Analog5:001 Article 001

Fedora Core 6: Frequently Answered Questions

By: Nickisgod1
Published: February 20th, 2007

This originally started out as a thread on a forum I visit, because I got sick of answering the same questions over and over. Mostly simple stuff, but many people seemed to have benefited, so I thought I would edit the forum post into an article to help out new Linux users. Just as a forewarning, many of these questions have fedora specific answers, some will also work distro wide. The only major difference as far as this article goes will be that Debian based systems would use apt instead of yum, and the package names may differ slightly, also other distros not Fedora or deb based would need to use their respective package managers or compile form source. Obviously compiling from source would eliminate the need for installing any devel packages I may have mentioned. Also if anyone is interested, I will include the link to the original thread if anyone cares to see how this grew into existence, also because I quote two people from that site.

In the entire article $ = user prompt and # = root prompt

This assumes you have the Livna core and extras repos enabled in yum, or if using a different package manager, finding out which repos have the software you need and using said repos.

1. "su" != "su -"

If you switch user to root without the dash you do not get roots path, but your present working directory does not change. If you switch to user root with the dash, you get roots path and your present working directory change to roots home directory.

2. I want to boot to text login/I don't want to boot to text login.

As root,

#gedit /etc/inittab

Edit this line,

id:5:initdefault:
5=graphical boot
3= text boot

Note: this can also be achieved for a single session by pressing "e" or "a" at the grub screen upon reboot and adding a 5 to the end of the kernel line for a graphical boot, or a 3 to enter a text install.

Another Note: If your Xserver is not running, use Nano or Vi instead of Gedit

3. How to install media players/ a media plug in for Firefox and their codecs?

Note: all players will need to install the codecs located at the bottom of this section.

Ok Xine is an easy one.Xine is my favorite media player to use for dvd's and files already on my hard drive.

$su -
#yum -y install xine xine-lib xine-lib-extras-nonfree
#exit

Mplayer is also pretty simple. I like Mplayer for the plug-in, and I also use it as my default player on my Mythbox. It has a lot of powerful features.

$su -
#yum -y install mplayer mplayer-skins mplayer-fonts mplayerplug-in
#exit

Totem:
If you are using either of the first two options I recommend removing totem

$su -
#yum remove totem
#exit

However if you want totem to work with the codecs this how it is done Adapted from the info I got from hammel.

 $su - 
 #yum install gstreamer-plugins gstreamer-ffmpeg 
 #wget ftp://fr2.rpmfind.net/linux/freshrpms/fedora/linux/6/gstreamer-	        
 pitfdll/gstreamer-pitfdll-0.9.1.1-1.fc6.i386.rpm 
 #rpm -ivh gstreamer-pitfdll-0.9.1.1-1.fc6.i386.rpm 
 #exit

The codecs (you need to do this for all the media players listed above)

 $ wget http://www.mplayerhq.hu/MPlayer/releases/codecs/
 all-20061022.tar.bz2 

NOTE: The above is all on one line

$su 
#mkdir /usr/local/lib/codecs/ 
#mkdir /usr/lib/win32 
#tar xvfj all-20061022.tar.bz2 
#cp ./all-20061022/* /usr/local/lib/codecs/ 
#chmod 755 /usr/local/lib/codecs/* 
#cp /usr/local/lib/codecs/* /usr/lib/win32/ 
#rm -rf ./all-20061022 
#rm ./all-20061022.tar.bz2 #exit

4. Madwifi drivers from source/ network manager cant see my Madwifi chipset.

$su -
#yum install kernel-devel

or

#yum kernel-xen-devel

Depending on what you need,

 #exit
 $svn checkout http://svn.madwifi.org/trunk madwifi
 $cd madwifi
 $ make
 $su
 # make install
 #/sbin/modprobe ath_pci
 # gedit /etc/modprobe.conf

Add these lines,

alias wifi0 ath_pci
alias ath0 ath_pci
options ath_pci autocreate=sta

This will allow you to activate the device ath0 from both the command line and system-config-network.

5. chmod

I think ill give an overview of chmod as some people seem to be having a problem with it. Here it goes, chmod a simplified version.

The permissions of Linux files are set up into 3 categories owner, group, others. Each of these three categories has 3 options read, write, and execute. They are set by numbers corresponding to their binary values.

