What say you?  It most likely won't ever hit anyone but peeps like you and I and jedi, who are constantly in testing mode, I think I will add it just to make sure that people can see it could be an issue

Yes, this and the potential swapfile/partition issues should be pointed out.

I didn't run into the UUID issue since it was clean install on fully formatted drive each time.

I actually created a swapfile manually instead of a partition. Appears to be working.

@vastone

In Method 1

change:

sudo fsarchiver -v restfs vsido_linux_02SEPT2022.fsa id=0, dest=/dev/sdxx
to

sudo fsarchiver -v restfs vsido_linux_02SEPT2022.fsa id=0,dest=/dev/sdxx
can't have that space between "id=0" and "dest=/dev/sdxx"

It failed on me first two attempts, then I removed the space and it went to completion.

For Method 1

Change:

sudo fsarchiver -v restfs vsido_linux_02SEPT2022.fsa /dev/sdxx
to

sudo fsarchiver -v restfs vsido_linux_02SEPT2022.fsa id=0,dest=/dev/sdxx
So it matches up with the SpaceFM command in image #3 but without the variable substitutions.

Take this line ahead of Step 8:

These things should be done once you boot and are logged into the new install the first time
and increase the font size or something so that the break between installing and post-install customizations sticks out.

Add change of timezone to the post install actions. I don't know about jed's install, but both times I installed the timezone was US Central Time (Chicago). I assume that's because fsarchiver preserves that information, and it's simply restored. I used this link - Set/Change timezone Debian 10. The Debian Wiki also has the info, but it's in this really, really verbose wiki page. Basically need to change a symlink.

Performed another install this morning. I guess it would be Method 3.

Method 3 - Install to clean, partitioned drive. Legacy BIOS system

Needed -
1. Live system with fsarchiver included. I used SystemRescue for this exercise. The VSIDO iso should also work.
2. The VSIDO fsarchive file on an accessible drive/partition.

Step 1 - Back up any data on the target drive

Step 2 - Boot the live session and use it to create a target partition for the install. For this install, I deleted all the existing partitions on the drive and created a new partition (sda1) for the install of VSIDO. Also created an additional partition to hold the VSIDO fsarchive file. Partitions were formatted to ext4

Step 3 - Log into an xsession and download the VSIDO fsarchive file. In this example I downloaded the file to one of the partitions I created in Step 2. I assume the fsarchive file could also be restored from an external drive or removable media.

Step 4 - Unpack the fsarchive to the target partition. Use Method 1 or Method 2 depending on tools available.

Before updating grub, the user needs to chroot into the system.

Mount the partition and file systems -

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

sudo mount --bind /dev /mnt/dev
sudo mount --bind /proc /mnt/proc
sudo mount --bind /sys /mnt/sys
chroot into the system

sudo chroot /mnt
update and reinstall grub

update-grub

sudo grub-install /dev/sda
sudo grub-install --recheck /dev/sda
exit chroot and unmount file systems and partition

# exit chroot
exit

# unmount
sudo umount /mnt/sys &&
sudo umount /mnt/proc &&
sudo umount /mnt/dev &&
sudo umount /mnt
Shutdown the system, remove the thumbdrive, and reboot into a VSIDO system.

I performed this install on a legacy BIOS system. I assume the procedure would be similar for a uEFI system, but more complicated to migrate the existing /boot and grub over to uEFI directory tree - /boot/efi.

change:

sudo -v restfs vsido_linux_02SEPT2022.fsa /dev/sdxx
to

sudo fsarchiver -v restfs vsido_linux_02SEPT2022.fsa /dev/sdxx
and that command needs to be done before updating grub. So it would be better to have it ahead of step 7. More like Method 1 - use SpaceFm and Method 2 - use command line. Once fsarchive extracted, proceed to updating grub.

I use mostly mate tools now - caja, atril, and a few others. So .....

VSIDO with mate desktop:

The install had spacefm. No issues there. I used nmtui and connected to wireless no issue.

I did not have spacefm installed with ArchLabs (I think it's in the AUR). So I couldn't follow the installation HowTo. It's a straight forward command in the terminal to restore the archive so i just installed from the command line while logged into ArchLabs.

Currently dual-booting with ArchLabs.