SystemRestore
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Launchpad Entry: https://features.launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+spec/system-restore
Created: 11/05/2006 by towsonu2003
Contributors: towsonu2003
Packages affected: Ubuntu
Summary
Ubuntu should backup the system configurations every time an important configuration file was tweaked or a package was installed / upgraded (the "Windows Style", sorry to say) and restore the system upon request to the last known sane time.
Rationale
- The user should feel free to play around with her/his system, being more or less sure that "System Restore" will save her/him from big trouble
The user should be confident that if an upgrade break something due to bad [https://features.launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+spec/security-update-qa QA], the system will be able to recover.
Use cases
Usage1: I install xgl. It borks my X but I do not remember what kind of tweaks I did. I hit "Restore System" under System > Administration and all is back
- Usage2: An upgrade breaks my system and borks dpkg. I hit "System Restore" and my system is back.
- Usage3: I will upgrade to Firefox2 using a custom repository. I hit "Create System Restore Point" worrying that it might break my good old Firefox.
- Usage4: I dist-upgraded from 6.06 to 6.10... Ubuntu created a "System Restore Point" before the dist-upgrade in case it breaks the system. It broke my system indeed. I hit "System Restore" and my working 6.06 is back.
Scope
The feature enables users to trust their system's stability:
- Upgrades cannot bork the system
- Dist-upgrades cannot bork the system
- A bad package cannot bork the system
- An X breakage can easily recovered from
- Complex customizations of the system can easily be undone
Implementation
Outstanding issues
- "System Restore" may be copyrighted and / or patented by Microsoft... We might need to find a new name, or even a new way to back up the system.
- Hard Disk space usage: backing up system configuration files and old deb packages will force us to increase minimum hdd space standards (of a new install) if this feature is enabled...