# timeshift-autosnap-apt Timeshift auto-snapshot script which runs before any `apt update|install|remove` command using a `DPkg::Pre-Invoke` hook in APT. Works best in `BTRFS` mode, but `RSYNC` is also supported (might be slow though). ## Features * This script is a fork of [timeshift-autosnap](https://gitlab.com/gobonja/timeshift-autosnap) from the [AUR](https://aur.archlinux.org/cgit/aur.git/tree/PKGBUILD?h=timeshift-autosnap), but adapted for usage with the APT package manager of Debian or Ubuntu based systems. * Creates [Timeshift](https://github.com/teejee2008/timeshift) snapshots with a unique (customizable) comment. * Keeps only a certain number of snapshots created using this script. * Deletes old snapshots which are created using this script. * Makes a copy with RSYNC of `/boot` and `/boot/efi` to `/boot.backup` before the call to Timeshift for more flexible restore options. * Can be manually executed by running `sudo timeshift-autosnap-apt`. * Autosnaphots can be temporarily skipped by setting "SKIP_AUTOSNAP" environment variable (e.g. `sudo SKIP_AUTOSNAP= apt upgrade`) * Supports [grub-btrfs](https://github.com/Antynea/grub-btrfs) which automatically creates boot menu entries of all your btrfs snapshots into grub. * For a tutorial how to use this script in production to easily rollback your system, see [System Recovery with Timeshift](https://mutschler.eu/linux/install-guides/). ## Installation #### Install dependencies ```bash sudo apt install git make ``` #### Install and configure Timeshift ```bash sudo apt install timeshift ``` Open Timeshift and configure it either using btrfs or rsync. I recommend using btrfs as a filesystem for this, see my [btrfs installation guides](https://mutschler.eu/linux/install-guides/) for Pop!_OS, Ubuntu, and Manjaro. #### Main installation Clone this repository and install the script and configuration file with make: ```bash git clone https://github.com/wmutschl/timeshift-autosnap-apt.git /home/$USER/timeshift-autosnap-apt cd /home/$USER/timeshift-autosnap-apt sudo make install ``` After this, make changes to the configuration file: ```bash sudo nano /etc/timeshift-autosnap-apt.conf ``` For example, if you don't have a dedicated `/boot` partition, then you should set `snapshotBoot=false`. This will still make a copy of `/boot/efi`. #### Optionally, install `grub-btrfs` [grub-btrfs](https://github.com/Antynea/grub-btrfs) is a great package which will include all btrfs snapshots into the Grub menu. Clone and install it: ```bash git clone https://github.com/Antynea/grub-btrfs.git /home/$USER/grub-btrfs cd /home/$USER/grub-btrfs sudo make install ``` By default the snapshots are displayed as "Arch Linux Snapshots", you can adapt this in `/etc/default/grub-btrfs/config`. #### Configuration The configuration file is located in `/etc/timeshift-autosnap-apt.conf`. You can set the following options: * `snapshotBoot`: If set to **true** /boot folder will be cloned with rsync into /boot.backup before the call to Timeshift. Note that this will not include the /boot/efi folder. Default: **true** * `snapshotEFI`: If set to **true** /boot/efi folder will be cloned with rsync into /boot.backup/efi before the call to Timeshift. Default: **true** * `skipAutosnap`: If set to **true** script won't be executed. Default: **false**. * `deleteSnapshots`: If set to **false** old snapshots won't be deleted. Default: **true** * `maxSnapshots`: Defines **maximum** number of old snapshots to keep. Default: **3** * `updateGrub`: If set to **false** GRUB entries won't be generated. Only if grub-btrfs is installed. Default: **true** * `snapshotDescription` Defines **string** used to distinguish snapshots created using timeshift-autosnap-apt. Default: **{timeshift-autosnap-apt} {created before call to APT}** ## Test functionality To test the functionality, simply run ```bash sudo timeshift-autosnap-apt ``` Or try (re)installing some package `maxSnapshots` number of times, e.g. ```bash sudo apt install --reinstall rolldice sudo apt install --reinstall rolldice sudo apt install --reinstall rolldice ``` You should see output for BTRFS similar to ```bash # Using system disk as snapshot device for creating snapshots in BTRFS mode # # /dev/dm-1 is mounted at: /run/timeshift/backup, options: rw,relatime,compress=zstd:3,ssd,space_cache,commit=120,subvolid=5,subvol=/ # # Creating new backup...