Recover - Revision history

Netzhack: /* General use */ Added what state of play is recovered on success.

2026-05-12T09:18:33Z

‎General use: Added what state of play is recovered on success.

Umbire the Phantom: hatnote

2026-02-04T12:59:33Z

hatnote

Furey: http -> https for nethack.org. nethack.org emits red-letter warning for http.

2024-06-21T00:05:37Z

http -> https for nethack.org. nethack.org emits red-letter warning for http.

Aximili: /* Running the command */ capital F

2022-12-30T06:01:36Z

‎Running the command: capital F

Aximili: /* Using the file again */ formatting

2022-12-30T06:00:38Z

‎Using the file again: formatting

Umbire the Phantom at 11:43, 2 February 2022

2022-02-02T11:43:53Z

Actual-nh: Libera

2021-06-18T14:40:04Z

Libera

Pinkbeast: /* Using the file again */ "Finally. Hopefully" ?

2019-12-08T23:24:26Z

‎Using the file again: "Finally. Hopefully" ?

Ardub23: Improved hatnote formatting, and removed SLASH'EM section as the information is already present elsewhere

2019-12-08T03:49:07Z

Improved hatnote formatting, and removed SLASH'EM section as the information is already present elsewhere

Mwarf: /* Accidental new shell */

2016-10-15T11:59:11Z

‎Accidental new shell

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:18, 12 May 2026
Line 19:		Line 19:

	This will most likely only rebuild the savefile, but you might need further commands, depending on your system, to actually reuse it.		This will most likely only rebuild the savefile, but you might need further commands, depending on your system, to actually reuse it.
		+
		+	If successful, the recovered save file reflects the state of play at the last time the game was explicitly saved or the last time the hero moved from one level to another, whichever is more recent.

	For [[SLASH'EM]] and probably other variants, it's almost the same as for nethack. Simply replace "nethack" with "slashem" (or other variant name).		For [[SLASH'EM]] and probably other variants, it's almost the same as for nethack. Simply replace "nethack" with "slashem" (or other variant name).

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-:''"Crash" redirects here. For the sound effect, see [[One word messages#Sound effects|One word messages&nbsp;§ Sound effects]]''.
+{{redirects-here|"Crash"|the sound effect ("Crash!")|[[One word messages#Sound effects|One word messages § Sound effects]]}}
+'''recover''' is the small utility program that comes with ''[[NetHack]]''. It is used to turn temporary level files into a save file, for example after a power outage during a game.
 When trying to restart the game, you get the error message:

@@ Line 56: / Line 56: @@
 *''<UIDusername>'' is the file name of the temporary files, without extension. You can easily guess it by inspecting the [[Playground]]. They are two components, the "UID" and the "username". It's the UID and username of the user on the system. The UID is a number unique for a user. On single user systems, the UID is usually "1000". The "username" is just the user name or log in .
-If you are using official NetHack and your distribution does not come with '''recover''' you can download it from the official download-page at http://www.nethack.org/. Check first the other installed files.
+If you are using official NetHack and your distribution does not come with '''recover''' you can download it from the official download-page at https://www.nethack.org/. Check first the other installed files.
 ===Using the file again===

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
   sudo <fullPath>recover -d <playground> <UIDusername>
-for ubuntu systems, that would be something like this:
+For ubuntu systems, that would be something like this:
   sudo /usr/lib/games/nethack/recover -d /var/games/nethack 1000Bob

@@ Line 60: / Line 60: @@
 ===Using the file again===
-Once you executed the recover command successfully.
+Once you executed the recover command successfully, you need to give the created file the correct group.
-*You need to give the created file the correct group.
+In general, run the command:
-in general, run the command:
+ sudo chgrp games <playground><UIDusername>
-'''sudo chgrp games <playground><UIDusername>'''
+In the example:
-in the example:
+ sudo chgrp games /var/games/nethack/1000bob
-sudo chgrp games /var/games/nethack/1000bob
+Then, you compress the file with:
-*then, you compress it with:
+ sudo gzip <playground><UIDusername>
-'''sudo gzip <playground><UIDusername>'''
+In the example:
-in the example:
+ sudo gzip /var/games/nethack/1000bob
-sudo gzip /var/games/nethack/1000bob
+This will create a file with the extension ".gz" or "<UIDusername>.gz". In the example "1000bob.gz".
-this will create a file with the extension ".gz" or "<UIDusername>.gz". In the example "1000bob.gz".
+Then copy the file to the save directory:
-*then copy it in the save directory:
+ sudo cp -p <playground><UIDusername>.gz <playground>/save/
-'''sudo cp -p <playground><UIDusername>.gz <playground>/save/'''
+In the example:
-in the example:
+ sudo cp -p /var/games/nethack/1000bob.gz /var/games/nethack/save/
-sudo cp -p /var/games/nethack/1000bob.gz /var/games/nethack/save/
+With luck, you can play now. Ask for [[Libera|help]] if not.
 ==External links==

