First steps to Linux/Ubuntu

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: asadasif
Hmmm... what's vi?

vi is a text editor. It's pretty fully featured, and rivals emacs.

I usually just use something simpler for editing config files. nano is my choice.

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: asadasif
Hmmm... what's vi?

vi is a text editor. It's pretty fully featured, and rivals emacs.

I usually just use something simpler for editing config files. nano is my choice.

That is the glory of VI....

much like Linux, it's small and simple, yet has the power to be very very very usable/powerfull.

 

[firewall]

Originally posted by: nweaver
sudo vi /boot/grub/grub.conf (i think) and change the default option (it starts at zero)

What's the default root password? When typing the command, it asks for a password. There isn't a grub.conf file there when I go there through the gui.

 

[Robor]

Originally posted by: asadasif

Originally posted by: nweaver
sudo vi /boot/grub/grub.conf (i think) and change the default option (it starts at zero)

What's the default root password? When typing the command, it asks for a password. There isn't a grub.conf file there when I go there through the gui.

You don't use a 'root' username/password in Ubuntu. The password it's asking you for is your own login password. When you do a command that requires root/superuser access preceed the command with 'sudo'. Example...

sudo nano grub.conf

 

[firewall]

I was considering upgrading my speedtouch 330 modem firmware to the one on the link previously mentioned. Will this affect how my modem functions in Windows XP?

Also, what are the equivalent file types in Ubuntu? e.g. exe ---> ?, txt ----> ? and so on.

 

[kamper]

Originally posted by: asadasif
Also, what are the equivalent file types in Ubuntu? e.g. exe ---> ?, txt ----> ? and so on.

File extensions usually don't mean anything in *nix, although you still see them. Mostly as a guide to the user. Executable files generally have no extension so foo.exe in windows is just foo in linux. Text files sometimes have .txt as an extension, sometimes have something describing what they do, like foo.properties, or none at all, like README.

To find out what a file is, it is just examined. On the commandline the file command will give you a best guess as to what the file type is. A gui, like konqueror or whatever gnome's file manager is called, will check for you and display it appropriately. Also, anything executable (whether it's a binary or a script) usually has (and needs) the executable permission set, at least for the owner of the file.

 

[ronnn]

Good luck!! Hope you are smarter than me. I hate to admit that I have tried several times and can not even get the Java plug in working with Ubuntu. Without that I can not use CGoban - so am stuck with xp.

 

[daniel49]

Ronnn:

just follow this guide to the letter works perfectly for java in ubuntu.
http://blog.agileware.net/index.php/arc...0/how-to-install-java-on-ubuntu-linux/

or you could just add a line to your repository list where java is stored although the blackstone is not as uptodate as Suns. once you download the java and install then comment out the extra line in repo list. (if you want the repo address pm me I will have to get it off my other machine.)

or try pclinux os already has java included with it.

 

[firewall]

Thanks guys!

What is the syntax for using the file command?

Also, is there any listing of common commands for Ubunu like in Windows, you just go the command prompt and type in help and it displays all the commands commonly used.

 

[turk101]

If you get a chance and want to play.....PCLINUXOS .92 is a good distro to play with 32 bit.....been using it for awhile....works good so far....another one I have had excellent luck with is Kanotix64 2005-04......just came out....have it installed on my emachine amd64 system....fastest 64bit distro I have ever used....have used kunbuntu and ubuntu....like kanotix better...;and another good distro is Mepis.....love the livecd concept....good way to test your machine to see if everything works.....good luck and have fun.....

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: asadasif
Thanks guys!

What is the syntax for using the file command?

Also, is there any listing of common commands for Ubunu like in Windows, you just go the command prompt and type in help and it displays all the commands commonly used.

usually something like

command -h
or
command --help

will give you the proper usage

In the case of file it's just

file <file you want to check>

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: asadasif
Thanks guys!

What is the syntax for using the file command?

Also, is there any listing of common commands for Ubunu like in Windows, you just go the command prompt and type in help and it displays all the commands commonly used.

In my opinion here are some common commands. help in Linux does show some rather advanced/uncommon commands (most of them) but I'm not sure what all of them do. Here's the ones I use the most.

cp (copy)
mv (move/rename)
rm (remove; delete)
cat (concatenate; one use is for previewing text files to the console)
ls (list folders/files)
dd (disk druid...for doing some advanced disk-related things)
fdisk (quite different from fdisk in DOS but same idea)
cd (change directory)
md (make directory, same as mkdir)
updatedb (updates your file index for searching disk)
locate (locates a file within your file index)
linux32 (only applicable to 64-bit Linux, but basically this runs 32-bit apps)
logout/exit (gets out of shell so you can login as a different user)
su (super user; goes in to root (Administrator) mode)
sudo command (do one operation in super user mode)
file file (look up type of file)
gedit file (desktop only command; edit file with GNOME editor; much better interface than vim)
grep (great tool! use it for finding text from stdin and a pipe; for example: ps -aux | grep artsd will find the arts sound server)
ps (Unix command to list running processes; usually use ps -aux)
top (task manager app that shows CPU and memory)
man (guide/manual for the program you specify)
mount (mount device (disk drive, DVD+RW, thumb drive, etc.) to mount point)
umount (unmount device)

And here's a tip. If you start a program from a desktop mini-console ("Xterm" or "Konsole"), put a space and an ampersand (&) after the program name. That way it won't tie up the console from which you started the program. Even knowing all that I'm pretty much a Linux n00b still, but I can help you with the really basic stuff. I'm pretty good at configuring GNOME/KDE now. Meet GNOME/KDE, your desktop environments.

