Accidentaly removed Python on my Ubuntu
 

Hi,

First of all I don't know whether this post is posted in the right category. So, excuse me if its not.

I kind of screwed up my laptop today. Accidentally removed python!! During this process I realized thats its removing packages like evince, gstream etc...so I used force quit but the damage was done already.

Rebooting the computer initially complained that it is running on low graphics and tried various combinations which were listed but didn't work. Later on while I tried to boot it several times, it never reached the login screen.

I tried to reboot my computer in recovery mode. Tried to update the system from there. For example

sudo apt-get update

it spits these lines

Err http://archive.canonical.com lucid Release.gpg
Could not resolve 'archive.canonical.com'

Err http://nz.archive.canonical.com lucid Release.gpg
Could not resolve 'nz.archive.canonical.com'

Err http://nz.archive.canonical.com lucid-updates Release.gpg
Could not resolve 'nz.archive.canonical.com'

Err http://nz.archive.canonical.com lucid-security Release.gpg
Could not resolve 'nz.archive.canonical.com'

Reading package lists.....Done

W: Failed to fetch http://nz.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/...id/Release.gpg Could not resolve 'nz.archive.ubuntu.com'

W: Failed to fetch http://nz.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/...es/Release.gpg Could not resolve 'nz.archive.ubuntu.com'

W: Failed to fetch http://nz.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/...id/Release.gpg Could not resolve 'nz.archive.ubuntu.com'

W: Failed to fetch http://nz.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/...ty/Release.gpg Could not resolve 'nz.archive.ubuntu.com'

W: Somed index files failed to download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

My computer is behind the university proxy. None of the suggestions on google worked to solve this issue.

I am skeptical whether I can fix this without reinstalling.

Any suggestions will be of great help.

it looks like the system is only unable to resolve older files from the archives...

python should not be necessary for Lucid to run, so how did you remove it? or what command did you type that you later forced quit?

and as far as I know python has absolutely nothing to do with graphics drivers so you have me curious :)

Many system-scripts will call upon python.

If you have removed python, they will not work.

The "Cannot resolve ..." Errors are probably due to the failure of a python-dependant script to run.

I suggest backup of personal files and then a re-install, and remember your mistake.

Try reinstalling python using deb packages from here. Note that you might have to first install its dependencies if they are not already installed.
If installation fails due to incomplete package management system (i.e. you can't install ANY package using deb), then the only easy thing you have to do is what tredegar has suggested.