4.56 GB deleted without any consent. Random.

Ichpuchtli · 07-05-2006, 04:15 AM

Help. I went on to my linux account the other day after repairing my system because KDE was not working. Now it worked and I was following these steps to install firefox from here. (sorry can not post link)

I will give teh code instead.

Code:

$ su
< password >
# mv firefox* /usr/local/bin/
# cd /usr/local/bin/
# tar -zxvf firefox*

and while listening to music over amarok I suddenly relised that the songs were not working niether was my background, it said all my files did not exist. I went back on today and true to it's word they were gone. All I had left was Trash. I do not even know how to begin recovering my files using shell. Any explaination and how to recover my files would be greatly appreicated. I lost a total of 4.56GB and I had some paid for files on it. DigitalBlasphemy pictures and music for one. I am extremely anoyyed at this.

Please if you need more details please tell me I will give them to you.

Thanks Andrew

JunctaJuvant · 07-05-2006, 04:45 AM

The code you posted above does not delete anything, it just moves every file and directory starting with the string "firefox" to /usr/local/bin (I would have used tab-completion, wildcards can be dangerous).
So have you checked that you did not mistype something and accidentally move *everything* in that directory to /usr/local/bin? Because otherwise, I don't see how this explains 4.56GB of missing data.

unSpawn · 07-05-2006, 04:51 AM

In addition to what JunctaJuvant wrote:
- I will give teh code instead. Instead you could get the real commands reading /root/.bash_history if Bash is the default shell. For that (and anything that follows) you would need to keep the system as untouched as possible. This means booting your distro's rescue CD or KNOPPIX(-derivative) and mount partitions read-only and then get the file.

Just in case /usr/local/bin doesn't have the files, and /root/.bash_history shows you actually did something else, have a look at these questions:
- Did you, between "deleting" files and noticing it, reboot the system or/and logged in or do anything?
- If the box was powered on all the time between deletion and your post, was it running in a runlevel other than 1?
- What is the filesystem type the files resided on?
- Do you have another physical disk (could be external) with sufficient free space on it?

Ichpuchtli · 07-05-2006, 06:12 PM

I will try checking in there. I will also pull up the history, I working on windows writing this because I am slightly reluctent to go back on. I will also post a history of what I typed.

Is there anyway to recover the files if they have being lost?

unSpawn · 07-05-2006, 06:57 PM

I working on windows writing this because I am slightly reluctent to go back on.
I can imagine that. If you learn from your mistakes however and implement a good backup scheme chances you'll ever have to go through this again will become much smaller.

I will also post a history of what I typed.
Yes, that could definately help.

Is there anyway to recover the files if they have being lost?
The only sane answer one can give without more information is "it depends". We can help you try to recover part of it, but don't expect flawless results. Meanwhile try to answer any previous questions we asked if you can. If you don't understand something: just ask.

[edit]Here's what I posted recently on ext3 recovery[/edit]