Is there a way to repair my current 10.04 install?

[redfox1160]

Okay... I did something really stupid... I wanted to install the newest version of Python available, so I typed in sudo apt-get remove python to "remove the current version". I let it go for a while not realizing what it was deleting... It deleted a lot of things (including the ubuntu software center). I stopped it immediately but damage was already done...:( Does anyone know if I can repair the current installation? What would I need to do that? Thanks!

[Verbeck]

have you tried installing the removed packages?


here's what i got [might have some programs you may not want]


The following packages will be REMOVED:
aisleriot alacarte apport apport-gtk apt-xapian-index aptdaemon apturl
apturl-common at-spi baobab byobu capplets-data checkbox checkbox-gtk
command-not-found compiz compiz-fusion-plugins-extra compiz-gnome
compiz-plugins compizconfig-settings-manager computer-janitor
computer-janitor-gtk desktopcouch empathy eog evince evolution
evolution-couchdb evolution-data-server evolution-exchange
evolution-indicator evolution-webcal file-roller firefox firefox-branding
firefox-gnome-support gconf-editor gconf2 gdm gdm-guest-session gedit gimp
gksu gnome-about gnome-applets gnome-applets-data gnome-codec-install
gnome-control-center gnome-dictionary gnome-doc-utils gnome-exe-thumbnailer
gnome-mag gnome-mahjongg gnome-media gnome-media-common gnome-menus
gnome-orca gnome-panel gnome-panel-data gnome-power-manager
gnome-screensaver gnome-screenshot gnome-search-tool gnome-session
gnome-session-bin gnome-session-canberra gnome-settings-daemon gnome-sudoku
gnome-system-log gnome-system-monitor gnome-terminal gnome-terminal-data
gnome-user-guide gnome-user-guide-en gnome-utils gnomine
gstreamer0.10-plugins-good gucharmap gwibber gwibber-service hplip
hplip-data ibus ibus-pinyin ibus-table indicator-applet
indicator-applet-session indicator-me indicator-session indicator-sound
jockey-common jockey-gtk language-selector language-selector-common
launchpad-integration libbonoboui2-0 libgail-gnome-module libgksu2-0
libgnome-media0 libgnome-vfs2.0-cil libgnome2-0 libgnome2-common
libgnome2-perl libgnome2-vfs-perl libgnome2.24-cil libgnomekbd-common
libgnomekbd4 libgnomepanel2.24-cil libgnomeui-0 libgnomevfs2-0
libgnomevfs2-common libgnomevfs2-extra libgstfarsight0.10-0
libgweather-common libgweather1 libgwibber0 libmetacity-private0
libpanel-applet2-0 libpurple-bin libpurple0 libsyncdaemon-1.0-1
libtelepathy-farsight0 libubuntuone-1.0-1 light-themes lsb-release metacity
metacity-common mousetweaks nautilus nautilus-data nautilus-sendto-empathy
nautilus-share network-manager network-manager-gnome nvidia-common
nvidia-settings onboard openoffice.org-gnome pitivi python-appindicator
python-apport python-apt python-aptdaemon python-aptdaemon-gtk
python-argparse python-avahi python-brlapi python-cairo python-compizconfig
python-configglue python-couchdb python-crypto python-cups
python-cupshelpers python-dbus python-debian python-desktopcouch-records
python-egenix-mxdatetime python-egenix-mxtools python-farsight python-gconf
python-gdbm python-glade2 python-gmenu python-gnome2 python-gnomeapplet
python-gnomecanvas python-gnomekeyring python-gnupginterface python-gobject
python-gobject-cairo python-gst0.10 python-gtk2 python-gtksourceview2
python-gtkspell python-httplib2 python-ibus python-imaging python-indicate
python-launchpad-integration python-launchpadlib python-lazr.restfulclient
python-lazr.uri python-libproxy python-libuser python-libxml2 python-louis
python-mako python-markupsafe python-newt python-notify python-oauth
python-openssl python-pam python-papyon python-pexpect python-pkg-resources
python-problem-report python-protobuf python-pyatspi python-pycurl
python-pygoocanvas python-pyicu python-pyinotify python-pyorbit
python-rdflib python-serial python-simplejson python-smbc
python-software-properties python-speechd python-telepathy
python-twisted-bin python-twisted-core python-twisted-names
python-twisted-web python-ubuntuone python-ubuntuone-client
python-ubuntuone-storageprotocol python-virtkey python-vte python-wadllib
python-webkit python-wnck python-xapian python-xdg python-xkit
python-zope.interface quadrapassel remastersys rhythmbox
rhythmbox-plugin-cdrecorder rhythmbox-plugins
rhythmbox-ubuntuone-music-store screen-resolution-extra seahorse
sessioninstaller simple-scan software-center software-properties-gtk
system-config-printer-common system-config-printer-gnome
system-config-printer-udev system-config-samba telepathy-butterfly
telepathy-haze tomboy totem totem-common totem-mozilla totem-plugins
tsclient ubiquity ubiquity-frontend-debconf ubufox ubuntu-artwork
ubuntu-desktop ubuntu-docs ubuntu-minimal ubuntu-sso-client
ubuntu-system-service ubuntu-tweak ubuntu-wallpapers ubuntuone-client
ubuntuone-client-gnome ufw unattended-upgrades update-manager
update-manager-core update-notifier update-notifier-common
usb-creator-common usb-creator-gtk vinagre vino xchat xchat-common
xul-ext-ubufox yelp

