[SOLVED] How to get back deleted pacnew files

ThinkPad · 2021-09-20 03:19:38

I accidentally deleted some pacnew files using pacfiles-mode. Is there any way to get these files back? I don't know the name of what I deleted.

Solution.

Last edited by ThinkPad (2021-09-23 16:43:59)

jasonwryan · 2021-09-20 03:26:15

Reinstalling the package will create a pacnew.

Your pacman log has a record of them.

Last edited by jasonwryan (2021-09-20 03:27:27)

ThinkPad · 2021-09-22 14:48:19

Sweet, thanks!

To document the solution:
1. List all pacnew files that have ever touched your system:

$ grep --extended-regexp "\.pac(new|save)" /var/log/pacman.log

2. Search for what package owns the file in question with:

$ pkgfile <file>

3. Reinstall the package:

# pacman -Syu <package>

Sources:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Pacman … pac*_files
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 65#p704765

ThinkPad · 2021-09-22 15:15:15

After doing what I listed, no new pacfiles show up in the log nor are detected by my tool. This was checked before and after reboot.

Scimmia · 2021-09-22 16:08:35

You would have to downgrade and upgrade again. pacnew files are only created if something changed between the package installed and the one being installed.

ThinkPad · 2021-09-23 16:42:32

Thank you!

Updated solution:
1. List all pacnew files that have ever touched your system:

$ grep --extended-regexp "\.pac(new|save)" /var/log/pacman.log

2. Note the date of the pacnew in question.

3. Search for what package owns the file in question with:

$ pkgfile <file>

4. Search your cache for the version prior to that date:

$ find /var/cache/pacman/pkg -iname *<package>*

In my case downgrading to the oldest version in the cache was most reliable. That being said, you can skip step 2.

5. Downgrade to that package:

# pacman -U /var/cache/pacman/pkg/<old-package>

NOTE: Be very careful downgrading `pacman`. I did and was not able to perform a system upgrade. Using `pacman-static` got me out of trouble.

6. Upgrade package to force pacnew creation:

# pacman -S <package>

I did this at each interval to avoid putting my system in a broken state. You might get away with doing a full system upgrade at the end.

Sources:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Pacman … pac*_files
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 65#p704765
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Downgrading_packages

Trilby · 2021-09-23 16:57:55

You should be able to handle this without down/upgrading - especially if you already know which files you're looking for as you can just extract them from the current package file. I have this little script to extract a given file from the current cached package file for a given package (downloading it from a mirror only if it is missing from the local cache):

#!/bin/sh

[ $# -lt 2 ] && exit 1

uri=$(pacman -Sp $1)
path=$(pacman -Flq $1 | grep -m 1 /$2$)

[ -z "$uri" ] && exit 1
[ -z "$path" ] && exit 1

curl -sL $uri | bsdtar xOf - $path

Just pass a package name and a filename and the default content (which is what a pacnew would contain) is printed to stdout.

Last edited by Trilby (2021-09-23 16:59:32)

Arch Linux

#1 2021-09-20 03:19:38

[SOLVED] How to get back deleted pacnew files

#2 2021-09-20 03:26:15

Re: [SOLVED] How to get back deleted pacnew files

#3 2021-09-22 14:48:19

Re: [SOLVED] How to get back deleted pacnew files

#4 2021-09-22 15:15:15

Re: [SOLVED] How to get back deleted pacnew files

#5 2021-09-22 16:08:35

Re: [SOLVED] How to get back deleted pacnew files

#6 2021-09-23 16:42:32

Re: [SOLVED] How to get back deleted pacnew files

#7 2021-09-23 16:57:55

Re: [SOLVED] How to get back deleted pacnew files

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