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This article mainly introduces how to use Resetter to reset the Ubuntu release to its initial state, which has a certain reference value, and interested friends can refer to it. I hope you can learn a lot after reading this article.

This Resetter tool returns Ubuntu, Linux Mint (and other Ubuntu-based distributions) to its initial configuration.

How many times have you devoted yourself to Ubuntu (or Ubuntu derivative), configuring something and installing software, only to find that your desktop (or server) platform is not what you want? This can be problematic when a large number of user files are generated on the machine. In that case, you have a choice: you can either back up all your data, reinstall the operating system, and then copy your data back locally, or you can do the same thing with a tool similar to Resetter.

Resetter is a new tool (developed by a Canadian developer called "gaining") written in Python and PyQt that will reset Ubuntu, Linux Mint (and some other, Ubuntu-based derivatives) back to the original configuration. Resetter provides two different reset options: automatic and custom. Using automatic methods, the tool accomplishes the following:

Delete applications installed by the user

Delete user and home directory

Create a default backup user

Automatically install missing preinstalled applications (MPIA)

Delete a non-default user

Delete snap package

The customization method will:

Delete user-installed applications or allow you to select applications to delete

Delete the old kernel

Allows you to select users to delete

Delete user and home directory

Create a default backup user

Allows you to create a custom backup user

Automatically install missing preinstalled applications (MPIA) or select MPIA to install

Delete a non-default user

View all related dependent packages

Delete snap package

I will walk you through the process of installing and using Resetter. However, I have to tell you that this tool is in a very early beta. Even so, Resetter is definitely worth a try. In fact, I encourage you to test the application and submit a bug report (you can submit it through GitHub or send it directly to the developer's e-mail address gaining7@outlook.com).

It should also be noted that the only derivative versions currently supported are:

Debian 9.2 (stable) Gnome version

Linux Mint 17.3 + (support for Mint 18.3 coming soon)

Ubuntu 14.04 + (although I find that 17.10 is not supported)

Elementary OS 0.4 +

Linux Deepin 15.4 +

Speaking of which, let's install and use Resetter. I will show it on the Elementary OS Loki platform.

Installation

There are several ways to install Resetter. The method I chose is to assist the application through gdebi. Why? Because it will get all the dependencies required for installation. First, we must install this specific tool. Open the terminal window and issue the command:

Sudo apt install gdebi

Once installed, point your browser to the Resetter download page and download the * * version of the software. Once the download is complete, open the file manager, navigate to the downloaded file, and click (or double-click, depending on how you configure your desktop) the resetter_XXX-stable_all.deb file (XXX is the version number). The gdebi application will open (figure 1). Click the install package button, enter your sudo password, and then Resetter will begin to install.

Figure 1: installing Resetter with gdebi

When the installation is complete, prepare for the next operation.

Use Resetter

Remember, before that, the data must be backed up. Don't blame me for not reminding you.

Issue the command sudo resetter from the terminal window. You will be prompted for your sudo password. Once Resetter is open, it will automatically detect your distribution (figure 2).

Figure 2:Resetter main window

We will test the Resetter process through an automatic reset. From the main window, click Automatic Reset (automatic reset). This app will provide a clear warning that it will reset your operating system (my example, Elementary OS 0.4.1 Loki) to the factory default state (figure 3).

Warning

* figure 3: Resetter warns you before continuing. *

Click "Yes" and Resetter displays all the packages it will delete (figure 4). If you have no problem, click OK and the reset will begin.

Figure 4: all packages to be deleted to reset Elementary OS to factory defaults.

During the reset process, the application displays a progress window (figure 5). Depending on the number of installations, this process should not take too long.

Figure 5:Resetter progress window

When the process is complete, Resetter will display a new user name and password to log back in to the newly reset release (figure 6).

Figure 6: new user and password

Click OK, and then click "Yes" when prompted to restart the system. When prompted to log in, use the new credentials provided to you by the Resetter application. After successfully logging in, you need to recreate your original user. The user's home directory is still intact, so all you need to do is issue the command sudo useradd USERNAME (USERNAME is the user name). When you are done, issue the command sudo passwd USERNAME (USERNAME is the user name). With the set user / password, you can log out and log in as an old user (using the same home directory as before resetting the operating system).

Thank you for reading this article carefully. I hope the article "how to use Resetter to reset the Ubuntu distribution to its initial state" shared by the editor will be helpful to everyone. At the same time, I also hope you will support us and pay attention to the industry information channel. More related knowledge is waiting for you to learn!

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