[redfox1160]

have you tried installing the removed packages?


I was going to but I don't know what packages were removed. Is there a way to check which packages I removed last?

[Quackers]

Try System > Admin > Synaptic Package Manager > File > History

[redfox1160]

I am actually unable to get back onto desktop. I am at work, and had to leave. I couldn't lock my computer so I shut it off. I just turned it back on and this is the login prompt I got: http://i.imgur.com/sT6n7.jpg
When I log on I get a black screen... is this fixable?

[sisco311]

That looks like KDM. Are you using Ubuntu or Kubuntu?

Anyway, first switch to a virtual console (Ctrl+Alt+F1), log in and try fixing the broken packages:

sudo apt-get install -f
Then try installing ubuntu-minimal and ubuntu-desktop (or kubuntu-desktop):

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-minimal ubuntu-desktop

[Quackers]

Have you tried ctrl+alt+F1 or F2
can you get a login prompt that way?

Edit: Aha! sisco arrived :-)

[redfox1160]

I did Ctrl+Alt+F1 and logged in. I ran

sudo apt-get install -f
and

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-minimal ubuntu-desktop
Then, I realized I wasn't connected to a network so I ran the following

/etc/init.d/networking start
and got the following back

/usr/bin/python: can't find '__main__.py' in '/usr/share/command-not-found'

I'm guessing that this means I can't connect to the internet to download the packages. Any suggestions? Thanks again for all the help.

[Quackers]

Ethernet cable? Not sure but worth a try maybe.

[redfox1160]

Ethernet cable? Not sure but worth a try maybe.

when I try to start networking now, I get this:


start: Rejected send message, 1 matched rules; type="method_call", sender=":1.12" (uid=1000 pid=1423 comm="start) interface="com.ubuntu.Upstart0_6.Job" member="Start" error name="(unset)" requested_reply=0 destination="com.ubuntu.Upstart" (uid=0 pid1 comm="/sbin/init"))

(Sorry my responses are taking long, I'm at work)

EDIT:
if config returns the following

lo Link ecap:Local Loopback
inet addr: 127.0.0.1 Mask: 255.0.0.0
inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1
RX packets:238 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:238 eroors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:47217 (47.2KB) TX bytes:47217 (47.2KB)

[sisco311]

How do you connect to the Internet?

[redfox1160]

How do you connect to the Internet?
I use wicd, but if I type that into the terminal I get this error again:

/usr/bin/python: can't find '__main__.py' in '/usr/share/command-not-found'

[sisco311]

I use wicd, but if I type that into the terminal I get this error again:

/usr/bin/python: can't find '__main__.py' in '/usr/share/command-not-found'

Yep, wicd-daemon depends on python. :(

You have to figure out a way to set up your connection without wicd. Could you please tell as some details about the network? Wired or wireless? Encrypted?

Or you could boot a LiveCD (or Live USB), set up the connection, chroot into Ubutnu and reinstall the packages.

[redfox1160]

Yep, wicd-daemon depends on python. :(

You have to figure out a way to set up your connection without wicd. Could you please tell as some details about the network? Wired or wireless? Encrypted?

Or you could boot a LiveCD (or Live USB), set up the connection, chroot into Ubutnu and reinstall the packages.

I'll try to use a LiveCD to chroot into Ubuntu. I don't have time now. Thanks for all the help!

[sisco311]

You're welcome!

