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Switch the distros without losing packages

Posted: 2022-03-27 18:01
by Ahmed_samy
Hello everyone this is my first post in this forum :D

I have been using Linux Mint for a year and a half now and I think I have enough knowledge to switch to Debian for more customization and the problem is my internet is very slow and I don't want to re-download everything so I want to know what is the easiest way to switch from Linux mint to Debian and move the home folder and most of the applications and setting

my system--

Code: Select all

System:
  Kernel: 5.4.0-105-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.4.0 
  Desktop: Cinnamon 5.2.7 wm: muffin 5.2.1 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 
  Distro: Linux Mint 20.3 Una base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:
  Type: Desktop Mobo: ASRock model: G41M-VS3. serial: <filter> 
  BIOS: American Megatrends v: P1.90 date: 10/01/2013 
CPU:
  Topology: Single Core model: Intel Pentium 4 bits: 64 type: MCP 
  arch: Netburst Smithfield rev: A L2 cache: 2048 KiB 
  flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 bogomips: 6000 
  Speed: 2403 MHz min/max: 2403/3003 MHz Core speed (MHz): 1: 2403 
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel 4 Series Integrated Graphics vendor: ASRock driver: i915 
  v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:2e32 
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.13 driver: modesetting 
  unloaded: fbdev,vesa resolution: 1024x768~85Hz 
  OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel G41 (ELK) v: 2.1 Mesa 21.2.6 
  direct render: Yes 
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio vendor: ASRock 
  driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1b.0 chip ID: 8086:27d8 
  Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-105-generic 
Network:
  Device-1: Qualcomm Atheros AR8152 v2.0 Fast Ethernet vendor: ASRock 
  driver: atl1c v: 1.0.1.1-NAPI port: ec00 bus ID: 01:00.0 
  chip ID: 1969:2062 
  IF: enp1s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
  Device-2: Ralink RT5370 Wireless Adapter type: USB driver: rt2800usb 
  bus ID: 1-1:2 chip ID: 148f:5370 serial: <filter> 
  IF: wlxd06f4a1efd06 state: down mac: <filter> 
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 465.76 GiB used: 274.16 GiB (58.9%) 
  ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Western Digital model: WD5000AZRX-00A8LB0 
  size: 465.76 GiB speed: <unknown> serial: <filter> rev: 1A01 scheme: MBR 
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 417.33 GiB used: 274.02 GiB (65.7%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda5 
Sensors:
  Message: No sensors data was found. Is sensors configured? 
Repos:
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/additional-repositories.list 
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/appimagelauncher-team-stable-focal.list 
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/fyrmir-livewallpaper-daily-focal.list 
  1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/fyrmir/livewallpaper-daily/ubuntu focal main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list 
  1: deb [arch=amd64] https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-earth-pro.list 
  1: deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/earth/deb/ stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/grapejuice.list 
  1: deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/grapejuice-archive-keyring.gpg] https://brinkervii.gitlab.io/grapejuice/repositories/debian/ universal main
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/jami-main.list 
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/jami.list 
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/jellyfin.list 
  1: deb [arch=amd64] https://repo.jellyfin.org/ubuntu focal main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/kritalime-ppa-focal.list 
  1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/kritalime/ppa/ubuntu focal main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/lutris-team-lutris-focal.list 
  1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/lutris-team/lutris/ubuntu focal main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/micahflee-ppa-focal.list 
  1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/micahflee/ppa/ubuntu focal main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/obsproject-obs-studio-focal.list 
  1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/obsproject/obs-studio/ubuntu focal main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list 
  1: deb http://packages.linuxmint.com una main upstream import backport #id:linuxmint_main
  2: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal main restricted universe multiverse
  3: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates main restricted universe multiverse
  4: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
  5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-security main restricted universe multiverse
  6: deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ focal partner
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/plexmediaserver.list 
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/protonvpn-stable.list 
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/skype-stable.list 
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/spotify.list 
  1: deb http://repository.spotify.com stable non-free
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/teams.list 
  1: deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/ms-teams stable main
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/unityhub.list 
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vscode.list 
  1: deb [arch=amd64,arm64,armhf] http://packages.microsoft.com/repos/code stable main
Info:
  Processes: 256 Uptime: 6h 04m Memory: 3.59 GiB used: 1.94 GiB (54.1%) 
  Init: systemd v: 245 runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 10.3.0 alt: 10/9 
  Shell: bash v: 5.0.17 running in: gnome-terminal inxi: 3.0.38

Re: Switch the distros without losing packages

Posted: 2022-03-27 19:47
by Ardouos
Unfortunately Mint packages are not compatible with Debian, you will either need to download the packages you need or buy the DVDs.

If your /home folder is separate you should be able to reinstall Debian and remount the /home partition without formatting it. If it is all one partition you may will have to backup the data on to a different drive before re-installation.

Re: Switch the distros without losing packages

Posted: 2022-03-27 19:54
by Ahmed_samy
Ardouos wrote: 2022-03-27 19:47 ..
okay, thanks...