111 in binary = 7 base 10 this gives the corresponding category all privileges.
110 in binary = 6 base 10 this gives the corresponding category read and write privileges.
001 in binary = 1 base 10 this gives only execute permissions.
101 = 5 thus = read execute and so forth.

Therefore a command of “chmod 755 foo” Would give the file “foo”.

Read write and execute permissions for the owner and read and execute permissions for the group and others.

The -R tag makes the Recursive, meaning it applies to all lower levels of the directory and files use this with caution.

6. My Firefox only is working for some sites. This may be due to ipv6 being enabled.

P.S. I stole this from seve b/c I'm too lazy to type and I saw he just did so I figure ill just do the ole ctrl x ctrl v.

In the Firefox address bar type "about:config"

And filter for ipv.
And set network.dns.disableIPv6 to "true".
Next, open a terminal and log in as root using

$su -
yourpassword

Then type,

#gedit /etc/modprobe.conf

And add the following lines,

Alias net-pf-10 off
Alias ipv6 off

Leave a blank line at the end save, and exit.
Then type,

#gedit /etc/sysconfig/network

And check and see if NETWORKING_IPV6=yes. If it does change it to NETWORKING_IPV6=no. Save and exit.

7. I forgot my root password, how do I reset it?

Reboot
At grub screen press a
Enter a 1
Continue boot
At prompt
#passwd root
Make a new password
Reboot
Use your new passwd

8. How do I set my default environment. / when I type “startx” I want to start KDE, Gnome, XFCE, enlightenment, etc

 $rpm -qa | grep switchdesk

If nothing is found,

$su
#yum install switchdesk

If it is found or you just installed it,

$switchdesk "environment name here"

This make the specified environment your default, and when you startx or login through GDM it will start this environment.

9. Anaconda installed i586 kernel (fedora 6 specific bug, installing with kernel option Linux 686 fixes this)

The following will install the i686 kernel and the devel

 $ su -
 $ Password: [Enter 'root' password]
 # cp /boot/grub/grub.conf /boot/grub/grub.conf.bak
 # rpm -e --nodeps kernel
 # rpm -e --nodeps kernel-devel
 # rpm -ivh http://redhat.secsup.org/fedora/cor...98.fc6.i686.rpm
 # rpm -ivh http://redhat.secsup.org/fedora/cor...98.fc6.i686.rpm
 # cp /boot/grub/grub.conf.bak /boot/grub/grub.conf

Note do NOT reboot until after you have completed all the steps.

10. How do I play mp3/ what is a good mp3 player?

If you’re wondering why fedora does not ship with mp3 support a quick trip to http://www.mp3licensing.com/ Should explain why.

First let me state that it is a matter of opinion, that I happen to like xmms since i do, that is what I am going to describe. Plus the install couldn't be any simpler, but bearing that I have got lots of questions, so here it is.

$su -
#yum -y install xmms xmms-mp3
#exit

Now xmms should be able to play your mp3's by typing:

$xmms filename

Now to make this the default through nautalis.There is probably a better way to do this, but I just right click on an mp3.

Go to properties,
Go to opens with,
Click add,
Click custom,
type “xmms”

11. How can I install Adobe Acroread / Acroread wont work.

Go to adobe's web page and download the rpm, readstep2.html

Save to a directory or uses system-install packages to install (recommended). If you saved it,

$su -
#cd directory you saved_rpm_to
#rpm -ivh A*.rpm (assuming only rpm starting with A in that dir if not type whole name)
#exit

Now for everyone (may or may not be rpm specific, I haven't tried anything else as I don't really use acroreader),

 $ su -
 #gedit /usr/bin/acroread	
 change the line
 echo $mfile| sed 's/libgtk-x11-\([0-9]*\).0.so.0.\([0-9]\)00.\
 ([0-9]*\)\|\(.*\)/\1\2\3/g'

To:

 echo $mfile| sed 's/libgtk-x11-\([0-9]*\).0.so.0.\([0-9]*\)00.\
 ([0-9]*\)\|\(.*\)/\1\2\3/g'

To install the plugin,

#cp /usr/local/Adobe/Acrobat7.0/Browser/intellinux/nppdf.so 	        
/usr/lib/mozilla/plugins

NOTE: Above is all on one line

#exit
$ Firefox

Go to "about:plugins" to check if it worked.

12. how do Ii install sun JRE/ Firefox plugin?