For reference here is the script I use to chroot into Ubuntu:

#!/bin/bash

################################################## ##########################
# variables #
################################################## ##########################

# device name of the root partition
ROOT="/dev/sda1"

# mount point of the new root partition
MOUNT="/mnt/natty"

# list of virtual filesystems and additional config files
ARGS="dev dev/pts proc sys etc/resolv.conf"

# list of additional devices and their mount pont.
# device names must be separated by the mount point with a colon (:)
# e.g. /dev/sda2:/home
AMOUNT=""

# user name
UNAME="sisco"

################################################## ##########################
# start the chroot environment #
################################################## ##########################

# add user to the list of allowed users to make connections to the X server.
sudo -u $USER xhost SI:localuser:$UNAME

# create the mount point & mount the root partition
mkdir -p $MOUNT
mount $ROOT $MOUNT

# mount the virtual filesystems & resolv.conf to enable the network
for i in $ARGS; do
mount --bind /$i $MOUNT/$i
done

# mount additional partitions:
for i in $AMOUNT; do
mkdir -p ${MOUNT}${i//*:/}
mount ${i//:*/} ${MOUNT}${i//*:/}
done

# start the chroot
chroot $MOUNT sudo -i -u $UNAME

[katykat]

Try:
/sbin/dhclient3

That may restart the networking.
(Dont know if it uses python...)

[sisco311]

(Dont know if it uses python...)

If you have a (working) Ubuntu installation, you can check it ;)

sisco@acme:~$ dpkg -S /sbin/dhclient3
dhcp3-client: /sbin/dhclient3
sisco@acme:~$ apt-cache depends dhcp3-client
dhcp3-client
Depends: debianutils
Depends: dhcp3-common
Depends: libc6
|Depends: debconf
Depends: <debconf-2.0>
cdebconf
debconf
Suggests: resolvconf
Suggests: avahi-autoipd
Suggests: apparmor
Conflicts: dhcp-client
Conflicts: samba-common


and yep, the command may work.


@OP:
In case of a static ethernet connection, something like:

sudo ifconfig eth0 192.168.0.100 upshould bring up the device.

In case of a wireless connection, this guide should help: How To: Manual Network Configuration without the need for Network Manager

[redfox1160]

If you have a (working) Ubuntu installation, you can check it ;)

sisco@acme:~$ dpkg -S /sbin/dhclient3
dhcp3-client: /sbin/dhclient3
sisco@acme:~$ apt-cache depends dhcp3-client
dhcp3-client
Depends: debianutils
Depends: dhcp3-common
Depends: libc6
|Depends: debconf
Depends: <debconf-2.0>
cdebconf
debconf
Suggests: resolvconf
Suggests: avahi-autoipd
Suggests: apparmor
Conflicts: dhcp-client
Conflicts: samba-common


and yep, the command may work.


@OP:
In case of a static ethernet connection, something like:

sudo ifconfig eth0 192.168.0.100 upshould bring up the device.

In case of a wireless connection, this guide should help: How To: Manual Network Configuration without the need for Network Manager

Okay,

I have the time to try to fix this now. I just ran

sudo ifconfig eth0 192.168.0.100 up
and my eth0 came back up, but I was unable to ping outside ip addresses, so I ran this

sudo /sbin/dhclient3
and I was able to ping them! I just ran

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-minimal ubuntu-desktop
I'll report back when it is finished installing. Thanks again for all the help, and sorry for the late responses!

[redfox1160]

It is fixed!
I did encounter a problem where I could not connect to us.archives.ubuntu.com, but that can be solved by running the following code, then running the apt-get command

sudo dhclient -r;sudo dhclient
Thanks everyone for all the help!

[sisco311]

You are welcome!

BTW, python 3.1.2 is in the repos, you can install it alongside the default python.

[redfox1160]

You are welcome!

BTW, python 3.1.2 is in the repos, you can install it alongside the default python.

I actually just did that. I am having a problem though (this might be a result of the damage I did). When I try to run my python program, the following error occurs

/usr/bin/python: can't find '__main__.py' in '/usr/share/command-not-found'
Do you know what is causing this? Thanks.

[sisco311]

I actually just did that. I am having a problem though (this might be a result of the damage I did). When I try to run my python program, the following error occurs

/usr/bin/python: can't find '__main__.py' in '/usr/share/command-not-found'
Do you know what is causing this? Thanks.

You have to install the command-not-found package, but to be sure that you have all the packages installed by default in Ubuntu, install the ubuntu-standard meta-package. ubutnu-standard does not depend directly on python but some of its dependencies (like command-not-found) do.

[redfox1160]

You have to install the command-not-found package, but to be sure that you have all the packages installed by default in Ubuntu, install the ubuntu-standard meta-package. ubutnu-standard does not depend directly on python but some of its dependencies (like command-not-found) do.

Thank you SO MUCH! You have been very helpful! I can't thank you enough!

[sisco311]

My pleasure!