System Snapshot and Rollback Capabilities

KrunchTime · 2016-06-01 05:18:38

I can't remember where I read it, but I recently read about functionality in Fedora that takes a snapshot of your system prior to installing a package(s) to allow you to rollback if there are issues. Sounds complicated and definitely not something that could be expected in the next release, but I thought I'd suggest it for possible inclusion in the future.

Last edited by KrunchTime (2016-06-01 05:18:59)

xaos52 · 2016-06-01 07:10:26

Can be done even in bunsenlabs now if you use btrfs as filesystem or Logical Volume snapshotting.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2016-06-01 08:00:09

https://packages.debian.org/search?keywords=snapper

EDIT: updated URL

Last edited by johnraff (2022-10-17 03:16:15)

damo · 2016-06-01 10:04:01

I often use 'fsarchiver', which also has Live backup/Snapshotting

EDIT: fixed URL

Last edited by johnraff (2022-10-17 03:17:24)

hhh · 2016-06-01 12:35:06

I'm moving this thread to System Admin and stickying it. Good stuff, gents.

KrunchTime · 2016-06-26 21:51:49

Good stuff indeed. Thank you HoaS and damo.

@xaos52: I've read of instances where btrfs has borked hard drives. From research I've done in the past, LVM is geared more for server environments.

Last edited by KrunchTime (2016-06-26 22:04:27)

Naik · 2017-05-29 14:44:57

Hey Folks!

I` m a bit sorry to bring this old thread up again but just installed BunSidLabs on bare-metal btrfs for the first time and wanted to take advantage of snappers capabilities now.
In order to bring things up i stumbled about this handy snapper-gui.
Since it is made for (L/X)Ubuntu, I don`t really wonder why it is not compiling on my system
but asked myself whether or not there might be something similar for debian systems or at least a good Howto on hoe to set up things properly using CLI because I`m feeling a little lost right now and I think/hope there are some more noobs like me in desperate need of some advice.

Thanks in advance,

naik --greetz

Head_on_a_Stick · 2017-05-29 15:14:58

Naik wrote:

I don`t really wonder why it is not compiling on my system

Neither do we unless you post the actual errors

I get this in my Diproton system:

empty@Diproton:~/git/snapper-gui $ python3.5 setup.py install
/usr/lib/python3.5/distutils/dist.py:261: UserWarning: Unknown distribution option: 'entry_points'
  warnings.warn(msg)
running install
error: error in setup.cfg: command 'install' has no such option 'single_version_externally_managed'
1|empty@Diproton:~/git/snapper-gui $

I got past this by using:

sudo apt install python3-{setuptools,dbus}

That let the package be built but I still can't seem to run it:

empty@Diproton:~/git/snapper-gui $ snapper-gui
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/dbus/bus.py", line 175, in activate_name_owner
    return self.get_name_owner(bus_name)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/dbus/bus.py", line 361, in get_name_owner
    's', (bus_name,), **keywords)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/dbus/connection.py", line 651, in call_blocking
    message, timeout)
dbus.exceptions.DBusException: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.NameHasNoOwner: Could not get owner of name 'org.opensuse.Snapper': no such name

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/bin/snapper-gui", line 11, in <module>
    load_entry_point('snappergui==0.1', 'gui_scripts', 'snapper-gui')()
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pkg_resources/__init__.py", line 561, in load_entry_point
    return get_distribution(dist).load_entry_point(group, name)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pkg_resources/__init__.py", line 2631, in load_entry_point
    return ep.load()
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pkg_resources/__init__.py", line 2291, in load
    return self.resolve()
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pkg_resources/__init__.py", line 2297, in resolve
    module = __import__(self.module_name, fromlist=['__name__'], level=0)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/__init__.py", line 9, in <module>
    '/org/opensuse/Snapper'),
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/dbus/bus.py", line 241, in get_object
    follow_name_owner_changes=follow_name_owner_changes)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/dbus/proxies.py", line 248, in __init__
    self._named_service = conn.activate_name_owner(bus_name)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/dbus/bus.py", line 180, in activate_name_owner
    self.start_service_by_name(bus_name)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/dbus/bus.py", line 278, in start_service_by_name
    'su', (bus_name, flags)))
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/dbus/connection.py", line 651, in call_blocking
    message, timeout)
dbus.exceptions.DBusException: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown: The name org.opensuse.Snapper was not provided by any .service files
1|empty@Diproton:~/git/snapper-gui $

That looks like a DBus permission error and I'm not sure how to fix that in the BunsenLabs desktop, sorry.

Perhaps open an issue on the GitHub page and seek help there?

Naik · 2017-05-30 09:45:02

^Thanks for the fast reply, Head_on_a_Stick!

Actually i got the same error you showed up there.
After installing the packages you mentioned i got it build but can`t seem to get it to work either.
Though the error messages reads like this:

naik@110101:~/bin/snapper-gui$ sudo snapper-gui
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/bin/snapper-gui", line 11, in <module>
    load_entry_point('snappergui==0.1', 'gui_scripts', 'snapper-gui')()
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pkg_resources/__init__.py", line 561, in load_entry_point
    return get_distribution(dist).load_entry_point(group, name)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pkg_resources/__init__.py", line 2631, in load_entry_point
    return ep.load()
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pkg_resources/__init__.py", line 2291, in load
    return self.resolve()
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pkg_resources/__init__.py", line 2297, in resolve
    module = __import__(self.module_name, fromlist=['__name__'], level=0)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/__init__.py", line 5, in <module>
    gi.require_version("GtkSource", "3.0")
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/gi/__init__.py", line 118, in require_version
    raise ValueError('Namespace %s not available' % namespace)
ValueError: Namespace GtkSource not available

which seems to be related to the communication between gtk and python.
I will try to get around this and update this post as soon as i found a solution...

naik --greetz

Naik · 2017-06-24 09:34:57

^ I don't really know what changed since my last try (well i think that could be what is meant with "unstable" )
but today everything went just fine and snapper-gui runs perfectly smooth:

