Where can I find the files I want to back up?
Deciding what files to backup and finding where they all are is the most difficult step when attempting to perform a backup. Below is a list of where most of your important files should be, so you can find them more easily.
- Your personal files and settings
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These are usually stored in your Home folder (/home/your_name). They could be in subfolders such as Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Music, Videos and/or .evolution (for email). If your backup medium has sufficient space, consider backing up the entire /home folder. This is the simplest way.
If you are not able to backup all of /home, see below for a list of some subfolders of the /home folder to check for important files.
~/ represents your home folder /home/your_name
Any file or folder name that starts with a period is hidden by default. To view hidden files, click View ▸ Show Hidden Files or press Ctrl+H.
Your personal files |
~/, ~/Desktop, ~/Documents, ~/Pictures, ~/Music, Videos, and others |
Contain files you actively created. |
Your personal settings |
~/.config, ~/.gconf, ~/.local |
Contain settings you set for your desktop and some applications. |
System settings |
/etc located in the File System outside of your Home folder. |
Your system settings. In general, you don't need to go outside of your Home folder. |