I commonly reinstall Ubuntu and back up my APT stuff [sources, keys and installed package lists] using the tutorial at https://askubuntu.com/a/99151/371765. However I commonly also remove software such as totem, transmission, unity scopes, etc.
When the install has finished and I restore my APT sources, keys, and installed packages from the previous install, I find I get the following:
- I get a warning saying
dpkg: warning: package not in database at line ###: vlc
[vlc is an example, it could behtop
oriotop
]. I think it does this warning for every package to restore in the universe repos, however I am not too sure. - Anything uninstalled [totem, transmission, firefox, simple-scan, etc] on the previous system stays installed on the new system.
How can I make it so that anything uninstalled from the previous system gets uninstalled on the new system during installation of other packages [eg vlc]?
I have a made a start with diff plans, however when trying to convert version numbers to the word "test" [for testing purposes] in the Ubuntu 14.04.2 manifest, it converts all of the line and not a portion of it.
Best Answer
A slight variation on Installing packages by importing the list with dpkg --set-selections should do the trick.
Save the list of packages on your reference system:
Then install packages based on that list on your target system, after updating the list of available packages: