Save A List Of Installed Applications On Linux
Firstly I would like to apologize for the lack of updates to this site over the last few weeks. This is down to some personal problems I have been having, and due to Jaunty messing with my display on my MSI Wind. All is back to normal now, and I'm ready to go!
I have recently used this very neat trick within the dpkg packet manager. Have you ever started a fresh install, and forgot which applications you had installed on your old installation? It's a pain. Even when you think you have them all installed, you go to do something, and realize Damn! I forgot to install that.
If you load up a blank terminal, and run the following command:
dpkg --get-selections > apps.txt
This will store a list of every application that is currently installed to a file called apps.txt. If you are wanting to re-install your OS, then make sure that you save this file to a USB stick!
Once you are ready to install all your applications again:
dpkg --set-selections < apps.txt
dselect update
apt-get dselect-upgrade show
Now after a lot of downloading and installing, you will once have all of your applications installed again. It may be an idea before you re-install your OS to back up the /etc/apt/sources.list file, so that you are able to download the applications that you may of got else where.
If you have any questions about this methord, then please leave a comment!
Tags: Applications
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13 Respones to "Save A List Of Installed Applications On Linux"
That is a brilliant tip! Thanks! I'll pass it round the office tomorrow (along with a link to your blog)
3 April 2009 00:14
Thanks! This is exactly what I was looking for.
13 April 2009 02:31
thanks!
13 April 2009 07:24
Firstly, thank you for this tip and sorry about my English (I'm Brazilian).
This method will create a list of programs installed at the momment of this command or a list of all programs that was installed (including programs that was installed and uninstalled after)?
13 April 2009 18:41
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7 May 2009 05:20
Wow thanks for your attention, I have also save your link in my blogroll, thank you very much. Regards from Indonesia.
11 May 2009 02:48
thank you for brillinat idea really, can we save all installed programs to memory stick instead of redownloading?
i mean it's pain in the neck for users with low conncetion speeds,,
8 August 2009 09:58
THANKS@! WORKED FOR ME
23 October 2009 22:43
@Jaffar
it wont save the actual files and apps, this will only save a list of what apps you had in your last OS and tell the add/delete manager what to download and install onto your system.
25 October 2009 04:32
hi...nice tip mate but could u plz tel me where dis file called apps.txt get stored??
thank you.
26 January 2010 14:49
@vishnubk
The file apps.txt will be saved in the directory that you currently are in. To check what directory you are in, you can use the command: pwd
26 January 2010 18:07
*love*
I just chowned my whole /usr (stupid), and was directed here by a very helpful IRC user.
This is probably the most helpful hint I've ever seen. EVER. Thanks for this ^_^
5 March 2010 15:05
Very nice! Thanks!
7 December 2010 02:53
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