Re-creating conf files in debian or "How I 'apt-get remove --purge apache2'd and broke my server"

The reason you have to use dpkg –force-confmiss is because whenever your config files () are gone, dpkg assumes you deleted them on purpose, and that you want them to stay deleted. You can also reinstall them using the following apt-get line: apt-get -o DPkg::Options::="--force-confmiss" --reinstall install ; or using aptitude, aptitude -o DPkg::Options::="--force-confmiss" reinstall ;