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But isn't there an easy way to export the current package selection so that you can install them all in one go after?
I seem to recall that it possible but for all my searching all I've turned up is some fairly arcane bash-fu that messes with things that could easily screw up a system.
I know that properly wont work for external packages like chrome & atom.io, but I can manage to install a few packages by hand - it's just the constant work interruptions as you realize your missing a piece of software that I want to avoid.
rsync -av is also an option i have done it few times, even from a running system :)
edit: i keep upgrading my HDD's/SSD's once ever 2-3 years and i have done cloning or rsyncing many times without any issues, i dont like reinstalls.
Trouble comes when you want to boot from the new drive - either you need to fiddle with grub and you fstab or you need to do mess with the UUID of the drives - neither of which I've had much luck with.
At the end of the day it's personal preference - I'd rather spend the time upfront reinstalling than afterwards trying to salvage a system I've screwed up so bad I wont boot ^^
its not hard to install grub again :) or when you clone the UUID will be same so it will work same way as your old HDD with all the boot sectors and things all there