System upgrade overwriting personal preference settings

Hi,
I didn't know whether it is right place to ask about so in case if I'm in a wrong part then please move it to proper.
I'm really happy while using Garuda Linux. But there is one tiny thing which drive me crazy: after system upgrading my personal preference setting like :
-kayboard shorcuts
-windows theme
-virtual desktops
-desktop effects
and many others...
are just restored to default!
How to avoid that? How after system upgrade keep my settings untouched?
Is it normal behavior or it's only my case?

Sounds like KDE features but since you didn't post your inxi -Faz as requested in template one can only guess.

2 Likes

Oh sorry. I have treat it rather like a general question. I was guessing that everyone faces that experience as well..
So bellow my data:

inxi -Faz
System:    Kernel: 5.15.13-zen1-1-zen x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 11.1.0
parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-linux-zen root=UUID=733a78e5-2a03-4d99-bd2e-33feedaa75a2 rw
rootflags=subvol=@ quiet splash rd.udev.log_priority=3 vt.global_cursor_default=0
systemd.unified_cgroup_hierarchy=1 loglevel=3
Console: pty pts/1 wm: kwin_x11 DM: SDDM Distro: Garuda Linux base: Arch Linux
Machine:   Type: Desktop Mobo: Gigabyte model: P55-US3L serial: N/A BIOS: Award v: FE date: 03/05/2010
CPU:       Info: Quad Core model: Intel Core i5 750 socket: 478 (1156) note: check bits: 64 type: MCP
arch: Nehalem family: 6 model-id: 1E (30) stepping: 5 microcode: A cache: L1: 256 KiB
L2: 1024 KiB L3: 8 MiB
flags: ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 21320
Speed: 2740 MHz min/max: 1197/2661 MHz base/boost: 2800/4000 boost: enabled volts: 1.0 V
ext-clock: 133 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 2740 2: 3136 3: 3173 4: 3025
Vulnerabilities: Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX disabled
Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion; VMX: conditional cache flushes, SMT disabled
Type: mds status: Vulnerable: Clear CPU buffers attempted, no microcode; SMT disabled
Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI
Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl
Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
Type: spectre_v2
mitigation: Full generic retpoline, IBPB: conditional, IBRS_FW, STIBP: disabled, RSB filling
Type: srbds status: Not affected
Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:  Device-1: AMD Redwood XT [Radeon HD 5670/5690/5730] vendor: Gigabyte driver: radeon v: kernel
bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 1002:68d8 class-ID: 0300
Device-2: Logitech Webcam C930e type: USB driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-1.2:3
chip-ID: 046d:0843 class-ID: 0102 serial: <filter>
Display: server: X.Org 1.21.1.3 compositor: kwin_x11 driver: loaded: ati,radeon
unloaded: modesetting alternate: fbdev,vesa display-ID: :0 screens: 1
Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 508x285mm (20.0x11.2") s-diag: 582mm (22.9")
Monitor-1: HDMI-0 res: 1920x1080 hz: 60 dpi: 82 size: 598x336mm (23.5x13.2") diag: 686mm (27")
Message: Unable to show advanced data. Required tool glxinfo missing.
Audio:     Device-1: Intel 5 Series/3400 Series High Definition Audio vendor: Gigabyte
driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:3b56 class-ID: 0403
Device-2: AMD Redwood HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 5000 Series] vendor: Gigabyte driver: snd_hda_intel
v: kernel bus-ID: 01:00.1 chip-ID: 1002:aa60 class-ID: 0403
Device-3: Creative Labs CA0106/CA0111 [SB Live!/Audigy/X-Fi Series] driver: snd_ca0106
v: kernel bus-ID: 06:04.0 chip-ID: 1102:0007 class-ID: 0401
Device-4: Philips s SAA7131/SAA7133/SAA7135 Video Broadcast Decoder
vendor: Avermedia DVB-T Super 007 driver: saa7134 v: 0, 2, 17 bus-ID: 06:05.0
chip-ID: 1131:7133 class-ID: 0480
Device-5: Logitech Webcam C930e type: USB driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-1.2:3
chip-ID: 046d:0843 class-ID: 0102 serial: <filter>
Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k5.15.13-zen1-1-zen running: yes
Sound Server-2: JACK v: 1.9.19 running: no
Sound Server-3: PulseAudio v: 15.0 running: yes
Sound Server-4: PipeWire v: 0.3.43 running: yes
Network:   Device-1: Realtek RTL8192EE PCIe Wireless Network Adapter driver: rtl8192ee v: kernel
port: ee00 bus-ID: 02:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:818b class-ID: 0280
IF: wlp2s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Device-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet vendor: Gigabyte driver: r8169
v: kernel port: ce00 bus-ID: 05:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8168 class-ID: 0200
IF: enp5s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 447.13 GiB used: 197.1 GiB (44.1%)
ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: GOODRAM model: N/A family: Driven OEM SSDs size: 447.13 GiB
block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B sata: 3.1 speed: 3.0 Gb/s type: SSD serial: <filter>
rev: 01.7 temp: 30 C scheme: MBR
SMART: yes state: enabled health: PASSED on: 40d 12h cycles: 120 written: 2553 GiB
Partition: ID-1: / raw-size: 293.3 GiB size: 293.3 GiB (100.00%) used: 47.26 GiB (16.1%) fs: btrfs
block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/sda3 maj-min: 8:3
ID-2: /boot raw-size: 520 MiB size: 519 MiB (99.80%) used: 247.7 MiB (47.7%) fs: vfat
block-size: 512 B dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
ID-3: /home raw-size: 293.3 GiB size: 293.3 GiB (100.00%) used: 47.26 GiB (16.1%) fs: btrfs
block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/sda3 maj-min: 8:3
ID-4: /var/log raw-size: 293.3 GiB size: 293.3 GiB (100.00%) used: 47.26 GiB (16.1%) fs: btrfs
block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/sda3 maj-min: 8:3
ID-5: /var/tmp raw-size: 293.3 GiB size: 293.3 GiB (100.00%) used: 47.26 GiB (16.1%) fs: btrfs
block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/sda3 maj-min: 8:3
Swap:      Kernel: swappiness: 133 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 11.68 GiB used: 57.8 MiB (0.5%) priority: 100 dev: /dev/zram0
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 45.0 C mobo: N/A gpu: radeon temp: 53.0 C
Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Info:      Processes: 282 Uptime: 1h 20m wakeups: 0 Memory: 11.68 GiB used: 5.68 GiB (48.6%) Init: systemd
v: 250 tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 11.1.0 clang: 13.0.0 Packages: pacman: 1730 lib: 381
Shell: fish (sudo) v: 3.3.1 default: Bash v: 5.1.16 running-in: konsole inxi: 3.3.09

