Set up/restore data

Use this page after the operating system and managed software are installed. Software setup and data restoration are related, but separate operations: Install software configures the machine through Ansible; restore brings back user data, project state, synced folders, credentials, and backup connections.

Restore sources and local targets
Area	Typical location or service	Role in restore
Git repositories	`~/repos`	Clone active projects or restore local-only repositories from backup.
Nextcloud folders	`~/Nextcloud`	Resync personal or shared folders selected for this workstation.
Local workstation folders	`~/workstation`	Restore local working data that is not managed by Git or sync.
HDD/Vorta/Borg backups	External HDD, Borg repository, Vorta profile	Recover local data and reconnect backup jobs.
Thunderbird/profile data	Thunderbird profile directory	Restore from HDD backup.
SSH/GPG/private keys	`~/.ssh`, GPG keyring, password manager	Handle manually and restore only from trusted sources when required.

Lab-specific directory names can differ. Use the table as a checklist, not as proof that every path exists on every workstation.

Initial setup versus data restore

Initial setup installs and configures the machine through Ansible: packages, roles, services, and documented defaults.
Data restore brings back user/project data, credentials, synced folders, and local state.

Do not restore old system directories over a freshly configured machine unless there is a deliberate recovery plan. Prefer restoring user data and then rerunning the managed setup when configuration is missing.

Practical restore checklist

Restore or clone Git repositories.
Restore or sync Nextcloud folders.
Restore local workstation folders such as ~/workstation if used.
Restore Thunderbird/profile data from HDD backup.
Reconnect Vorta/Borg backup jobs to the correct existing repositories.
Handle SSH, GPG, backup, and password-manager keys carefully.
Verify that key projects, sync folders, and backups work before treating the machine as ready.

1. Restore Git repositories

Create the local directory you normally use for repositories, for example ~/repos.
Clone active projects from GitHub or the institution Git server.
Restore local-only repositories from the most recent trusted backup if they were never pushed to a remote.
Check each restored repository before continuing work:

git status
git remote -v
git branch --show-current

2. Restore or sync Nextcloud

Install and start the Nextcloud desktop client from the software setup.
Sign in to the correct personal or shared Nextcloud account.
Select the folders that should be present on this workstation.
Wait for sync to finish before opening large project folders or reference libraries.

✅ Check

nextcloud --version
find ~/Nextcloud -maxdepth 2 -type d 2>/dev/null | head

3. Restore local workstation folders

Restore local folders such as ~/workstation, ~/Documents, or lab-specific working directories from the backup source used by the team.

Prefer restoring user data, not old system directories.
Be careful with symlinks; recreate them only when the target exists on the new machine.
Keep large generated files out of Git repositories unless the project explicitly requires them.

4. Restore Thunderbird profile data if applicable

If Thunderbird is used locally, restore profile data only from a trusted backup and only when account sync alone is insufficient.

Close Thunderbird before copying profile data.
Restore the relevant profile directory and then start Thunderbird.
Re-enter account passwords through the normal GUI prompts instead of storing them in documentation.

5. Reconnect Vorta/Borg backup configuration

If the workstation uses Vorta/Borg with external HDD backups:

Install the backup tools through the lab stack.
Connect the backup drive only when needed.
Open Vorta and reconnect existing Borg repositories rather than creating duplicate backup histories.
Confirm the repository path, encryption settings, and schedule with the lab-specific backup notes.

Avoid running prune or delete operations until you are sure the new workstation is connected to the correct repository.

6. Handle SSH, GPG, and private keys carefully

🔧 Manual setup and configuration

Private keys require manual review.

Prefer creating new SSH keys for a new workstation and registering the public key with GitHub or the institution service.
Restore old private keys only when continuity is required and the backup source is trusted.
Never paste private keys into tickets, chats, or documentation.
Restore GPG keys only if they are still needed for commit signing or encrypted archives.
Keep password manager recovery, disk encryption recovery, and backup passphrases available before depending on the restored machine.

Verification checklist after restore