On Sat, Oct 06, 2007 at 08:59:10PM -0700, tom arnall wrote: > On Saturday 06 October 2007 20:46, Kevin Mark wrote: > > On Sat, Oct 06, 2007 at 11:30:42AM -0700, tom arnall wrote: > > > Realistically, is there any way I can fix my system so I can log in as > > > root, without reinstalling the OS? > > > > Here is the question: lets say you fix the initial problem and CAN log > > in as root. What next? You have a few hundred files with the wrong > > permission. > > > > Q: How do you fix this? A: with great pains! > > > > On an average unix system, you can access the data or configuration by > > using a live cd or similar, then back that up. Now that you have the > > important data like the output of 'dpkg --get-selections´, you now know > > what packages to install when you reformat the partition! So you do a > > base install, use 'dpkg --set-selections', do the other bits to install > > the rest of the packages, and in about 1/2 a day, you can be back to a > > reasonable state. > > > > The other way is to fiddle with a few hundred files until you get an > > only mildly broken system. At least that is the way I look at it, YMMV. > > K > > > 'tis sage advice, i fear. and thanks for the 'get-selections' info. this list > is the main reason i stay debian.
http://kevin.vanzonneveld.net/techblog/article/restore_packages_using_dselectupgrade/ This is a basic HOWTO for the above advice. =K -- | .''`. == Debian GNU/Linux == | my web site: | | : :' : The Universal |mysite.verizon.net/kevin.mark/| | `. `' Operating System | go to counter.li.org and | | `- http://www.debian.org/ | be counted! #238656 | | my keyserver: subkeys.pgp.net | my NPO: cfsg.org | |join the new debian-community.org to help Debian! | |_______ Unless I ask to be CCd, assume I am subscribed _______|
