/etc deleted!!!

matrix13 · 07-09-2007, 07:50 AM

I am new to linux.

While I was trying to log in as root, i was trying to remove the .X0-lock file.

Accidently, i removed the /etc folder

Code:

rm -rf /etc/

Now my system shows the message(while booting up)

Quote:

Enter the runlevel

I tried 1, but didnt work.

--Is there any way to recover my machine (Debian Etch), without a reinstall?
--What about copying the /etc folder from another linux machine?

Thanx...

nx5000 · 07-09-2007, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matrix13

I am new to linux.

While I was trying to log in as root, i was trying to remove the .X0-lock file.

Accidently, i removed the /etc folder

Code:

rm -rf /etc/

Now my system shows the message(while booting up)

I tried 1, but didnt work.

--Is there any way to recover my machine (Debian Etch), without a reinstall?

You can get a list of installed package in /var and from this, reinstall all packages, including configuration files. You will have the default /etc directory for the install packages. The remaining missing files in /etc have to be manually recreated probably. Not impossible.

Quote:

--What about copying the /etc folder from another linux machine?

Thanx...

Yes, depends on how you modified your system.. moving an etch from fedora core to debian is not a good thing tho' prefer from debian to debian

matrix13 · 07-09-2007, 08:01 AM

I thought of copying a '/etc' from another system.
But, there is a problem.
How will I log into my machine. It asks for a 'runlevel'.
What should I enter here?

Thanx for the reply...

nx5000 · 07-09-2007, 08:26 AM

Booting witout /etc is waste of time.
You need to boot with a live cd, mount your harddisk partitions and do all your operation from the livecd.

saikee · 07-09-2007, 08:37 AM

Is it not true that the .trash-root folder in /root would hold the deleted files temporarily until it is emptied?

Never restore files from there yet but I know all my deleted files are there taking up the storage and I have to go in from time to time to clean it out. Think that is the same way the recycle bin work in the MS system.

If that is the case just boot up a Live CD to restore the partition.

rickh · 07-09-2007, 08:56 AM

Don't spend half your life trying to fix it. Accidentally removing critical system files is part of the learning curve for new Linux users. If you built your system with /home on a separate partition (you should have), just reinstall around it. (During the partitioning dialog, identify the same /home partition, and do not format it.)

I always recommend that my newbie friends reinstall a few times at first. There is much to be learned in that process.

nx5000 · 07-09-2007, 09:10 AM

This will reinstall all packages and their configuration files (not tested):

Code:

dpkg -l | awk '{print $2}' | xargs | apt-get -o DPkg::Options::='--force-confmiss' --reinstall install

This will reconfigure all packages handled by debconf

Code:

dpkg-reconfigure --all

But as rickh said, you can also reinstall, it would be quicker..

student04 · 07-09-2007, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickh

Don't spend half your life trying to fix it. Accidentally removing critical system files is part of the learning curve for new Linux users. If you built your system with /home on a separate partition (you should have), just reinstall around it. (During the partitioning dialog, identify the same /home partition, and do not format it.)

I always recommend that my newbie friends reinstall a few times at first. There is much to be learned in that process.

Agreed. Caution should always be used when toying around as root. Mistyped commands can mess up a lot, and there's no "Trash" with rm.

If you recently installed, the easiest but time consuming way would be to do it again (build around /home as rickh says in case you have files in there you do not want to have overwritten).

UK MAdMaN · 07-09-2007, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saikee

Is it not true that the .trash-root folder in /root would hold the deleted files temporarily until it is emptied?

Only if you delete files in the graphical interface. Using rm on the command line will completely remove the files.