux Mint release.

Upgrading to the next release of an Ubuntu-based distribution can be a painful task. While most Ubuntu-based distributions provide an option to upgrade the existing installation, it can cause a number of problems. It sometimes results in broken packages and missing dependencies which can make the system unusable. If proprietary graphic drivers are in use, the system may boot into a black screen after the upgrade. The look and feel of the new release is lost since the previous desktop settings are used.

In order to avoid problems most people prefer to do a clean installation. While a clean installation avoids the problems that an upgrade can cause, setting up the new system can be a tedious task. Most people put off upgrading their system in order to avoid this trouble of setting up the new system.

Aptik is a tool that will make your life easier. While it won't eliminate all the work that needs to be done after a fresh installation, it will reduce it greatly.

Features

1. Backup & Reinstall Packages - Saves a list of all extra packages installed by the user and re-installs the packages on the new system. It takes a backup of top-level packages that were installed manually by the user.

2. Backup & Restore Launchpad PPAs - Saves a list of third-party repositories (Launchpad PPAs) and restores the PPA on the new system.

3. Backup & Restore Downloaded Packages - Copies downloaded DEB packages from the APT cache (/var/cache/apt/archives/) to backup location. These can be copied back to the APT cache on the new system so that the packages don't need to be downloaded again.

4. Backup & Restore Icons and Themes - Backup and restore installed GTK/KDE themes and icon themes from /usr/share/icons and /user/share/themes.

5. Backup & Restore Application Settings - Application configuraton folders will be zipped and saved to the backup location. Restoring the directories on the new system will restore the settings for applications like Firefox, Chromium, etc. This is better than taking a backup of your entire Home directory as you can restore the settings for specific applications.

6. Backup & Restore Application Settings - Application configuraton folders will be zipped and saved to the backup location. Restoring the directories on the new system will restore the settings for applications like Firefox, Chromium, etc. This is better than taking a backup of your entire Home directory as you can restore the settings for specific applications.

Screenshots

Main Window

Restore Software Sources (PPAs)

Restore PPA - Progress

_Restore Downloaded Packages in APT Cache

Restore Packages

_Restore Packages - Download Manager powered by aria2

_Restore Packages - Last step

Backup Application Settings

Backup Themes

About

Installation

Ubuntu-based Distributions (Ubuntu, Linux Mint, etc)

Packages are available in the Launchpad PPA for supported Ubuntu releases. Run the following commands in a terminal window:

sudo apt-add-repository -y ppa:teejee2008/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install aptik

For older Ubuntu releases which have reached end-of-life, DEB and RUN files can be downloaded from the Releases page.

Debian

DEB and RUN files can be downloaded from the Releases page.

Other Linux Distributions

This application is meant to be used only on Ubuntu-based distributions. It depends on apt and other debian-specific tools to backup and restore packages. There are currently no plans to add support for other package managers and distributions.

Removal

Run the following commands in a terminal window:

sudo apt-get autoremove aptik

Donate

If you find this application useful and wish to say thanks, you can make a donation via Paypal to show your support. You could also sign up as a sponsor on Patreon.com. People who donate get access to beta releases of new applications during the development stage, and extra features in the final release.

Disclaimer

This application is free for personal and commercial use and is licensed under the GNU General Public License. It is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. You are using this application entirely at your own risk and the author will not be liable for any damages arising from the use of this program. Please see the GNU General Public License for more details.