did chmod a-x * as root

[Grom33]

Well, the title explains it all... I really messed things up with that typo. I can`t even boot up the system now.
I can`t even boot an old kernel because the display is all messy until I`m booted up.

Anyway I can fix this crisis without reinstalling?

[tomvollerthun]

Perhaps installing would be simpler, but as an interesting experiment, you could try to boot from a liveCD and change the permissions by hand.

But more interesting than that would be to have it automatically done. P.e. change the permissions of all EFL-executables (compiled programs) could be done with

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find -exec file '{}' ';' | grep ELF | sed "s/:.*$//" | xargs chmod ug+x

To reset the permissions of other file types you'd have to think yourself.
As well you may want to change the permission depending on the file, but at least this finds many files that should be executable.

hth, tom

[aceFruchtsaft]

BTW, did you really NOT use the -R option as your title implies?
In that case restoring correct permission would be trivial...

[tomvollerthun]

BTW, did you really NOT use the -R option as your title implies?
In that case restoring correct permission would be trivial...

Hey, I didn't see that!?!
You're right, but since Grom33 is not able to boot, it think -R actually *was* there, just not in the posting.

cu, tom

[Gothmog]

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find -exec file '{}' ';' | grep ELF | sed "s/:.*$//" | xargs chmod ug+x

That's a nice idea, but I think directories and many text executables like shell scripts also have to be executable... so, to get the system working again, something like

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find / \( -type d -o -exec perl -e 'exit 1 unless `file {}` =~ /executable/' \; \) -exec chmod +x '{}' \;

could be more appropriate to make the system work again...

But there probably are many more issues to solve.

[tomvollerthun]

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<snip> =~ /executable/ </snip>

That's nice.
So the regex "executable" tests if something *should* be executable and does not rely on the actual permission of the file?
Didn't know that and in fact that's quite impressive.

Well, to be really honest, this is so impressive that I can hardly believe that, could you explain it for me, please?

cu, tom

[Gothmog]

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<snip> =~ /executable/ </snip>

That's nice.
So the regex "executable" tests if something *should* be executable and does not rely on the actual permission of the file?
Didn't know that and in fact that's quite impressive.

Well, to be really honest, this is so impressive that I can hardly believe that, could you explain it for me, please?
cu, tom

You snipped to late, I suppose. :-) `file {}` executes "file FILENAME" and returns its output. The regex matches on it, and since file returns something like "...shell executable..." it should match on all files where file thinks (and says) that they are executable. Actually, if you'd replace (in your line) "grep ELF" through "grep executable" it should have pretty much the same effect, except on dirs.

[tomvollerthun]

Oh, that's clever.
Thanks for clearing that up for me.