Can I install fedora-32-minimal a second time?

User Support
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I installed fedora-32-minimal and added some packages to it and I’m using it for AppVMs. Now, I want to start with a fresh install, but haven’t been able to install it again. I ran sudo qubes-dom0-update qubes-template-fedora-32-minimal This is what I’m getting in Dom0 Terminal. Is it because I cannot install it fedora-32-minimal twice on the same system?

Using sys-whonix as UpdateVM to download updates for Dom0; this may take some time...
No Match for argument qubes-template-fedora-32-minimal
Nothing to download
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3

Thank you, @fsflover for your prompt response. I would like to install another fedora-32-minimal rather than replace the current one with a fresh version (i.e. --action=reinstall). Is that possible?

4

In this case, you should clone your existing fedora-32-minimal templateVM. You can do it with a right click in the Qube Manager.

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If I clone it my currently installed minimal template, the installed packages will persist in it. So if I understand correctly, the only solution is (1) --action=reinstall, and (2) clone the freshly installed and clean minimal template, (3) install different packages in different version of the minimal template. Right?

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Or, alternatively:

  1. Clone your template. The new one will have all old packages.
  2. Reinstall the original template. It will be fresh.
  3. (At least in theory) Rename them if necessary (but renaming has some dangerous bugs).
    Or change the templates for all your qubes accordingly (should be more safe).
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If I clone it my currently installed minimal template, the installed
packages will persist in it. So if I understand correctly, the only
solution is (1) --action=reinstall, and (2) clone the freshly
installed and clean minimal template, (3) install different packages
in different version of the minimal template. Right?

This is why I don’t keep “installed” templates around, but clone them
immediately and uninstall the one from the repository.

Like so:

sudo qubes-dom0-update qubes-template-fedore-32-minimal
qvm-clone fedora-32-minimal tpl-fed-32-min
sudo dnf remove qubes-template-fedore-32-minimal

… and then do all further modifications on clones of tpl-fed-32-min.

However, I understand that is of little help to you now. Here is what I
would recommend you do:

  1. clone your existing fedora-32-minimal template

    qvm-clone fedora-32-minimal fedora-32-minimal-customized

  2. identify all the qubes that are based on it

    qvm-ls | grep fedora-32-minimal

  3. one by one switch them over to the clone

    qvm-prefs myqube template fedora-32-minimal-customized

  4. uninstall the original fedora-32-minimal

    sudo dnf remove qubes-template-fedore-32-minimal

  5. reinstall fedora-32-minimal

    sudo qubes-dom0-update qubes-template-fedore-32-minimal

Now you have a clean and fresh fedora-32-minimal. Going forward I would
highly recommend to only make changes on clones of that one. Another
advantage of this is that if you ever have to restore from backup, your
backed up templates won’t conflict with already existing ones (e.g.
fedora-32)

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