I don't know what's wrong with your OS. But if you cant get the server back up and running theres nothing wrong with a reinstall. When I was learning Linux I bet I reformatted the server 30 times before I finally got it down. Thats the great thing about having a home webserver is OS reformats are free.
Most dedicated server company's charge for a OS reformat. So its best to learn all you can and make your mistakes now why they are still free.
