# me



## phil (May 7, 2002)

Techie version:
So I was writing a cgi script and it wasn't working. I know, I thought, I'll log in as root at the console and try it there so I can see the output. Of course, the script had something on the lines of "move all the files in all subdirectories into this one", but small yet critical error in the script meant this ran from the root directory. Ouch. Of course everything in /bin and /sbin was moves, so I can no longer log in, or run any commands. D'oh. Had major panic earlier thinking that I could be moving a whole bunch of critical files too (all of our source code was nfs mounted off /, although it's all backed up anyway), but I think I'm OK.
Anyone done anything as stupid as this before? I reckon if I rip the hard drive out and stick it in another linux box I should be able to get everything off OK. Reinstalling's not a big deal.

Non techie version:
Broke my computer earlier. Idiot, eh?


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## phil (May 7, 2002)

Oh, that's why I'm still up at 2.50 am. A bit wound up still and can't sleep. Hope I don't miss the rugby.


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## Dubcat (Jun 10, 2002)

While working as a post sales support engineer in a previous company I was connected to a customer router via a telnet session. I changed the router configuration and had to drive 350 miles because I locked myself out of the router ;D The network was down the whole time I was travelling :'(


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## sno (Jul 2, 2003)

while working with an Irish guy (called Des O'Silivan) in an Electronics company in Ireland I could here screams of 'fuck in hell' and 'what a fuck'n diddy' amongst other even worse comments. When I went over to see what he was doing, he explained.
Installing a new machine (Windows Based software), he had to remove all exisiting files from the manufacturer so that the customers own files would only be available in all the relevant directories, so 'Des' decided to create a new directory, using his own initials and move all the unused files/programs to it..
The message appeared ' Are you sure you want to replace the directory ? Yes/No'
So Des types 'y' and hits enter.

After all of this he decides it would be better if he power cycles the machine so once it reboots the customer can't confuse manufaturers files with their own.
Des reboots the machine, once powered up an error is displayed on screen.

'NO OPERATING SYSTEM'

yes you guest it, he replaced DOS.... his initials...

only an Irish man ;D ;D ;D

Sno


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## scoTTy (May 6, 2002)

> I locked myself out of the router Â ;D


Most people have. :-[ Strange how "reload in 20" becomes more used afterwards. :

I used to work on as a Cobol programmer on a mainframe. One day I deleted a huge amount of source code. I'll never forget that hot rush you get that starts at your toes and steadily goes up your body as it sinks in. As it hits your head you glow like one of Waks leds. That surge of realistion is sickening.


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## phil (May 7, 2002)

> I used to work on as a Cobol programmer on a mainframe. One day I deleted a huge amount of source code. I'll never forget that hot rush you get that starts at your toes and steadily goes up your body as it sinks in. As it hits your head you glow like one of Waks leds. That surge of realistion is sickening.


Yep that's the one. The thing that's annoying me is I'm not sure what damage has been done. I don't think I've trashed anyone else's stuff and only a week's worth of my stuff will be lost, although I reckon it would take a day or two to re-write it.

Still, I'm not so bothered now we've won the world cup.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Backup


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## nutts (May 8, 2002)

I had decided to move the TTOC committee forum (Yabb) from Shash's server to the TTOC one. Since I couldn't get FTP access to Shash's server, I asked Shash to move the relevant files and gave him FTP access.

I installed a virgin Yabba 1.3.1 forum and base configured it. Shash then did his stuff.

I then started to mod our version, but hardly any of the mods worked first time :-/ I ended up emailing all the mod writers and they couldn't really help. So I edited all the base files and finally got all the mods working.

Still the "problem" didn't register in my little brain :

I had one more mod to do and it seems to go ok, logged out, logged in, did some test threads and posts... and oh shit! The forum crashed!

I restored the backup from before the last mod and still it wouldn't work...

Started to investigate and realised that Shash had copied his Ver 1.2 forum over our Ver 1.3.1 and NOT all the files had been overwritten.

Spent till 3 am removing all the forum, reinstalling and adding all the mods.

But at least it works now.


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## Dubcat (Jun 10, 2002)

> Backup


no way! Live life on the edge. 

Scotty - you summarised the feeling perfectly. I just remembered another one. I was playing with the FIRST high density modem rack from a particular vendor (which had a router blade in it too) in the country. It was a whole new concept. I was quite excited to get to grips with it and evaluate it for my company. I attached the power cord. *BANG* - white smoke pouring out of the back of the unit.

