Accidentally deleted /etc/group and /etc/passwd

psycho_tea_drinker · 2013-07-10 19:12:32

Can anybody post a copy of these for arch?

msthev · 2013-07-10 19:18:29

https://projects.archlinux.org/svntogit … filesystem

But you don't want to do that. Look at your /etc/group- and /etc/passwd- (with dashes) — these are copies made before running {user,group}{add,mod,del}.

falconindy · 2013-07-10 19:19:03

They're part of the filesystem package... you can extract them yourself...

Or... https://projects.archlinux.org/svntogit … filesystem

drcouzelis · 2013-07-10 19:19:56

They're already on your computer. You can "unzip" them from "/var/cache/pacman/pkg/filesystem-*.xz".

Alternatively you can download them from here: https://projects.archlinux.org/svntogit … filesystem

psycho_tea_drinker · 2013-07-10 19:26:55

msthev wrote:

https://projects.archlinux.org/svntogit … filesystem
But you don't want to do that. Look at your /etc/group- and /etc/passwd- (with dashes) — these are copies made before running {user,group}{add,mod,del}.

I actually edited them directly due to my mistake (should have been /srv/http/etc/group for example).

Anyway thanks for your help guys.

Trilby · 2013-07-10 19:26:57

They can also be regerated from the (g)shadow files, which would prevent your from having to 're-add' your user or any other changes you have made.

psycho_tea_drinker · 2013-07-11 18:29:24

Ok I've got the files back. I added one user after installation. Should I add the user again?

psycho_tea_drinker · 2013-07-11 18:35:03

Trilby wrote:

They can also be regerated from the (g)shadow files, which would prevent your from having to 're-add' your user or any other changes you have made.

Sorry I missed your reply initially. How do I go about regenerating them from this file?

Trilby · 2013-07-11 19:17:45

`man pwcongv`

EDIT: upon rechecking I'm not sure if these tools actualy work in the needed direction: they can regenerate (g)shadow from passwd/group, I was under the impression they can do the opposite conversion as well, but I'm not too sure now that I reread the man page.

Last edited by Trilby (2013-07-11 19:20:40)

progandy · 2013-07-11 19:35:56

Trilby wrote:

`man pwcongv`
EDIT: upon rechecking I'm not sure if these tools actualy work in the needed direction: they can regenerate (g)shadow from passwd/group, I was under the impression they can do the opposite conversion as well, but I'm not too sure now that I reread the man page.

You cannot really recreate them. shadow contains only the username and some passwordinfo, not shell, homedir and also no gids and uids.

The only way to really get to the old state is to use the backup (/etc/group- /etc/gshadow- /etc/passwd- /etc/shadow-) or extract the original files and readd all users with their userids manually.

jackbenny · 2013-07-19 14:07:09

Just a small tip for the future, since I have done the exact same thing as you did once. Keep your /etc in a git repo, that way you can easily revert any changes or accidentally deleted files. Just remeber to "chmod 700 .git" so that regular users on your system can't get hold of your shadow file.

Arch Linux

#1 2013-07-10 19:12:32

Accidentally deleted /etc/group and /etc/passwd

#2 2013-07-10 19:18:29

Re: Accidentally deleted /etc/group and /etc/passwd

#3 2013-07-10 19:19:03

Re: Accidentally deleted /etc/group and /etc/passwd

#4 2013-07-10 19:19:56

Re: Accidentally deleted /etc/group and /etc/passwd

#5 2013-07-10 19:26:55

Re: Accidentally deleted /etc/group and /etc/passwd

#6 2013-07-10 19:26:57

Re: Accidentally deleted /etc/group and /etc/passwd

#7 2013-07-11 18:29:24

Re: Accidentally deleted /etc/group and /etc/passwd

#8 2013-07-11 18:35:03

Re: Accidentally deleted /etc/group and /etc/passwd

#9 2013-07-11 19:17:45

Re: Accidentally deleted /etc/group and /etc/passwd

#10 2013-07-11 19:35:56

Re: Accidentally deleted /etc/group and /etc/passwd

#11 2013-07-19 14:07:09

Re: Accidentally deleted /etc/group and /etc/passwd

Board footer