Another newbie in search of security and a challenge

[gedrick]

Hello everyone, I've had ubuntu/kubuntu in for about a month-loving it-or I was until it wouldn't boot.So to my shame this post is out of windows. I'm off now to see the wizard to put things right.

[Zelut]

*donning wizard hat* I'd love to help you with your problem. Perhaps you could be a little more specific in the issue/error.

Thanks

[nalmeth]

yeah

post all output error, and tell us just what you have been doing with your ubuntu! We'll know if you're lying!! :p

you sound positive. this is good :D

[gedrick]

I have Ubuntu 5.10 with kde installed and the gnome uninstalled-I couldn't install Kubuntu from the disc-it said it was corrupted.
I had been following instructions on a maltese linux site on how to play about in command line-create new folders etc. When I came to shut down my computer it was taking a long time and I was in a rush, so I cut the power. Now when I try to boot I get this:

/etc/rcS.d/S10checkroot.sh:line 309: /lib/init/readlink:Permission denied

I get about 20 more lines which mention other files all "Permission denied"

Then I get:

No more processes left in this runlevelr 5 minutession deniedermission

Leave it running and it tries to respawn Id 1-6 but it says:

*Id "1" respawning too fast: disabled for 5 minutes

and:

*cannot execute "/sbin/getty"

I don't have a rescue disk and I tried something with the ubuntu installation disk that I had seen where you got to a prompt and typed "rescue" and then reboot - it didn't work for me.
I am not sure if playing on the command line has got anything to do with my problem, it seemed to be running fine up to switching the power off.