Magicly deleted all files in /etc path.

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Level 1

8 points

Magicly deleted all files in /etc path.

How could these operations even possible delete all my files?

I've tried to clear my postgres files on my macbook, but unluckly removed all my /etc files.

I input "rm" command to remove it but no permission. Then I tried to get the root role, that got my files deleted. Magic "sudo su" command, isn't it.

macosuser@MacBook-Pro 12 % rm /etc/postgres-reg.ini
override rw-r--r-- root/wheel for /etc/postgres-reg.ini? y
rm: /etc/postgres-reg.ini: Permission denied
macosuser@MacBook-Pro 12 % sudo su
shell-init: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory
sh-3.2# rm -rf /etc/postgsymlink-hook: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory
res-reg.ini cd /etc/
job-working-directory: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory

^C
sh-3.2# ls
job-working-directory: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory
sh-3.2# pwd
pwd: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory
pwd: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory

Thanks

Posted on Nov 18, 2020 4:02 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

John Galt

Level 10

142,774 points

Nov 18, 2020 6:28 PM in response to Brucecatcat

It's really been deleted. I just curious how this operation can delete all the files in path /etc/, unbelievable.

What operation? The commands shown in the Terminal excerpts you posted didn't do it. They didn't delete anything.

Something preceding those actions resulted in a seriously messed up installation. Restore a TM backup.

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Answer 2

Brucecatcat Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 18, 2020 6:16 PM in response to etresoft

macosuser@MacBook-Pro /Library % cd /etc/
macosuser@MacBook-Pro /etc % ls
macosuser@MacBook-Pro /etc % ls
macosuser@MacBook-Pro /etc % ls -al
total 0

It's really been deleted. I just curious how this operation can delete all the files in path /etc/, unbelievable.

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Answer 3

Brucecatcat Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 18, 2020 6:48 PM in response to John Galt

It may caused by the /Library/PostgreSQL/12/uninstall-postgresql.app

First I execute it, which told me I have not removed the data folder(/Library/PostgreSQL/12/data/) .

After I removed it, then I ran uninstall-postgresql.app again.

macosuser@MacBook-Pro 12 % open .
macosuser@MacBook-Pro 12 % ls
data				installation_summary.log
macosuser@MacBook-Pro 12 % ls data 
ls: data: Permission denied
macosuser@MacBook-Pro 12 % sudo su
sh-3.2# rm -rf data
sh-3.2# pwd
/Library/PostgreSQL/12
sh-3.2# ls
sh-3.2# pwd
/Library/PostgreSQL/12
sh-3.2# cd ..
sh-3.2# ls
12
sh-3.2# ls 12/
sh-3.2# cd ..
sh-3.2# rm -rf PostgreSQL/
sh-3.2# 
sh-3.2# exit
exit
macosuser@MacBook-Pro 12 % rm /etc/postgres-reg.ini
override rw-r--r-- root/wheel for /etc/postgres-reg.ini? y
rm: /etc/postgres-reg.ini: Permission denied
macosuser@MacBook-Pro 12 % sudo su
shell-init: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory
sh-3.2# rm -rf /etc/postgsymlink-hook: error retrieving current directory: getcwd: cannot access parent directories: No such file or directory

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Answer 4

John Galt

Level 10

142,774 points

Nov 18, 2020 7:55 PM in response to Brucecatcat

I think we're trying to diagnose a problem after being dropped into the middle of it, like the blind men describing an elephant with each one touching just one of its parts.

If the /etc/ directory contents are gone I don't know how that happened. I suspect they're not gone though; something else is messed up. Reinstalling macOS should fix it. It's easy enough, and nondestructive.

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Answer 5

etresoft

Level 8

47,598 points

Nov 18, 2020 4:40 PM in response to Brucecatcat

The command "sudo su" isn't magic. It's just wrong. You haven't deleted any files. Close your Terminal window and try again. All you need is:

sudo rm /etc/postgres-reg.ini

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Magicly deleted all files in /etc path.

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