# Advice on re-install



## balanga (Feb 29, 2016)

I seem to have hit quite a few problems with my installation of FreeBSD - although it has proved to be quite a learning experience, so I'm thinking of doing a reinstall and jumping to FreeBSD 11.

What I'd like some advice on is how do I make a list of PKGs which have been installed and is it possible to do a *batch *`pkg install` from a list of those which have already been installed ie something `pkg install <pkglist`.

I'd like to backup any configuration file that I may have amended.... presumably I need a copy of everything in /usr/local/etc as well as /etc/rc.conf and maybe /etc/fstab... not sure what else I may have changed. I guess it might be prudent to copy /usr/local just in case along with /usr/home and /root.

What else should I consider backing up? It's just a home environment - nothing mission critical  but I'd like to keep hold of any configuration files it has taken weeks to sort out.


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## talsamon (Feb 29, 2016)

I think it is better `pkg query -e %a=0 %o%n`, cause `pkg install` accepted or find some ports only with category.


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## SirDice (Mar 1, 2016)

balanga said:


> I seem to have hit quite a few problems with my installation of FreeBSD - although it has proved to be quite a learning experience, so I'm thinking of doing a reinstall and jumping to FreeBSD 11.


As you don't have much experience yet I strongly suggest sticking to a release or -STABLE version. Running -CURRENT is not for the faint at heart. It will break, be unstable and can cause all manner of weird and wonderful issues. 

Topics about unsupported FreeBSD versions


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## balanga (Mar 1, 2016)

I take your point, but I am continually finding all manner of weird and wonderful issues in stable versions. This may of course be because some documentation is not in step with release versions, or I'm following a guide which is out of date. 

Anyway, nothing ventured, nothing gained


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## balanga (Mar 1, 2016)

Just a quick update on proceedings....

After trying several of the 11 builds I found one which would install and after installing, I added Xorg and Xfce and it came up straight away, so I'm glad I went ahead. Now all the frustration of getting X working on 10.2 is behind me.


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