I've Made a Stupid Mistake

[Exsecrabilus]

Here is my original topic: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...=1#post6460940

I have found further information.

This is what happened yesterday, when I logged onto my computer:


I tried to view a file in /usr/share/etc/etc/etc/ and was denied the permission to do so. So I started Nautilus (File Browser) as root, and then I thought, instead of starting Nautilus as root everytime I want access to a system file, why don't I change the permissions so that I can view them as a normal account?

But I'm not retarded, just know that before reading on. I selected every folder in Filesystem, and went right-click -> Properties -> Permissions. For Group: Others I set Folder Permissions: Access files and File Permissions: View files. I didn't go far as to actually let a normal user create and delete files in Filesystem.

Well after that, every single icon image disappeared, and no programs would run. Finally, I rebooted. It started up normal, but suddenly, it stopped, and displayed something like this:

BusyBox v1.10.2 (Ubuntu 1:1.10.2-1ubuntu6) Built-in shell (ash)
Enter ‘help’ for a list of built-in commands.

(initramfs) <blinking cursor here signifying I could type>

I searched around, and read a post about how I should type "exit" to quit the BusyBox thing and resume a normal boot. So I did, and then I found a better clue to what is happening to my computer: I got a message saying something about a kernel panic.

So, can anyone help? I am running Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex i386, and I am convinced all my files are gone. But I am not so sure, because upon starting my Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Live CD, and opening up System -> Administration -> Partition Editor (from the Live CD), I found my hard disk, /dev/sda, was actually occupied 30% with files, exactly the same as before I made my mistake!

[redilyn]

You shouldn't post duplicate messages.

Your files are not gone but you have probably damaged your system beyond repair.

You should never change the permissions on core system files and folders.

Your best bet now is to boot from the livecd. backup your files. Then reinstall ubuntu.

I would suggest creating a separate /home partition when reinstalling. That way you can save your files and settings between re-installations.

In response to your other thread. After booting from the livecd, click places, and look for something the says "X GB Media"

Click on that, when it mounts you should have access to your files.

[eBoxNet]

boot using a live cd and give us the results of

ls /dev/disk/by-uuid/ -n

[eBoxNet]

oh and something else,you should getting an error message just before it drop you in shell,can you paste this msg pls?

thanks

[Exsecrabilus]

You shouldn't post duplicate messages.

Your files are not gone but you have probably damaged your system beyond repair.

You should never change the permissions on core system files and folders.

Your best bet now is to boot from the livecd. backup your files. Then reinstall ubuntu.

I would suggest creating a separate /home partition when reinstalling. That way you can save your files and settings between re-installations.

In response to your other thread. After booting from the livecd, click places, and look for something the says "X GB Media"

Click on that, when it mounts you should have access to your files.

Thanks for trying to help me. But for some reason, when I boot from the Live CD and open up Nautilus and try to click on XX GB Media which is ultimately my hard disk, an error comes up, and I can't view my files.

oh and something else,you should getting an error message just before it drop you in shell,can you paste this msg pls?

thanks

I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you've just said. I should be getting an error message when I do what? When I run the command you wrote above from my Live CD? Paste your message I'm quoting? Why? Explain your sentence please, thank you.

[eBoxNet]

are you dual booting?
did you try to run

ls /dev/disk/by-uuid/ -n

can you give us the error (if u have any from boot) ?

[eBoxNet]

just before the shell promtp you should get an error msg,if we have the error and the result of the :

ls /dev/disk/by-uuid/ -n

we can then check if theres anything wrong with your disk conf.

[Exsecrabilus]

are you dual booting?
did you try to run

ls /dev/disk/by-uuid/ -n

can you give us the error (if u have any from boot) ?

I'm not double-booting. Check my second post in this topic, I have a question about your second post in this topic.

Didn't you say I could boot from a Live CD and post the results?

EDIT: Can I type the code you gave me into the BusyBox prompt?

[eBoxNet]

yes you can,open up a terminal windows and type inside

ls /dev/disk/by-uuid/ -n

[redilyn]

Thanks for trying to help me. But for some reason, when I boot from the Live CD and open up Nautilus and try to click on XX GB Media which is ultimately my hard disk, an error comes up, and I can't view my files.

What is the error message you get when you try to open X GB Media??

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but changing the file permissions as you described should not have prevented the partition from being mounted.

Have you tried the following from the terminal

sudo chmod 777 -R /dev/sdaX

Where X is your partition number (ie sda1 or sda2)

This will not fix your system but may give you access to your files again.