First Impressions related testing of Sparky 5.8 RC

[penguin]

Before noticed your Buster RC candidate release, I have tried to experiment and to transform my Sparky Machine from Stable to Testing as explained here  :

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https://sparkylinux.org/wiki/doku.php/repository_testing

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https://sparkylinux.org/switch-sparky-testing-to-stable/

I used in fact a simpler method. I get new repos from your Sparky 5.8 RC,  substituted in my Sparky Stable and deactivated (old Debian Stretch repos), but in the last moment decided not to proceed.

I will wait till your 5.8 will be solid, but would be very worthy to test updating of stable 4.10 to Sparky 5.8 from this moment and to verify if problems will arise. @pavroo, can you explain shortly how one can update from its Sparky 4.10 to Sparky 5.8 RC ( Strongly recommended to backup old Stable Sparky 4.1  , before yuo decide to update in aim to re institute it back, if you are  not happy with new Sparky 5.8 ).

Yesterday , I tested the Sparky 5.8 RC - Live Usb . I am very glad that you decided to use XFCE desktop instead of LXQT. Also LXQT pretends is lighter (that is a wrong perception when one runs middle or heave apps),  XFCE is much more solid,mature and stable than LXQT and much more friendly for a new user, that decides to test Sparky. But strange thing that I noticed yesterday(Live Usb), was that Sparky XFCE needed relatively long time to boot and commands do not not runs instantly when you clicked over icon of application. Something was wrong on it (never happens me in any other distro -  testing USB Live distros with XFCE desktop). Please investigate this. What changes  you have applied in XFCE desktop of Sparky 5.8 RC? - usrmerge ( has impact on it ? ). I have also noticed that XFCE desktop in this Sparky 5.8 RC - usb live - was not updated to the last version.

Because, I did not wanted to mix other things with my impressions of Sparky 5.8 RC ) , please look also for other recommendations on my post : 

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https://sparkylinux.org/forum/index.php/topic,4916.msg12855/boardseen.html#new

@pavroo. Put qt4-fsarchiver or qt5-fsarchiver in your live USB (it is ery worthy or more than necessary).I have tested and found it as the easiest way to deploy Sparky (as Sparky clone). Also put it in your Sparky installer as default utility for backup. By it, one can backup or redeploy its Sparky in couple of minutes. Learn how to use qt4(5)-fsarchiver thats pretty easy. Also watch videos in your tube. You can use it, to backup your Windows or MBR.

Tips. Disable your Swap partition (to make things easier if you want to use the backup file to deploy Sparky in another laptop) and restart.
Using qt4(5)-fsarchiver backup your Sparky ( highly recommended  to backup from USB Live that has qt4(5) -fsarchiver installed). Get the file that is produced. By this file you can reinstall back your Sparky in couple of minutes or deploy your Sparky in another laptop (will be clone of your Sparky with the same UUID, but you can change your UUID as explained here :

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https://www.tecmint.com/change-uuid-of-partition-in-linux/ or here

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http://www.sudo-juice.com/how-to-change-the-uuid-of-a-linux-partition/

So ... fastest deploy way of Sparky in another laptop ( you have backup Sparky and have backup file as explained above)

Start by Sparky USB Live ( that should have qt4(5) -fsarchiver installed)
Reinstall back your Sparky to your existing partition.

If you want to deploy Sparky to another machine
Start by Sparky USB Live ( that should have qt4(5) -fsarchiver installed)
1- Use gparted to make new partition (in the new laptop )
2- Reinstall/Deploy your Sparky by using qt4(5)-fsarchiver) in the new partition.
3- If you have created Sparky backup without having Swap partition is very easy. Swap is disactivated in your fstab and you can create a new Swap partition during restart process. If the backup was created with Swap active ( disactivate Swap from fstab or create a new swap and be sure to rename its UUID with the same UUID of original Sparky )

If you want to have other UUID (different from your original Sparky)
a- Change UUID of partitions ( as explained in the above mentioned tutorials )
b- Change UUID in your fstab
d- If in the old Sparky you have Swap partition you can create a new one and  , create one with the same old UUID or if UUID is different (reflect the right UUDI in fstab also see here :

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https://sparkylinux.org/forum/index.php/topic,4062.msg10056.html

3- install grub in this laptop if missing but this method

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https://howtoubuntu.org/how-to-repair-restore-reinstall-grub-2-with-a-ubuntu-live-cd using your live Sparky Usb Live ( I use my MX Live Usb)

Another method to start your Sparky(when grub is missing in your laptop) by :

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https://www.supergrubdisk.org/rescatux/ - SuperGrub 2 and install Grub from within Sparky.I never tried this method but i think that should work when your Windows or Linux does not run.

If something is going wrong with your Swap be sure to read

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https://howtoubuntu.org/how-to-repair-restore-reinstall-grub-2-with-a-ubuntu-live-cd

I would recommend :(especially when you deploy Sparky in a new laptop) teh follow commands.

sudo update-initramfs -u in your machine.
or sudo update-initramfs -u -t -k -all

[manyroads]

I just installed 5.8 RC (XFCE) on my VirtualBox (4GB RAM).  I have to say it is running  very well and has a nice 'small' footprint.  I'm currently seeing less than 350MB of RAM at idle.