Retrieve deleted directory

ashok.g · 06-21-2010, 04:32 AM

Hi folks,
I deleted a symbolic link file. That deleted the source directory also.
Is there a way to retrieve the deleted directory?
I found a link for this. But I am unable to unmount the file system as there is only one partition /dev/hda1.

Can anyone give some good solution to getback my deleted directory?

DrLove73 · 06-21-2010, 05:23 AM

Create backup of entire partition before any attempt.

Use LiveCD to retrieve lost files, choose not to mount found filesystem when asked or unmount after automatic mount.

unSpawn · 06-21-2010, 05:39 AM

In addition to what was said already: what did the deleted directory contain? System or user-owned files? Did you make backups? If the OS only contains one partition (your /dev/hda1) then keeping it running causes voluntary and involuntary disk reads and writes. This quickly diminishes chances for recovery. If you have not made backups and if the directory contained user-owned files then it would be best to immediately shut down the machine, attach external storage and boot from a Live CD like HELIX or KNOPPIX and work from there (photorec, testdisk). Until you are ready shut down the machine, do not let it be used in the meanwhile and use another machine to do research (searching LQ will yield threads like this) D/L and burn the ISO if needed.

fruttenboel · 06-21-2010, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashok.g

Hi folks,
I deleted a symbolic link file. That deleted the source directory also.
Is there a way to retrieve the deleted directory?
I found a link for this. But I am unable to unmount the file system as there is only one partition /dev/hda1.

Can anyone give some good solution to getback my deleted directory?

I hope you make regular backups... But I have the feeling you did not.

My experience with Linux is that a removed tree is hard to get back. There's no undelete like in DR-DOS.

I regularly run a simple backup script that puts all the volatile data (i.e. no photo's, films and music) in a tar file in /Backup. If I now accidentally loose a tree or a trunk, I just consult the tar file in /Backup and get back as much as I can.

This is my script:

Code:

#! /bin/sh

if (! rm /Backup/BeBackup.tar 2> /dev/null 1> /dev/null)  then
   echo No /Backup/BeBackup.tar file found.
fi
   
tar cf /Backup/BeBackup.tar /home --exclude=Keep/* --exclude=Cache/* --exclude=jpg/*

Be (short for Beryllium) is the name of the machine. BeBackup is the backup fle.

The script will include all of the /home tree except

- all files in the 'Keep/' directories,
- all files in 'Cache' directories (your webbrowsers)
- all files in 'jpg/' directories

This won't retrieve the files you lost yesterday, but it'll save your future.

I'd better learn from your experience and make a cronjob that makes daily backups towards /Backu and regularly burn a CD or DVD...