 

[firewall]

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: asadasif
Thanks guys!

What is the syntax for using the file command?

Also, is there any listing of common commands for Ubunu like in Windows, you just go the command prompt and type in help and it displays all the commands commonly used.

In my opinion here are some common commands. help in Linux does show some rather advanced/uncommon commands (most of them) but I'm not sure what all of them do. Here's the ones I use the most.

cp (copy)
mv (move/rename)
rm (remove; delete)
cat (concatenate; one use is for previewing text files to the console)
ls (list folders/files)
dd (disk druid...for doing some advanced disk-related things)
fdisk (quite different from fdisk in DOS but same idea)
cd (change directory)
md (make directory, same as mkdir)
updatedb (updates your file index for searching disk)
locate (locates a file within your file index)
linux32 (only applicable to 64-bit Linux, but basically this runs 32-bit apps)
logout/exit (gets out of shell so you can login as a different user)
su (super user; goes in to root (Administrator) mode)
sudo command (do one operation in super user mode)
file file (look up type of file)
gedit file (desktop only command; edit file with GNOME editor; much better interface than vim)
grep (great tool! use it for finding text from stdin and a pipe; for example: ps -aux | grep artsd will find the arts sound server)
ps (Unix command to list running processes; usually use ps -aux)
top (task manager app that shows CPU and memory)
man (guide/manual for the program you specify)
mount (mount device (disk drive, DVD+RW, thumb drive, etc.) to mount point)
umount (unmount device)

And here's a tip. If you start a program from a desktop mini-console ("Xterm" or "Konsole"), put a space and an ampersand (&) after the program name. That way it won't tie up the console from which you started the program. Even knowing all that I'm pretty much a Linux n00b still, but I can help you with the really basic stuff. I'm pretty good at configuring GNOME/KDE now. Meet GNOME/KDE, your desktop environments.

Thanks!

I made a folder and mounted my Windows drive for access in Ubuntu. The files I copied from that drive copied fine but there's a red colored circle with a line across the center on the file icon. How can I remove this red colored shape from the icon?

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: asadasif
Thanks!

I made a folder and mounted my Windows drive for access in Ubuntu. The files I copied from that drive copied fine but there's a red colored circle with a line across the center on the file icon. How can I remove this red colored shape from the icon?

Odd. I've never seen that before. This circle is on all the files you copied off? Is it only on the files on the original partition or is it only on ones you copied to your Ubuntu partition? Both?

 

[magomago]

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: asadasif
Thanks!

I made a folder and mounted my Windows drive for access in Ubuntu. The files I copied from that drive copied fine but there's a red colored circle with a line across the center on the file icon. How can I remove this red colored shape from the icon?

Odd. I've never seen that before. This circle is on all the files you copied off? Is it only on the files on the original partition or is it only on ones you copied to your Ubuntu partition? Both?

Are you talking about being read only perhaps?

Select the file...right click on it and go to properties. In the tabs give permission for the owner to "excecute" and it should get rid of it...assuming you are talking about what you are talking about.

 

[xtknight]

That's what I was thinking too...

If that happens you probably want to set them all back to read-write (the copied ones on Ubuntu partition). I'm not sure but my best guess is you can probably right-click them all at once just like Windows, properties, go to the permissions tab, and set the read and write attributes again.

 

[kamper]

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: asadasif
Thanks guys!

What is the syntax for using the file command?

Also, is there any listing of common commands for Ubunu like in Windows, you just go the command prompt and type in help and it displays all the commands commonly used.

usually something like

command -h
or
command --help

will give you the proper usage

In the case of file it's just

file <file you want to check>

Err, that's missing the rather obvious and far more useful man. If you want to know how all the details of how to use a command, type man command (or man man for an intro to that ) and it will pop up a page with the complete description, assuming the package maintainer has done the work they're supposed to

If you know roughly what you want to do, but don't know the exact command, type apropos search term and you'll get a list of suggestions.

 

[firewall]

Where can I find drivers for the Creative 24bit Live! chipset on my mobo (MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum SLI) ? I have using it for some time now but didn't think about the 'no sound' problem till now.... 0.o

 

[firewall]

On that note, where can i find Ubuntu drivers for any hardware that I might need?

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: kamper

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: asadasif
Thanks guys!

What is the syntax for using the file command?

Also, is there any listing of common commands for Ubunu like in Windows, you just go the command prompt and type in help and it displays all the commands commonly used.

usually something like

command -h
or
command --help

will give you the proper usage

In the case of file it's just

file <file you want to check>

Err, that's missing the rather obvious and far more useful man. If you want to know how all the details of how to use a command, type man command (or man man for an intro to that ) and it will pop up a page with the complete description, assuming the package maintainer has done the work they're supposed to

If you know roughly what you want to do, but don't know the exact command, type apropos search term and you'll get a list of suggestions.

Well of course, but for a simple usage statement, I like the -h switch

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: asadasif
Where can I find drivers for the Creative 24bit Live! chipset on my mobo (MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum SLI) ? I have using it for some time now but didn't think about the 'no sound' problem till now.... 0.o

Type alsaconf ?