Yup - forget to switch the power supply from 120v to 240v  Nice.

W.


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## phil (May 7, 2002)

> Yup - forget to switch the power supply from 120v to 240v  Nice.


ha ha. yeah, done that one before. Luckily it's only the power supply that goes usually.

As for backups, I have loads of them.....on the server that I buggered up. Got one from last week on my laptop , although that's in for repair at the moment. eek.


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## kingcutter (Aug 1, 2003)

i locked myself out of the house once,i had a spare key in the garage though phew,life is so hard


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## Dubcat (Jun 10, 2002)

> i locked myself out of the house once,i had a spare key in the garage though phew,life is so hard


oh come on - you must have the BEST nightmare, "oh my god look what i did to that persons hair" stories!


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## KevinST (May 6, 2002)

> Yup - forget to switch the power supply from 120v to 240v  Â Nice.


First job out of college was as a bench repair engineer, repairing security access control systems down to component level.
No one told me that one of our biggest customers had their whole site wired for 120v (I think it was a power station). Anyway, one of their units came back for repair and I went through the usual process of turning the unit on to find out what was wrong (why do customers send units back with fault descriptions of "it doesn't work??)....

BANG !!

So not only did I have to repair the original fault, but also the switch mode PSU as well! :'(


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## kingcutter (Aug 1, 2003)

> oh come on - you must have the BEST nightmare, "oh my god look what i did to that persons hair" stories!


let me think!
nope no major hair nightmares seena few i had to put right though one today in fact.


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## r14n (Jan 10, 2003)

and that was B4 you got to work.


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## kingcutter (Aug 1, 2003)

> and that was B4 you got to work.


  :-[


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## r14n (Jan 10, 2003)

u know i have no room to talk, and no hair to mess up.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> Backup


Or even better - failover. ;D


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## PaulS (Jun 15, 2002)

In my first job as an electronics technician, I used to enjoy connecting 1000 uF capacitors across a mains safety block - and then powering it up, from a distance ..... electronic pyrotechnics Â 

Working for a comms company, on a Job for Natwest bank, I once powered down a complete high density modem cabinet (the wrong one....) and put about 100 service tills offline Â :

I also done the classic - remotely change a configuration and lock yourself out - and then find that it is the only link available to the remote node ... oh well, it was good for the overtime Â


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## moley (May 14, 2002)

> In my first job as an electronics technician, I used to enjoy connecting 1000 uF capacitors across a mains safety block - and then powering it up, from a distance ..... electronic pyrotechnics


Yep, done this too - Standard Fireworks eat your heart out ;D

Moley


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## Carlos (May 6, 2002)

Someone was sacked at the investment bank I work for the other week for pulling the power cord out of the back of a server.

Took the trading systems down, costing the bank millions of pounds as no trades could be made for a while.

You'd think they would have some kind of failover system installed already...


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> Someone was sacked at the investment bank I work for the other week for pulling the power cord out of the back of a server.
> 
> Took the trading systems down, costing the bank millions of pounds as no trades could be made for a while.
> 
> You'd think they would have some kind of failover system installed already...


Or at least dual power supplies. Glad I don't bank or invest with them. Obviously tight (penny wise, pound foolish) with the IT budget!


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## Steve_Mc (May 6, 2002)

> Or at least dual power supplies. Glad I don't bank or invest with them. Obviously tight (penny wise, pound foolish) with the IT budget!


My trading desk has UPS (uninterruptable power supply). Wonder much that costs?


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> My trading desk has UPS (uninterruptable power supply). Wonder much that costs?


Â£400+ per unit for what is effectively a lorry battery with some software.


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## Dont I Recognise You (Oct 10, 2003)

> Â£400+ per unit for what is effectively a lorry battery with some software.


and they work really well!
right up to the point when the PC goes off and you realise that you've been running off the battery for the last 4 hours since the cleaner unplugged the plug.... :-[


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## phil (May 7, 2002)

> and they work really well!
> right up to the point when the PC goes off and you realise that you've been running off the battery for the last 4 hours since the cleaner unplugged the plug.... :-[


You're supposed to have a serial cable connected too, so that your PC knows when the power goes off.

I'm glad to say that I fixed my error this morning, with absolutely no loss of data. Result. I was even in a good mood on a monday after that.


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