Topic: server down, etc directory missing

[veeresh]

Hi,

I have a server with sme 7.3, where the etc directory is missing.  The server now boots only in single user mode. The home directory is visible in single user mode. 

If i try to boot the server in rescue mode, i get a message saying no Linux partitions found.  In single user mode I am not able to start networking to copy files, as the etc directory is missing. If I try to create any files in etc directory I get a message that it is in read only mode. There is no backup of the files.

Is there any way of accessing the date in home directory and copying over the network.  how can i get to know how the etc directory went missing.

Thanks in advance.

Veeresh

[janet]

veeresh

Is this a single drive machine ?

Is there any way of accessing the date in home directory and copying over the network

It may be safer to disconnect that drive.
Then insert a new blank drive, then install SME server fom CD.
Then shutdown and connect the old drive as a second drive.
Reboot and then mount the old drive, and you should be able to copy the home folder contents to the new drive.
eg if new drive with new OS is sda
and second drive with old system files is sdb

mkdir -p /mnt/olddrive
mount /dev/sdb /mnt/olddrive
copy files
umount /mnt/olddrive

See this post also
http://forums.contribs.org/index.php/topic,40074.msg218421.html#msg218421
and
http://forums.contribs.org/index.php/topic,46360.msg227267.html#msg227267

[CharlieBrady]

how can i get to know how the etc directory went missing.

Possibly you can't. Looking in the logs might tell you something. I would guess you have serious file system corruption. But it's also possible that your system has been cracked and a "visitor" deleted the /etc directory and all its contents.

You should do a fresh install of an up to date version, and then restore from backup.