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Very unfortunately I have moved all my xml files into one folder (I was at /home/desgua/ when I run find . -name '*.xml' -exec mv {} ./logs/ \;.
Now I am very afraid of turning off my computer and not be able to turn it on again. I have my /home/desgua/ folder encrypted during the installation.
Is there any essential xml file that I should be aware of?

ps.: One example of fundamental xml file is ".encfs6.xml", which are required to mount two folders that I had encrypted. Fortunately I recovered it.

Edit:
I rebooted the computer and although I have lost the configuration of applications and Keyboard Shortcuts I was able to login again. So I can say that no xml file is needed to login into an Ubuntu encrypted home.

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    What directory were you in when you ran the command?
    – Sparhawk
    Apr 10, 2014 at 12:27
  • I was at home, i. e., ~/
    – desgua
    Apr 10, 2014 at 13:01
  • I have dozens of .xml-files in .gconf. Unfortunately, they are all called %gconf.xml, so those will be gone forever. Then, several more in .local/share/mime.
    – Jos
    Apr 10, 2014 at 13:28
  • @Jos Thank you Jos, I will look at those folders. Can you tell me if you can find xml in another folder (like ~/.Private or ~/.ecryptfs for example)?
    – desgua
    Apr 10, 2014 at 14:35
  • @desgua I have .xml files in .gconf, .local/share/mime (these seem to belong to wine) and various application subfolders like .mozilla, .thunderbird and .local/share/rhythmbox. Apart from the files in .gconf I would say nothing essential for logging in.
    – Jos
    Apr 10, 2014 at 14:52

1 Answer 1

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You can always create another user. No matter how messed up your home directory, you should then be able to log in as that user. Then copy the new user's .xml files to your own home folder. Some settings may be gone, but in any case your system will start up properly.

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  • Are you sure? I can imagine that there's some situations where those .xmls might conflict with other setting files. Perhaps it'd be safer to let the system re-create the .xml files.
    – Sparhawk
    Apr 10, 2014 at 14:22
  • The question is if I logout, will I ever be able to login again?
    – desgua
    Apr 10, 2014 at 14:24
  • @Sparhawk I am not completely sure. However, adding another user, then logging on as that user would recreate the files. Then you could copy those to the original user's home directory and try again. If you can't login as the original user, you can at least still login as the new user and try again. If all else fails, you could copy all the other files over from the old user to the new, and change the user name. A lot of work, but it will be possible to recreate the original home directory.
    – Jos
    Apr 10, 2014 at 14:41
  • @desgua I'm pretty sure the system will boot to a login screen. Being able to login is a different matter, but recreating your home directory with the use of a new user is certainly possible. However, the encryption of your home folder may be an obstacle, I'm not sufficiently familiar with that.
    – Jos
    Apr 10, 2014 at 14:46
  • @Jos I agree that this is probably a reasonable fall-back. Probably even easier would be to delete all of the files in the original user, and then these would be re-created.
    – Sparhawk
    Apr 10, 2014 at 14:46

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