Deleted part of my system

[southernyankee]

Hi folks.

Haven't had to really post about any problems as I usually find what I need using the search. But I jacked up my system and I really don't know how I would find the answers I need on this one.

I was trying to delete a printer software package and some how managed to do away with part of my system. Guess I clicked on something I shouldn't have. Before I realized what was going on about a page of deleting this and that zipped by before I aborted.

Is there a way of finding out what was deleted so I can put it back together? The stuff in my home folder is still intact, so if I have to do a new install it's no biggy. Just hoping I wouldn't have to. Had to reinstall dolphin just to see that the home folder was still there and intact.

Running 11.2 KDE 4.3.1
Desktop kernel 2.6.31.12-0.1

Thanks for any help.

[udaman]

Maybe one of the experienced Yast users can answer your question. It may be possible for Yast to detect and reinstall those files, I'm not certain of that.

It may also be possible to boot to a CD/DVD and do a rescue.

If you deleted 'dolphin' then were you in the /usr/bin/ directory? And what was the command you issued? That will give a hint as to the extent of the damage.

Do not reboot in any event, until someone gets you a solid answer, as it may not boot up again.

[southernyankee]

I was using the software manager. I was deleting the hp printer packages and the cups. I clicked on the cups then decided to only do the hp printer ones first. I thought I unclicked the cups but I must not have unclicked all of them. It said some other packages were going to be deleted also. Only a few where mentioned, but a boat load started deleting. I thought it had to do with the hp packages. Guess not.

[palladium]

i don't know how to learn what was deleted...but, have you looked in
your trashcan? (and, for sure give that boot install DVD and select
Repair Installed System---it might work, don't know)

but, i guess neither of those might help--i hope what i write next
WILL help:

it sounds to me like you are trying to delete programs in Linux like
you may have learned how to in another well known operating
system....next time you want to remove a program package like cups,
give a try with YaST > Software Management...just use its internal
search function to find cups, then right click it, and select the
trash can icon....then "Accept"

then, still in YaST, on the left side click on Hardware then on the
right click on Printer...and, just click on the HP printer, then on
delete..

yes, that printer deletion might very well leave a driver on your hard
drive......and, if you need space SO badly that you have to delete a
file as small as one printer driver--then you badly need a new hard
drive..

--
palladium

[hcvv]

As I understand you correct, you did not delete anything by CLI statements, but only deinstalled using YaST > Software > Software Manager. The only problem being that you do not know what you deinstalled.

May be the best approach is to go to YaST > Software > Software Management again and choosing Patterns. Check the patterns from the list you most probably need and install. That would give you at least most of what you need. And then just use the system and any time something is missing add it.

BTW, I make a list of all the packages installed every week with

rpm -qa

in fact I use

rpm -qa --qf '%{NAME}:%{VERSION}:%{RELEASE}:%{INSTALLTID}:%{SUMMARY}\n' | sort

but I leave it to you to format the output.
And that list is on a place that goes with my weekly backup. It is never bad to backup up to date important data about your system somewhere

[vodoo]

As it appears you deleted cups and with it some of the dependencies. Use yast to verify that cups was indeed deleted. When you pull it in again those deleted dependencies will be installed as well and you should be fine.

[southernyankee]

Every thing was done through the software manager. Don't know enough of the command line stuff to trust myself yet. Apparently don't know enough about yast yet either.

I was having problems with my printing software so I thought I would take it off and put it back on to see if it would clear it up. And boy did I clear it up.

I did go into the patterns and get some stuff back. Bit by bit. Stumbled on stuff not being there I went back and installed it. Not really knowing what I was needing until I came across it. I saw an upgrade for KDE to 4.3.5. Thought I would upgrade to see if it put things back in order and it seems to have fixed things so far.

Even a blind squirrel fins a nut every once in a while. Guess I got lucky.

Thanks for the bits of info everyone. Every little bit helps me understand it a little better. Just have to be more careful not to jack up my system.