(BTRFS) # Saving to device: /dev/dm-1, mounted at path: /run/timeshift/backup # Created directory: /run/timeshift/backup/timeshift-btrfs/snapshots/2020-04-29_09-46-30 # Created subvolume snapshot: /run/timeshift/backup/timeshift-btrfs/snapshots/2020-04-29_09-46-30/@ # Created subvolume snapshot: /run/timeshift/backup/timeshift-btrfs/snapshots/2020-04-29_09-46-30/@home # Created control file: /run/timeshift/backup/timeshift-btrfs/snapshots/2020-04-29_09-46-30/info.json # BTRFS Snapshot saved successfully (0s) # Tagged snapshot '2020-04-29_09-46-30': ondemand # -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ``` or for RSYNC similar to ```bash # /dev/vdb1 is mounted at: /run/timeshift/backup, options: rw,relatime # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ # Creating new snapshot...(RSYNC) # Saving to device: /dev/vdb1, mounted at path: /run/timeshift/backup # Synching files with rsync... # Created control file: /run/timeshift/backup/timeshift/snapshots/2020-04-29_10-25-35/info.json # RSYNC Snapshot saved successfully (6s) # Tagged snapshot '2020-04-29_10-25-35': ondemand ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ``` Open timeshift and see whether there are `maxSnapshots` packages: ![Timeshift](timeshift-autosnap-apt.png) Close timeshift and reinstall the package another time and you should see that the first package is now deleted: ```bash sudo apt install --reinstall rolldice # # Using system disk as snapshot device for creating snapshots in BTRFS mode # /dev/dm-1 is mounted at: /run/timeshift/backup, options: rw,relatime,compress=zstd:3,ssd,space_cache,commit=120,subvolid=5,subvol=/ # Creating new backup...(BTRFS) # Saving to device: /dev/dm-1, mounted at path: /run/timeshift/backup # Created directory: /run/timeshift/backup/timeshift-btrfs/snapshots/2020-04-29_09-53-25 # Created subvolume snapshot: /run/timeshift/backup/timeshift-btrfs/snapshots/2020-04-29_09-53-25/@ # Created subvolume snapshot: /run/timeshift/backup/timeshift-btrfs/snapshots/2020-04-29_09-53-25/@home # Created control file: /run/timeshift/backup/timeshift-btrfs/snapshots/2020-04-29_09-53-25/info.json # BTRFS Snapshot saved successfully (0s) # Tagged snapshot '2020-04-29_09-53-25': ondemand # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ # # /dev/dm-1 is mounted at: /run/timeshift/backup, options: rw,relatime,compress=zstd:3,ssd,space_cache,commit=120,subvolid=5,subvol=/ # # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ # Removing snapshot: 2020-04-29_09-46-30 # Deleting subvolume: @home (Id:662) # Deleted subvolume: @home (Id:662) # # Destroying qgroup: 0/662 # Destroyed qgroup: 0/662 # # Deleting subvolume: @ (Id:661) # Deleted subvolume: @ (Id:661) # # Destroying qgroup: 0/661 # Destroyed qgroup: 0/661 # # Deleted directory: /run/timeshift/backup/timeshift-btrfs/snapshots/2020-04-29_09-46-30 # Removed snapshot: 2020-04-29_09-46-30 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ``` or for RSYNC: ```bash # /dev/vdb1 is mounted at: /run/timeshift/backup, options: rw,relatime # # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ # Creating new snapshot...(RSYNC) # Saving to device: /dev/vdb1, mounted at path: /run/timeshift/backup # Linking from snapshot: 2020-04-29_10-25-15 # Synching files with rsync... # Created control file: /run/timeshift/backup/timeshift/snapshots/2020-04-29_10-25-35/info.json # RSYNC Snapshot saved successfully (6s) # Tagged snapshot '2020-04-29_10-25-35': ondemand # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ # # /dev/vdb1 is mounted at: /run/timeshift/backup, options: rw,relatime # # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ # Removing '2020-04-29_10-24-35'... # Removed '2020-04-29_10-24-35' # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ``` --- ### Uninstallation ``` cd /home/$USER/timeshift-autosnap-apt sudo make uninstall ``` --- ## Ideas and contributions - [x] Ask to be included into official Timeshift package, [status pending](https://github.com/teejee2008/timeshift/issues/595). - [x] rsync /boot and /boot/efi to filesystem for more flexibility when restoring failed kernel updates (tested on Ubuntu 20.04 and Pop!_OS 20.04) - [x] Check and adapt [grub-btrfs](https://github.com/Antynea/grub-btrfs) for compatibility with Debian-based systems to automatically create menu entries into grub (tested on Ubuntu 20.04). - [ ] Make rsync of /boot and /boot/efi dependent on btrfs only, provide "auto" model, i.e. check whether efi or legacy boot and then rsync into filesystem - [ ] Add prompt or pause if user wants to trigger timeshift-autosnap-apt or add optional timeout between snapshots - [ ] Provide better description of snapshots based on call to apt **All new ideas and contributors are much appreciated and welcome, just open an issue for that!**