/var/lib disapeared, as a result many programs do not work
 

Starting with GDM, then dkpg, aptitutde, apt-get, I cant reinstall gdm or restore the /var/lib dir w/o this software. Network does not function. For some reason DHCP is not functioning on eth0 although /etc/network/interfaces is configured for auto.

So essentially package managers do not work and even if they did I could not do anything with them. My CD drive is out so reinstall is not an option. Are they any solutions for restoring /var/lib w/o use of internet or cd drive, through command line?

Thank you for any help in advance, RC

Do you know what happened to /var/lib in the first place? Have you run an fsck on the partition? Have you checked the lost+found directory?