init.d scripts disappeared in 10.04

[compdoc]

Barry wrote:
> Nils, I had nothing in init.d -- in fact init.d was not a directory, 
> but a regular file that had nothing to do with run levels or services.

There are times when things go screwy without an underlying cause - example,
just an improper shutdown can sometimes trash things. But rarely things go
as badly as you describe.

Being a laptop, always check the SMART data for the drive. Laptops tend to
get banged and the drives are susceptible.