@@ Line 90: / Line 90: @@
 sudo cp -p /var/games/nethack/1000bob.gz /var/games/nethack/save/
-* With luck, you can play now. Ask for [[freenode|help]] if not.
+* With luck, you can play now. Ask for [[Libera|help]] if not.
 ==External links==

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 Say no to the above and keep reading.
-Unfortunately, the utility is not totally automated. You need to know some basics about the command line. If you have difficulties, you can ask for help on [[freenode]].
+Unfortunately, the utility is not totally automated. You need to know some basics about the command line. If you have difficulties, you can ask for help on [[Libera]].
 ==General use==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-<small>''"Crash" redirects here. For the sound effect, see [[one word messages#Sound effects|Crash!]]''</small><br />
+:''"Crash" redirects here. For the sound effect, see [[One word messages#Sound effects|One word messages&nbsp;§ Sound effects]]''.
 '''recover''' is the small utility program that comes with NetHack. It is used to turn temporary level files into a save file, for example after a power outage during a game.
 When trying to restart the game, you get the error message:
@@ Line 8: / Line 9: @@
 Say no to the above and keep reading.
-Unfortunately, the utility is not totally automated. You need to know some basics about the command line. If you have difficulties ask for [[freenode|help]].
+Unfortunately, the utility is not totally automated. You need to know some basics about the command line. If you have difficulties, you can ask for help on [[freenode]].
 ==General use==
@@ Line 20: / Line 21: @@
 This will most likely only rebuild the savefile, but you might need further commands, depending on your system, to actually reuse it.
-For SLASH'EM and probably other variants, it's almost the same as for nethack. Simply replace "nethack" with "slashem" (or other variant name).
+For [[SLASH'EM]] and probably other variants, it's almost the same as for nethack. Simply replace "nethack" with "slashem" (or other variant name).
-For [[Vulture's|vulture's eye]], the name is hard-coded to ''alock''. The command is something like this:
+For [[Vulture|vulture's eye]], the name is hard-coded to ''alock''. The command is something like this:
   vultureseye-recover -d <playground> alock
@@ Line 90: / Line 91: @@
 *Finally. Hopefully, you can play now. Ask for [[freenode|help]] if this is too much for you.
 ==External links==

@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 {{todo|What are these keyboard shortcuts for some popular environments??}}
-An other possible accidental keyboard shortcut. Depending on the command line environment, terminal simulator or desktop environment, they are various keyboard shortcuts to launch a new shell on top of the one you are currently using. This is inside the same window you are using and no message is given. Apparently you drop back in the command line, with no message.
+Another possible accidental keyboard shortcut. Depending on the command line environment, terminal simulator or desktop environment, they are various keyboard shortcuts to launch a new shell on top of the one you are currently using. This is inside the same window you are using and no message is given. Apparently you drop back in the command line, with no message.
-First make sure you aren't in the "Ctrl-Z" situation. The command "jobs" should return nothing. "Ctrl-Z" is a more frequent error and has a characteristic message. When you excluded "Ctrl-Z", to go back to the game, just give the "exit" command( caution!!!! Read the rest first). This command simply kills the current terminal, in our case the superfluous terminal, so make sure you really are in this situation before you try it. If you give the "exit" command after a "Ctrl-Z", you'll probably have to use the recover utility.
+First make sure you aren't in the "Ctrl-Z" situation. The command "jobs" should return nothing. "Ctrl-Z" is a more frequent error and has a characteristic message. When you excluded "Ctrl-Z", to go back to the game, just give the "exit" command (caution!!!! Read the rest first). This command simply kills the current terminal, in our case the superfluous terminal, so make sure you really are in this situation before you try it. If you give the "exit" command after a "Ctrl-Z", you'll probably have to use the recover utility.
 ===Running the command===