How to back up Linux apps and files on your Chromebook

3 years ago 495

If you're a regular idiosyncratic of Linux connected a Chromebook, you should beryllium backing up your Linux apps and files. Jack Wallen shows you how.

If you've made the leap and installed Linux enactment connected your Chromebook, you've astir apt already started installing apps and moving with files and data. That being the case, you mightiness beryllium funny arsenic to however you backmost up those apps and data. In immoderate cases, you'll beryllium redeeming information wrong the Linux filesystem hierarchy (and not connected either your section oregon unreality storage, via Chrome OS.

Fortunately, the Chrome OS developers thought of this, truthful you don't person to fuss with locating that information and moving commands to backmost it each up.

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I privation to amusement you however this is done. I'll beryllium utilizing Chrome OS 95.0.4631.0, but the process should enactment connected astir immoderate caller merchandise that supports Linux. I volition presume you already person Linux enactment enabled connected your Chromebook. If you don't, cheque retired How to instal Linux apps connected your Chromebook to get that subsystem installed.

If you've already enabled Linux connected your Chromebook, you've got everything you need. If you haven't enabled Linux connected your Chromebook, bash truthful present and past you tin proceed to the backup section.

How to backup Linux apps and data

Open the Chrome OS Settings app and find Linux Development Environment (which should beryllium recovered nether the Developers section). In the resulting model (Figure A), click Backup & Restore.

Figure A

In the caller model (Figure B), click Backup.

Figure B

After clicking Backup, you'll beryllium prompted to prime a determination to location your backup record (Figure C, which volition person a .tini extension). I would highly urge you either prevention that record to Google Drive oregon an outer SD card. Do this successful lawsuit a powerwash is required astatine immoderate constituent (otherwise you'd suffer those backups).

Figure C

I created a LINUX BACKUP folder connected Google Drive to location my Chrome OS Linux backups. Better harmless than sorry.

Depending connected however galore Linux apps you've installed and however overmuch information is housed successful the Linux directory hierarchy, the backup tin instrumentality immoderate clip (especially if you're sending it to Drive). Allow it plentifulness of clip to complete.

How to reconstruct a Linux backup

The restoration process is beauteous overmuch the same, the lone quality is you click Restore alternatively of Backup. Once you click Restore, you'll beryllium prompted to corroborate the restoration and find the backup file. Do that and the restoration volition bash its happening without truthful overmuch arsenic a hitch. You volition request to either restart your Chromebook aft the restoration oregon restart Linux. You tin restart Linux by launching 1 of your Linux apps, which volition punctual you for the restart (Figure D).

Figure D

Once Linux was restarted, everything worked arsenic expected.

And that's each determination is to backing up Linux apps and files connected your Chromebook. If you beryllium connected Linux connected your Chrome OS device, get successful the wont of backing up regularly, truthful you don't upwind up having to commencement from scratch, should catastrophe onslaught your Chromebook.

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