Brief Linux FAQ

Yet another Frequently Asked Questions about Linux (a brief one)

This FAQ is currently compiled and maintained by Neil Zanella nzanella@ganymede.cs.mun.ca

This document contains a list of some frequently asked Linux questions and their answers. It is meant to provide general help to Linux users, especially newbies. I invite you to modify and add to this list but if you do so please be sure to mail me so that I can include your changes in future releases. Finally, I hope that this document will prove helpful to all Linux users, newbies especially.

001. I am trying to use the text based ftp program to download some stuff via anonymous ftp from an ftp site. I have never done this before and the ftp server doesn't seem to be letting me log in. Do I need a special user name and password to do this?: Brief Linux FAQ: 001. I am trying to use the text based ftp program to download some stuff via anonymous ftp from an ftp site. I have never done this before and the ftp server doesn't seem to be letting me log in. Do I need a special user name and password to do this?

002. I plan to use the FIPS program to shrink a FAT32 partition (such as one used by MS-Windows 95/98) and hence create space for my Linux operating system. Can this be done?: Brief Linux FAQ: 002. I plan to use the FIPS program to shrink a FAT32 partition (such as one used by MS-Windows 95/98) and hence create space for my Linux operating system. Can this be done?

003. I am using the DOS Fdisk utility to destructively repartition my hard drive. How should I deal with the question pertaining to whether or not I should "enable large disk support"?: Brief Linux FAQ: 003. I am using the DOS Fdisk utility to destructively repartition my hard drive. How should I deal with the question pertaining to whether or not I should

004. I have upgraded to kernel 2.0.35 or later but still can't see my FAT32 partition. What went wrong?: Brief Linux FAQ: 004. I have upgraded to kernel 2.0.35 or later but still can't see my FAT32 partition. What went wrong?

005. I am trying to install Linux via CD-ROM. I have made space for Linux on my hard drive but inserting the Linux CD into the CD-ROM drive and rebooting has no effect.: Brief Linux FAQ: 005. I am trying to install Linux via CD-ROM. I have made space for Linux on my hard drive but inserting the Linux CD into the CD-ROM drive and rebooting has no effect.

006. I have completed the installation process but upon reboot I get a LI prompt or a bunch of zeros and ones.: Brief Linux FAQ: 006. I have completed the installation process but upon reboot I get a LI prompt or a bunch of zeros and ones.

007. I can log in and out of my system but how do I shut it down / reboot it?: Brief Linux FAQ: 007. I can log in and out of my system but how do I shut it down / reboot it?

008. I have shut down my system with the "halt" command and gotten to a message saying "System Halted" but why is my computer still on?: Brief Linux FAQ: 008. I have shut down my system with the

009. My new video card is listed at as a card which the X Window System supports under Linux but I cannot get it to work.: Brief Linux FAQ: 009. My new video card is listed at as a card which the X Window System supports under Linux but I cannot get it to work.

010. I have successfully installed the X Window System and use the startx command to run it from a text based virtual console. How can I have the X Window System run at all times so that I don't have to use the startx command?: Brief Linux FAQ: 010. I have successfully installed the X Window System and use the startx command to run it from a text based virtual console. How can I have the X Window System run at all times so that I don't have to use the startx command?

011. When I use the X Window system and open multiple windows I find that my screen size is insufficient. How can I use more virtual screen space?: Brief Linux FAQ: 011. When I use the X Window system and open multiple windows I find that my screen size is insufficient. How can I use more virtual screen space?

012. I would like to have xdm run multiple local displays on my system and switch back and forth by pressing where is a number between 1 and 12.: Brief Linux FAQ: 012. I would like to have xdm run multiple local displays on my system and switch back and forth by pressing where is a number between 1 and 12.

013. I hate the sound of the bell. I would prefer to disable it perhaps enabling the visual bell as an alternative.: Brief Linux FAQ: 013. I hate the sound of the bell. I would prefer to disable it perhaps enabling the visual bell as an alternative.

014. I have access to a remote Unix machine that has some commercial software that uses X which I would like to run remotely on my display. How do I do it?: Brief Linux FAQ: 014. I have access to a remote Unix machine that has some commercial software that uses X which I would like to run remotely on my display. How do I do it?

015. I am sick of having to type in my password interactively each time I want to start a shell on a remote server. Is there a way to avoid this.: Brief Linux FAQ: 015. I am sick of having to type in my password interactively each time I want to start a shell on a remote server. Is there a way to avoid this.

016. Is it possible to make recursive downloads to mirror ftp or web sites or just download a file, perhaps while not even logged in?: Brief Linux FAQ: 016. Is it possible to make recursive downloads to mirror ftp or web sites or just download a file, perhaps while not even logged in?

017. I use the lp or lpr programs to print ASCII files and man pages. Is there any way that I can get more text on one page, hence less pages of output?: Brief Linux FAQ: 017. I use the lp or lpr programs to print ASCII files and man pages. Is there any way that I can get more text on one page, hence less pages of output?