naik@00010-01100-10100-11000:~/bin/snapper-gui$ sudo python3 setup.py install
running install
running build
running build_py
creating build
creating build/lib
creating build/lib/snappergui
copying snappergui/propertiesDialog.py -> build/lib/snappergui
copying snappergui/deleteDialog.py -> build/lib/snappergui
copying snappergui/createConfig.py -> build/lib/snappergui
copying snappergui/changesWindow.py -> build/lib/snappergui
copying snappergui/application.py -> build/lib/snappergui
copying snappergui/__init__.py -> build/lib/snappergui
copying snappergui/createSnapshot.py -> build/lib/snappergui
copying snappergui/snapshotsView.py -> build/lib/snappergui
copying snappergui/mainWindow.py -> build/lib/snappergui
creating build/lib/snappergui/glade
copying snappergui/glade/deleteSnapshot.glade -> build/lib/snappergui/glade
copying snappergui/glade/snapshotsView.glade -> build/lib/snappergui/glade
copying snappergui/glade/mainWindow.glade -> build/lib/snappergui/glade
copying snappergui/glade/createConfig.glade -> build/lib/snappergui/glade
copying snappergui/glade/createSnapshot.glade -> build/lib/snappergui/glade
copying snappergui/glade/changesWindow.glade -> build/lib/snappergui/glade
copying snappergui/glade/propertiesDialog.glade -> build/lib/snappergui/glade
creating build/lib/snappergui/ui
copying snappergui/ui/app-menu.ui -> build/lib/snappergui/ui
running install_lib
creating /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui
copying build/lib/snappergui/propertiesDialog.py -> /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui
copying build/lib/snappergui/deleteDialog.py -> /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui
copying build/lib/snappergui/createConfig.py -> /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui
copying build/lib/snappergui/changesWindow.py -> /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui
creating /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/ui
copying build/lib/snappergui/ui/app-menu.ui -> /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/ui
copying build/lib/snappergui/application.py -> /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui
copying build/lib/snappergui/__init__.py -> /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui
creating /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/glade
copying build/lib/snappergui/glade/deleteSnapshot.glade -> /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/glade
copying build/lib/snappergui/glade/snapshotsView.glade -> /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/glade
copying build/lib/snappergui/glade/mainWindow.glade -> /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/glade
copying build/lib/snappergui/glade/createConfig.glade -> /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/glade
copying build/lib/snappergui/glade/createSnapshot.glade -> /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/glade
copying build/lib/snappergui/glade/changesWindow.glade -> /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/glade
copying build/lib/snappergui/glade/propertiesDialog.glade -> /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/glade
copying build/lib/snappergui/createSnapshot.py -> /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui
copying build/lib/snappergui/snapshotsView.py -> /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui
copying build/lib/snappergui/mainWindow.py -> /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui
byte-compiling /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/propertiesDialog.py to propertiesDialog.cpython-35.pyc
byte-compiling /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/deleteDialog.py to deleteDialog.cpython-35.pyc
byte-compiling /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/createConfig.py to createConfig.cpython-35.pyc
byte-compiling /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/changesWindow.py to changesWindow.cpython-35.pyc
byte-compiling /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/application.py to application.cpython-35.pyc
byte-compiling /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/__init__.py to __init__.cpython-35.pyc
byte-compiling /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/createSnapshot.py to createSnapshot.cpython-35.pyc
byte-compiling /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/snapshotsView.py to snapshotsView.cpython-35.pyc
byte-compiling /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui/mainWindow.py to mainWindow.cpython-35.pyc
running install_data
creating /usr/local/share/applications
copying snapper-gui.desktop -> /usr/local/share/applications
running install_egg_info
running egg_info
creating snappergui.egg-info
writing top-level names to snappergui.egg-info/top_level.txt
writing dependency_links to snappergui.egg-info/dependency_links.txt
writing snappergui.egg-info/PKG-INFO
writing entry points to snappergui.egg-info/entry_points.txt
writing manifest file 'snappergui.egg-info/SOURCES.txt'
reading manifest file 'snappergui.egg-info/SOURCES.txt'
writing manifest file 'snappergui.egg-info/SOURCES.txt'
Copying snappergui.egg-info to /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/snappergui-0.1.egg-info
running install_scripts
Installing snapper-gui script to /usr/local/bin
writing list of installed files to 'RECORD'

naik --greetz

martix · 2017-06-24 12:26:36

There is also TimeShift. Did anyone maybe test it on Debian?

XanII · 2022-10-15 11:19:53

Can people in the know update this thread? Links at the top are dead and lot of time has passed so wonder how much of this is current?

johnraff · 2022-10-17 03:19:10

Fixed the top two URLs.
The info here is more-or-less still correct, I think, but don't have time to check over it all...

XanII · 2022-10-24 13:38:15

Thank you. I will look into this to see if i can learn something.

#1 2016-06-01 05:18:38

System Snapshot and Rollback Capabilities

#2 2016-06-01 07:10:26

Re: System Snapshot and Rollback Capabilities

#3 2016-06-01 08:00:09

Re: System Snapshot and Rollback Capabilities

#4 2016-06-01 10:04:01

Re: System Snapshot and Rollback Capabilities

#5 2016-06-01 12:35:06

Re: System Snapshot and Rollback Capabilities

#6 2016-06-26 21:51:49

Re: System Snapshot and Rollback Capabilities

#7 2017-05-29 14:44:57

Re: System Snapshot and Rollback Capabilities

#8 2017-05-29 15:14:58

Re: System Snapshot and Rollback Capabilities

#9 2017-05-30 09:45:02

Re: System Snapshot and Rollback Capabilities

#10 2017-06-24 09:34:57

Re: System Snapshot and Rollback Capabilities

#11 2017-06-24 12:26:36

Re: System Snapshot and Rollback Capabilities

#12 2022-10-15 11:19:53

Re: System Snapshot and Rollback Capabilities

#13 2022-10-17 03:19:10

Re: System Snapshot and Rollback Capabilities

#14 2022-10-24 13:38:15

Re: System Snapshot and Rollback Capabilities

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