[kde-linux] 20090807KL -- "Emergency" -- Lost File

[Kevin Krammer]

On Saturday, 2009-08-08, Bruce MacArthur wrote:

> When I returned, my monitor was dark.  Usually this simply means that
> the screen-saver is working.  However, I was entirely unable to recover
> the display!  Although we have been having "electrical storms" in the
> past few days, there was no such problem in the area, and no other
> evidence of a power outage anywhere in the house.  In a few moments,
> seeing few alternatives, I powered the entire computer down brutally,
> and then rebooted.  When I opened the file that I had been editing in
> Kate, several VERY extensive pages of physical printed matter (that I
> had previously entered -- and then saved, incrementally, several times)
> were no longer to be seen -- either via Konquorer or via Kate!!!  
>
> Can anyone give me detailed directions for recovering a more-complete
> version of my HTML file under these peculiar circumstances?

Kate usually creates a backup file in the same locations, same name with ~ 
added at the end.
If the unclean shutdown caused filesystem corruption you might have something 
in the filesystem's lost&found folder (if it has one).

General advice: if you get into such a situation, the "Sys-Request" keys might 
still be working.
Alt+SysReq+S syncs the filesystem (writes all pending buffers to disc)

Alt+SysReg+U remounts all filesystems as read-only (saving them from being 
corrupted by anthing to come)

Alt+SysReq+B reboots the system.

I am not sure though if all distributors enable SysRe keys, I just know I use 
them now and then (Debian unstable here).

> =====
>
> Slightly off-topic for this list is another issue that someone might be
> able and willing to clarify for me.  Whenever I shut-down Jaunty
> ("gracefully"!), I am given a 30-second warning.  I usually click on
> it.  Then a message is displayed to the effect that KMail needs the
> password for KWallet.  If this were when I am starting-up, this would
> be expected -- but it happens during SHUT-DOWN!!!

Strange, maybe really bad timing (wallet already closed for shutdown, KMail 
trying to access an account).

> One person suggested
> that I delete KWallet, and I like the idea of doing so.  But I do not
> yet see HOW to do so.  Can someone instruct me in this rather basic
> task?

I'd rather recommend quitting apps with important data before logout :)
I do that to make sure they really had enough time to write all cached data 
back to disk properly.

Cheers,
Kevin
-- 
Kevin Krammer, KDE developer, xdg-utils developer
KDE user support, developer mentoring
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