Re: HELP! can't become root
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.
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