Create Backup Of Your Ubuntu To Distributable Ubuntu Live CD/DVD

I have been using Ubuntu for almost 3 years. I started using it since Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron released. And when Ubuntu released a new upgrade, i prefer do fresh install rather than upgrade the package. Even it’s takes time to configure and restore my backup files so i could do my work. And when my work mate want to use Ubuntu too, i install it for him and again, i configure and tweak it so he could do his work. So i’m thinking is there a way to clone my Ubuntu instead of configure it per installation?

And when i try to search it, and i found the answer. You can backup your Ubuntu completely and make a live cd and installation cd, so you just install it to any computer with your pre configured package in there. You can do it with Remastersys. Remastersys is a tool that can be used to do 2 things with an existing Klikit or Ubuntu or derivative installation.It can make a full system backup including personal data to a live cd or dvd that you can use anywhere and install. It can make a distributable copy you can share with friends. This will not have any of your personal user data in it.

To backup your Ubuntu to Ubuntu Live CD:
1. Open your terminal and add remastersys repository:

sudo vim /etc/apt/sources.list

And add:

deb http://www.remastersys.klikit-linux.com/repository remastersys/

2. Update your repository:

sudo apt-get update

3. Install remastersys:

sudo apt-get install remastersys

4. This will take a while to finish the installation.

remastersys usage format:

sudo remastersys backup|clean|dist [cdfs|iso] [filename.iso]

remastersys usage sample:
1. To make a livecd/dvd backup of your system

sudo remastersys backup

2. To make a livecd/dvd backup and call the iso custom.iso

sudo remastersys backup custom.iso

3. To clean up temporary files of remastersys

sudo remastersys clean

4. To make a distributable livecd/dvd of your system

sudo remastersys dist

5. To make a distributable livecd/dvd filesystem only

sudo remastersys dist cdfs

6. To make a distributable iso named custom.iso but only if the cdfs is already present

sudo remastersys dist iso custom.iso

remastersys will exclude your home folder when you create a distributable livcecd/dvd, it won’t copy to the iso image. And after you create your livecd/dvd, don’t forget to remove all temporary file created during the iso generation as well as the /home/remastersys directory with command “remastersys clean”.

So now i have my full backup system on the DVD. And install it in any computer without too much configure and tweak it anymore.