The results of sudo chmod 777 /.*

[oof]

Hi,


I CD to specific directory on the Desktop and mistakenly typed:

sudo chmod 777 /.*

Instead of

sudo chmod 777 ./*

The results are catastrophic: Ubuntu cannot restart, and I do not know how to restore it to its the previous phase.


Maybe you have any idea

Thanks,
Oof

[_Purple_]

You can use a live CD to backup your work somewhere else and then reinstall.

[DeMus]

You can use a live CD to backup your work somewhere else and then reinstall.

I second that since I think you are in deep ****. Changing folder and file properties of system files is a terrible thing to do and results, as you have seen, in a not working system.
Backup your important stuff (don't forget the hidden files and folders) and start all over.

[Phasmagon]

Actually then only thing you can do is what is mentioned above. There no way to restore the file permission to what the were before. At least not on all files and you 're better off reinstalling the system. Then coping the files you own, to reset the permissions on them too. But I can't help myself on commenting.

You used SUDO to change permissions on a folder you OWN.
Please don't do that.
That's why Ubuntu does not allow you (by default) to log in as root.

[ActiveFrost]

You can't fix it ! The one and only choice is to backup your data and reinstall Ubuntu.
Good luck

[sisco311]

Hi,

...

The results are catastrophic: Ubuntu cannot restart, and I do not know how to restore it to its the previous phase.


Maybe you have any idea

Thanks,
Oof

Try to boot in recovery mode and restore the permissions:

chmod 0755 /
chmod 0755 /*
chmod 1777 /tmp
chmod 0750 /root
chmod 0700 /lost+found

If you can boot in recovery mode, then boot a liveCD, mount the root partition and restore the permissions.

[theozzlives]

When you re-install, make a seperate /home partition by selecting: Manual.

[oof]

Try to boot in recovery mode and restore the permissions:

chmod 0755 /
chmod 0755 /*
chmod 1777 /tmp
chmod 0750 /root
chmod 0700 /lost+found

If you can boot in recovery mode, then boot a liveCD, mount the root partition and restore the permissions.

I'll try this option before doing anything too drastic. It is not clear to me: does the command "chmod ... /.*" change also sub-directories, or it is restricted only to the directories on the root.



Thanks all for the help,
Oof

[sisco311]

You can use a live CD to backup your work somewhere else and then reinstall.

I second that ...

Actually then only thing you can do is what is mentioned above. ...

You can't fix it ! The one and only choice is to backup your data and reinstall Ubuntu.
Good luck

When you re-install, make a seperate /home partition by selecting: Manual.

The chmod command is NOT recursive by default.

/.* means all the files (and directories) in the root ("/") directory including the hidden files/directories ( . = current directory and .. = parent directory) but NOT the sub-directories.

The OP only needs to restore the permissions on the above mentioned directories. So there is NO need for a re-install.

[sisco311]

I'll try this option before doing anything too drastic. It is not clear to me: does the command "chmod ... /.*" change also sub-directories, or it is restricted only to the directories on the root.



Thanks all for the help,
Oof

It's restricted only to the directories.