So guys, any clue regarding topic?

Had the same problem with a couple of the latest updates. No data lost, just all the desktop settings, including hotkeys, wallpaper, panels (not using Latte) and widgets.

Hey Guys. I bring this up on a continual basis, but rarely does it seem to sink in. Garuda does not implement a full backup system for users. It only provides system snapshots that by default do not encompass the users config settings in their home directory.

The user really needs to implement their own backup regime for their user configs. You can do this manually, but then most people tend to forget to update the backups on a regular basis. The easiest way to ensure your user configs or your entire home contents are backed up is with a dedicated program such as BackInTime. It is an easy to understand and configure GUI backup method that most users should get familiar with to avoid the problem of losing your user configs.

2 Likes

Thank you TBG ! That sounds like a solution for me.
Is garuda team planning to add a feature to keep personal settings ? Any chance for that at future?

Already I have installed git repo with Back In Time. But the question currently is: which files and folders should be included into back up plan?

This would be a great addition. Most users have no idea what to back up in order to have their settings saved.

There is some ongoing discussions in this regard.

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Please make it happen :wink: We count on you guys!

Backing to a list what should be included (at least what I believe is right) already I have found :
/usr/share/plasma/
/usr/share/Kvantum/
/usr/share/themes/

Anything in root such as those should be covered by your system snapshots of /.

User configs are in your home directories, (usually hidden) folders.

Like /home/zawier/.config/ for example?
Anything else?

also ~/.local and in individual hidden program folders in /home/$USER.

Ok, what about keybinding shurtcuts, where they are stored?

It depends on your DE, but I'm sure you could quickly find the config file you are looking for with a well-phrased web search.

Don't be afraid to explore in your own computer a bit. A little poking around and sometimes you can find this sort of thing on your own.

ls -a in your home directory will reveal all hidden files and directories. Go ahead, open up a few files and see what they are! Just don't save any changes if you aren't sure. :wink:

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To avoid this if you are using the KDE DE you might want to have a look at the PlasmaConfigSaver widget - it saves all of your desktop customizations. Super easy to use.

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Well I was hoping for something more specyfic. I don't mind to explore, but do you realize that only my hidden folders at home dir contains over 80 k of files? That's days just for checking.

I didn't mean to suggest you should open up 80,000 files and inspect them, or open them up one by one looking for a specific config file. I only meant that exploring the files saved in the /home directory and getting a sense of what the layout is, or why certain things are there can be helpful if you are trying to figure out what is important to back up and what is not.

Put another way, a lot of stuff that gets stored in the /home directory is more or less worthless (browser cache files, stuff like that) while other things that may be tucked away from sight are personalized configurations that you yourself have created for your own computer, whether you realize they are there or not.

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Awesome if this works!

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/KDE#Configuration_related

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Some links that may be helpful:

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