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I've accidentally overwritten /etc/lib on Ubuntu 10.10 using sudo mv ( I was trying to put a folder in there, and I couldn't write using the GUI, and didn't want the libs sitting in my home directory).

The machine hasn't yet been powered off, and it's a WUBI installed version of ubuntu, if this makes a difference (dual boot with windows).

I have also pulled all the important documents off it, and on to another machine, so backup isn't a problem, and if I have to reinstall it doesn't matter too much, though I'd rather not.

How can I go about restoring the folder so I don't need to reinstall?

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Did you just write to /etc/lib (in which case you didn't overwrite anything), or did you overwrite things in /etc (in which case you'll end up reinstalling unless you only lost a few pristine files), or to /lib (which is recoverable, but painfully)? – Gilles Nov 10 '10 at 23:26
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2 Answers

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You could boot a live CD version of 10.10 and copy the files from the live /etc/lib to your hard drive.

I'm running 10.4 LTS where /etc/lib is non-existent (at least on my installations) so if another program (not Ubuntu install) created /etc/lib then this obviously won't work.

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I am running 10.10 and I don't have a /etc/lib/ directory either. – Alex Nov 10 '10 at 18:03
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What a fool I am. There is no /etc/lib. So the question is really moot.

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