018. I have more than 64 MB of RAM but when I use the "free" command to check the amount of available memory on my system only slightly less than 64MB show up. How do I get Linux to recognize the additional RAM?: Brief Linux FAQ: 018. I have more than 64 MB of RAM but when I use the

019. I have used the rm command to delete a file. Is it possible to undelete the file and hence recover its contents?: Brief Linux FAQ: 019. I have used the rm command to delete a file. Is it possible to undelete the file and hence recover its contents?

020. I am trying to run a script file named script or test but I am getting some unexpected results.: Brief Linux FAQ: 020. I am trying to run a script file named script or test but I am getting some unexpected results.

021. I (re/)installed windows on the same hard drive as Linux but now I no longer get the LILO prompt and can't boot into Linux. What should I do?: Brief Linux FAQ: 021. I (re/)installed windows on the same hard drive as Linux but now I no longer get the LILO prompt and can't boot into Linux. What should I do?

022. I removed Linux from my system, but now DOS won't boot because LILO is still there. How do I remove LILO?: Brief Linux FAQ: 022. I removed Linux from my system, but now DOS won't boot because LILO is still there. How do I remove LILO?

023. I want to add '.' to root's PATH, to allow me to not have to put ./ in front of every local command I type. But I hear this is a bad thing. Why?: Brief Linux FAQ: 023. I want to add '.' to root's PATH, to allow me to not have to put ./ in front of every local command I type. But I hear this is a bad thing. Why?

024. I can't execute my script/program. I can list the file with ls -l and it is there with the correct permissions:: Brief Linux FAQ: 024. I can't execute my script/program. I can list the file with ls -l and it is there with the correct permissions:

025. Why can't I telnet or rsh in to my Linux system as Root?: Brief Linux FAQ: 025. Why can't I telnet or rsh in to my Linux system as Root?

026. Why can't I ftp as root?: Brief Linux FAQ: 026. Why can't I ftp as root?

027. I've tried to create a shell script and made it setuid root so the users can execute it. But no matter what I do, it doesn't execute with root privilege. Why?: Brief Linux FAQ: 027. I've tried to create a shell script and made it setuid root so the users can execute it. But no matter what I do, it doesn't execute with root privilege. Why?

028. Why should I create ordinary user accounts. I'm the only user on this machine. Why not just work as root?: Brief Linux FAQ: 028. Why should I create ordinary user accounts. I'm the only user on this machine. Why not just work as root?

029. I am able to establish a dial up connection but when I use telnet to connect to remote hosts telnet understands IP address but not host names. What can I do to have telnet and other programs understand host names?: Brief Linux FAQ: 029. I am able to establish a dial up connection but when I use telnet to connect to remote hosts telnet understands IP address but not host names. What can I do to have telnet and other programs understand host names?

030. I don't like having to type the full host name when using telnet. How can I resolve this problem?: Brief Linux FAQ: 030. I don't like having to type the full host name when using telnet. How can I resolve this problem?

031. I am logged into a host. I would like to find out its IP address and a few other ones. How can I do this?: Brief Linux FAQ: 031. I am logged into a host. I would like to find out its IP address and a few other ones. How can I do this?

032. How can I have the "useradd" or "adduser" command automatically place some default files in a user's directory when that user is added to the system?: Brief Linux FAQ: 032. How can I have the

033. I am trying to build a new kernel. Why is it that "make menuconfig" does not display any colors when running under an xterm?: Brief Linux FAQ: 033. I am trying to build a new kernel. Why is it that

034. I am trying to get X to read my window manager's configuration file but with no success.: Brief Linux FAQ: 034. I am trying to get X to read my window manager's configuration file but with no success.

035. Are the modules part of the Linux kernel or are they distributed separately?: Brief Linux FAQ: 035. Are the modules part of the Linux kernel or are they distributed separately?

036. What is the quickest and safest way to recompile the kernel?: Brief Linux FAQ: 036. What is the quickest and safest way to recompile the kernel?

037. I am trying to set up a home page. How do I go about doing that and where should I put my web files to view them on my Linux box?: Brief Linux FAQ: 037. I am trying to set up a home page. How do I go about doing that and where should I put my web files to view them on my Linux box?

038. I would like to have more lines and/or columns displayed when I use the text consoles. Is there a way I can do this?: Brief Linux FAQ: 038. I would like to have more lines and/or columns displayed when I use the text consoles. Is there a way I can do this?

039. I have two Linux boxes but they're not networked. What's a good way to transfer data from one to another.: Brief Linux FAQ: 039. I have two Linux boxes but they're not networked. What's a good way to transfer data from one to another.

040. What's the cheapest way to network two Linux boxes?: Brief Linux FAQ: 040. What's the cheapest way to network two Linux boxes?

041. I am running X. What's an easy way to put an image file in the background.: Brief Linux FAQ: 041. I am running X. What's an easy way to put an image file in the background.

042. I have read the Brief Linux FAQ (BLFAQ) but could not find what I was looking for. Where else should I look?: Brief Linux FAQ: 042. I have read the Brief Linux FAQ (BLFAQ) but could not find what I was looking for. Where else should I look?

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