Pacman alpm issue, vercmd missing, after rescue from install CD

Question

Hi
I wanted to remove all packages from my system and reinstall from scratch
So i used the pacman tip from the wiki to reinstall all packages on the system
but changed it to remove instead -R instead of -S, little did i think ...
everything on the system was removed, except running processes.
i had no ls etc, no pacman and so on.
So i created a arch cd from another computer and booted on it on my arch install computer.
then i was advised on the archlinux irc. todo a chroot mount and  use pacman to install base-devel (+ base)
Hence i did that, ... after a long long while i succeed.
i first got chroot /mnt  no /bin/bash mesage when trying to start the chroot.
So i copied the files shown via: ldd /bin/bash & ldd /usr/bin/pacman
then i mount:
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/
mount /dev/sda5 /mnt/boot
mount /dev/sda6 /mnt/usr/
mount /dev/sda7 /mnt/var/
(i didnt mount /home).
then
$ chroot /mnt
From here i use pacman to install packages
pacman -S base-devel  - runs fine.
pacman -S base           - i miss one package file (dcrond - i think)
Then instead i go the the very fine wiki again, and see how to install all local packages.
and use that.
However now i get messages under the pacman install of the type .
/tmp/alpm_QWYZ/.INSTALL: line xyz: vercmp: command not found.
------------- || -------------------------: line xyz: [: : integer expression expected
I can't find out where this message comes from, i can find no vercmp comand
(maybe a shell function?)
I get lots of other similar errors.
============================
At last there are al those /etc files which got .pacsave endings, should i think about them?
Here some more errors from a "pacman -S base" via the arch CD and chroot
find: /sys/devices no such file or directory
Which: no /pcmcia-socket-startup.staic in (/sbin)
ERROR: '/sbin/pcmcia-socket-startup.static' is not a file
+ some related files /sbin/pcmcia-**
============================
If i reboot and enter my system on its harddisk instead of via the CD.
I get SH:   not able to change group (-1) : inappropiate ioctl for device.
This error message is by memory, since i just borked something else.
and couldnt load system on harddisk, somehow the kernel has misplaced itself...
============================
Ok more information:
I succeded in booting via hardisk, and it looked very promising.
However ...
Console messages:
device-mapper: ioctl: 4:15.0-ioctl .....
Waiting 10 seconds for device ...
:: running hook [resume]
Waiting 10 seconds for device ...
Root device ´´ doesnt exist, attempting to create it
ERROR: failed to parse block device ids for ´´
ERROR: unable to detect or create root device
.. some general info stuff
You are being dropped to a recovery console
regards mic
Last edited by cognacc (2009-10-19 17:42:18)

Answer 1

Thanks John, Bill and Graffiti for your interest!
The original install, many years ago, was of an education version from a local college. As updates became available thorough the update manager, they were installed. As stated above, it updated though 6.0 to 6.6, and then on to 7, eventually to 7.1! I can only repeat what happened, but not explain it. I thought nothing of it at the time, as it was all being managed by the update manager. I agree that this last seems to be more an upgrade than an update, but... what can I say? What happened is what happened, and it happened as I described it.
But not's get hung up on the history! Now that I seem to have solved the original issue of not getting past the message that 'a more functional version has been detected', how does one solve the 'invalid serial number' issue that occurs when attempting to reinstall 6.0? Delete the Acrobat registry keys from HKLM and HKCU, and possibly anywhere else? The former didn't work yet, so, where else? Maybe there is an 'update' folder hanging around somewhere with a registry reference that needs to be deactivated?  Something like {AC76BA86-0000-0000-7AC5-6028747ADE00}?
Any further thoughts? And thanks for the input, it really is appreciated!