Even the most advanced and long-time linux users are not immune to the evil vile typeo or mistyped command.

I was having an issue witht he naming of the kernel after a recompile and was not sure which /lib/modules/* directory was active, my solution which I have done many times was to delete all the /lib/modules/* directories and re-compile-install the kernel modules.

rm /lib/modules/* -rf

however in my haste and overconfidence I failed to notice my command was this:

rm /lib/* -rf

the outcome is obvious....

Well as I use gentoo (stage 1) and just finished compiling the system yesterday (after 3 days streight of compiling without supervision everything I could need) I have no packages or backups to restore... off to start another 3 day long compile.

WATCH THOSE COMMANDS!!!!!

Yep, I know what you mean.

I did something similar where I accidentally typed the wrong extension in an rm -rf command. Of course, it had to happen in a critical system directory. So, what I always do before I ever do a forced recursive remove is double check my command. It certainly saves some headaches. Luckily this happened on my home comp, and not my server. :-)

ah... me too. I had just finished my shiney new gentoo stage 1 install, and I went into /etc to delete all the *~ backup files. So I typed rm *~, not noticing that my '~' was in a different place than I was used to, and the key I pressed did nothing. So the command was 'rm *' . There went my /etc....

I think I will write a perl script that I will alias to rm that will run the rm command as typed, however if it is an obvious bad combo like rm in /lib or /etc, and so on it will call the user an idiot and not do it.......

I will keep this forum posted...

hmmz. Good idea. except.... skip all the checking, just call the user an idiot and not do it =]

lol, that would work if I didn't consider myself one of the users. damn, biggest mistake in the 5 years I have been on linux.. oh I take that back, purchasing redhat9.1 when I found myself without a slackware cd or internet access for a week... I was better off without the computer and the $$$ in my pocket. (Vacation)

How about
touch -- /home/-i
touch -- /usr/-i
touch -- /lib/-i
touch -- /-i

? ;)

care to explain what that does?

It creates a 0-byte length file by the name of
-i in the directories in question ...

If you run an rm in those it's being interpreted
as a -i switch to rm, thus asking you (only in
those specially protected directories) whether
you're SURE you want to do that.


Cheers,
Tink

you are a saint. thanx

/me goes down on his knees and says a Lords prayer, and asks for protection of all those Linux boxen out there ...

:)

I really like that technique because it saves you
from RedHats (for example) stupid alias and being
asked on EVERY deletion ... :)


Cheers,
Tink

lol yeah, usually I have an alias making -f a given, so it never prompts me.. this dounside is obvious, though in 5 years it is the first time I screwed up on an rm command (though I have screwed up many other ways)

if -i is specified after -f, or vice versa, the last one will take affect.

Which, when you use wildcards, and don't prepend the
files to your switches (quite uncommon) is going to be
the -i ;)

I don't know many people who go
rm * -rf

In fact, I don't know any. But I expect a few
to pop-up now ;}


Cheers,
Tink

/me pulls out a .22

All ye who use rm * -rf step forward.