Deleted my /tmp and /var partitions

shughard · 2009-12-03

Well I just totally messed up. I was going to replace xp with windows 7 on my SSD drive today. I will not go into how exactly my dumb @SS screwed up but it involved my 3 year old distracting me by spilling a glass of water ( I know your thinking and the sun was in my eyes too right). I accidentally deleted my /tmp and /var partitions on my raid 0 array. I have to tell you Ubuntu does not like it when you do this. I figured I would post my pain before hitting up google for a solution to my problem. I would be very thankful for any advice. I am still in total shock that I did something this stupid. If nothing else I hope this gives everyone a good laugh.

lattyware

· #2 · Dec 3, 2009

/tmp isn't a big deal, you can just remake an empty one.

/var on the other hand... You are best off to reinstall. Among other things, you just lost the list of packages installed on your system.

You might be able to fix it, I've never tried it, but I wouldn't bother. Back up your data (and your settings in your ~), do a fresh install.

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error10

· #3 · Dec 3, 2009

Yeah, without /var the system -- if it gets that far -- would just try to reinstall itself anyway, and fail. Grab a copy of your data and reinstall.

And sometime, ask me about when I deleted /usr/X11.

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shughard

Discussion Starter · #4 · Dec 4, 2009

Thanks for the advice. I am backing up my data right now and going to do a reinstall now. It kinda worked out to my advantage in a way. I have been meaning to take my raid 0 off the on board marvel controller and move it to the ich10r controller. I have just been too lazy to do it. Now I have motivation since it will only be a little bit more work than I am already going to have to do.

I guess I deserved this. If I hadn't been installing windows 7 it would have never happened. It is as if my super model wife (linux) caught me with a 300 pound fat chick (windows 7) trying to have a little fun on the side (gaming).
+rep for both of you

thanks again

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Bluescreen_Of_Death

· #5 · Dec 4, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by shughard

It is as if my super model wife (linux) caught me with a 300 pound fat chick (windows 7) trying to have a little fun on the side (gaming).

Sig'd

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error10

· #6 · Dec 4, 2009

Hm, a few more hints:

It's best to install Windows before Linux if you're making a dual-boot system. This prevents pretty much every boot-time problem with both OSes.

On a home rig there's just about no reason to have separate /tmp and /var and /usr etc. partitions. But having a separate /home is a very good idea; it means you can (if you want) totally wipe and reinstall Linux without touching a single one of your personal files.

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Dilyn

· #7 · Dec 4, 2009

2

Quote:

Originally Posted by error10

Hm, a few more hints:

It's best to install Windows before Linux if you're making a dual-boot system. This prevents pretty much every boot-time problem with both OSes.

On a home rig there's just about no reason to have separate /tmp and /var and /usr etc. partitions. But having a separate /home is a very good idea; it means you can (if you want) totally wipe and reinstall Linux without touching a single one of your personal files.

Separate Home partition is an awesome idea. Haven't gotten around to doing mine yet, though. Gonna do that when I do a reinstall.

You'd think that Ubuntu would prompt for the password when deleting a folder that vital.

Definitely install Windows first, then Linux. Gets rid of a ton of headaches!!

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Raptor_Jesus

· #8 · Dec 4, 2009

4

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dilyn

Separate Home partition is an awesome idea. Haven't gotten around to doing mine yet, though. Gonna do that when I do a reinstall.

You'd think that Ubuntu would prompt for the password when deleting a folder that vital.

Definitely install Windows first, then Linux. Gets rid of a ton of headaches!!

Grub =

Windows Loader =

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Dilyn

· #9 · Dec 4, 2009

7

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Originally Posted by Raptor_Jesus

Grub =

Windows Loader =

Grub is just amazing. I love it

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Raptor_Jesus

· #10 · Dec 4, 2009

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Originally Posted by Dilyn

Grub is just amazing. I love it

I know. Every time I see it I get hard.

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Dilyn

· #11 · Dec 4, 2009

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Originally Posted by Raptor_Jesus

I know. Every time I see it I get hard.

I don't. Mac4Lin added an ugly ass Apple background to it. Gotta change that...

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shughard

Discussion Starter · #12 · Dec 4, 2009

3

Quote:

Originally Posted by error10

Hm, a few more hints:

It's best to install Windows before Linux if you're making a dual-boot system. This prevents pretty much every boot-time problem with both OSes.

On a home rig there's just about no reason to have separate /tmp and /var and /usr etc. partitions. But having a separate /home is a very good idea; it means you can (if you want) totally wipe and reinstall Linux without touching a single one of your personal files.

I had my /tmp and /var on the raid 0 array and the rest of root on my ssd. I read this was the way to reduce writes on the ssd. When I do my fresh install I am going to leave /var on the ssd with the rest of root and keep /tmp on the raid 0.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dilyn

Separate Home partition is an awesome idea. Haven't gotten around to doing mine yet, though. Gonna do that when I do a reinstall.

You'd think that Ubuntu would prompt for the password when deleting a folder that vital.

Definitely install Windows first, then Linux. Gets rid of a ton of headaches!!

Ubuntu didn't do this to me. I and windows 7 did it. lol

I wasn't going to explain exactly what I did but here goes.... I had xp on a 20gb partition on my ssd drive. I was going to do a fresh install of w7 on this partition then restore grub afterwards. I have restored grub before and was not worried about that aspect. Unfortunately my /tmp and /var where mounted on a 20gb partition on my raid 0. The windows partition editor named my raid 0 drive 0 and my ssd drive 1. I was distracted and selected the first 20gb partition I saw not realizing that windows had listed my raid 0 first. I was thinking lets get this party started then I'll clean up this big *ss mess my son just made right beside my sig rig.

Moral of the story don't drive cars, operate heavy machines or install OS while distracted or otherwise impaired.

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Dilyn

· #13 · Dec 4, 2009

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Quote:

Originally Posted by shughard

Ubuntu didn't do this to me. I and windows 7 did it. lol

I wasn't going to explain exactly what I did but here goes.... I had xp on a 20gb partition on my ssd drive. I was going to do a fresh install of w7 on this partition then restore grub afterwards. I have restored grub before and was not worried about that aspect. Unfortunately my /tmp and /var where mounted on a 20gb partition on my raid 0. The windows partition editor named my raid 0 drive 0 and my ssd drive 1. I was distracted and selected the first 20gb partition I saw not realizing that windows had listed my raid 0 first. I was thinking lets get this party started then I'll clean up this big *ss mess my son just made right beside my sig rig.

Moral of the story don't drive cars, operate heavy machines or install OS while distracted or otherwise impaired.

Now that you put it this way, sounds like a mistake that I myself would've made

Glad you're on the track to fixing it mate. Hopefully this won't happen again.
And you should try changing the name of the partitions in the Disk Manager. Might help. Just put something like 'DO NOT DELETE OR YOU WILL HATE YOURSELF' as the name. That oughta do it.

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