LUG: Keeping the same username on a clean install? - Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:55:06 -0500

Subject : LUG: Keeping the same username on a clean install?

From : Jay Goel <jpgoel@ncsu.[redacted]>

Date : Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:55:06 -0500

I want to upgrade to the latest Ubuntu.

I don't want to do a dist-upgrade, because I did that last time, and I
always feel like an "upgraded" install (on top of another upgraded
install) is more error-prone than a clean install.

So I want to install from the CD. I have 4 partitions:

swap
/boot
/home
/

In theory, I should be able to do a clean install and reformat swap,
/boot, and /. The installer ought to be able to leave my /home partition
in tact.

But last time I tried a clean install, this didn't work. The specific
problem is that when I choose the username during the installation
process (jpgoel), the ubuntu installer crashes because there is already
a "/home/jpgoel" folder on my /home partition.

Many have experienced this bug:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubiquity/+bug/258603

So my question is: how can I do a clean install and keep the same username?

I guess I could create a new username on install, and then do some
"usermod" magic to change my home directory and username to match my old
one. I'd rather not do this, because it seems kinda error-prone, and
I'll have to reset all sorts of file permissions, etc. Does anyone know
if the above bug has been fixed?

Would appreciate any advice! Thanks!

Jay

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