Go to: index.jsp

Download Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6 the self extracting file

$su -
#cd dir_java_downloaded_to
#mv jre-6-linux-i586.bin /opt
#cd /opt
#chmod +x jre-6-linux-i586.bin
#./jre-6-linux-i586.bin
#ln -s /opt/jre1.6.0/plugin/i386/ns7/libjavaplugin_oji.so         
/usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/libjavaplugin_oji.so

Above is all on one line again

#gedit /etc/profile.d/java.sh 

(add these lines note the blank line at eof)

export J2RE_HOME=/opt/jre1.6.0
export PATH=$J2RE_HOME/bin:$PATH

#source /etc/profile.d/java.sh
#/usr/sbin/alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /opt/
jre1.6.0/bin/java 2

Note:Above is all on one line

#rm jre-6-linux-i586.bin
#exit

You should be good then.

Note: to check type java -version and see what you get.

Second note: I learned this from Stanton Finley, but this is a simplified and changed version of his how to. The original can be found here, http://stanton-finley.net/ Although this version is definitely different, thought I would give my source.

13. How do I add a new user / Firstboot didn't load and I need to create a new user?

First, get root permissions. If you already have a user,

$su -

If you don’t, log in as root then,

#useradd newusername

This will create a new user and a home directory for them in /home/ as well as set some environmental variables and various other things

Now we need to set up a password for them.

#passwd newusername
create a password

You have now created a new user and can log in as them with the new password

Just a note b/c many people have asked this I put this in the do not recommend list if you want to create a user with no password use this command instead of "passwd",

usermod -p "" newusername

but again i don't recommend

14. How to use Vi.

Vi is a very useful, and my personal favorite text editor. Here is how to use it. Okay, Vi has 2 modes, command mode and insert mode.

1. command mode
Here are some of the basic command to get you through the editor:

• h = move the cursor 1 character left
• j = move the cursor 1 character down
• k = move the cursor 1 character up
• l = move the cursor 1 character right
• i = enter insert mode before cursor
• I = enter insert mode at begging of line
• a = enter insert mode after the cursor
• A = enter insert mode at the end of current line
• o = create a new line below current line and enter insert mode
• O = create a new line above current line and enter insert mode

/string = searches for the first instance of string

• n = next occurrence
• $ = move the cursor to end of line

  x = move cursor to line x

• u = undo
• r = replace single character
• R = like insert mode but replaces characters until [Esc] is hit
• x = delete single character
• dw = delete word
• dd = delete line
• D = delete rest of line after cursor
• yy = copy line
• p = paste
• <ctrl>g = returns line number

  w = save file

  q! = quit without saving

  wq or ZZ = save and quit

2. Insert/replace mode mode You can type just as you would in any editor. To quit and return to command mode press [Esc]

15. how do I add myself/group to sudoers file?

In order to edit the sudoers file, you need to use a program called Visudo. To do this you will need a quick overview of my favorite editor Vi. See guide above for a quick overview.

To open Visudo,

$su -
(password)
#visudo

To give a user sudo privs for all programs,

Go to the line which reads "root ALL=(ALL) ALL"
Press “o”
Enter the line,
Username ALL=(ALL) ALL
Press [Esc] to return to command mode.

To give a group sudo privs for all programs,

Press “o”
Enter the line,
%groupname ALL=(ALL) ALL
Press [Esc] to return to command mode

To give user or group privs to only certain programs you will need to either create you own aliases or use the predefined ones. The predefined ones are listed at the top of the file, your own can be made following the same format.

Once you know the aliases you want the user or group to have privs in

For a group replace username with “%groupname”
Press “o”
Enter the line.
Username ALL = Alias1, Alias2 ALL
Press [Esc] to return to command mode.

To note, if your sudoers file is being used across a network, the All's can be replaced with the hostname of a machine to only give users sudo privs on a certain machine.

Also by default sudo requires the user to use their own password, this can be changed to the root password by setting the rootpw flag. This is done by adding Defaults rootpw to the file

Also a user can be set to use no password( I do not recommend this) by inserting “NOPASSWD:” before the second ALL in the lines listed earlier

Now pressing

“ZZ or :wq”

will save the file.

#exit
$sudo command
(password)

will run the command as root

Hope this is still of use to someone, anyone has any question comments or concerns just ask.

Adopted from: http://www.fedoraforum.org/forum/showthread.php?t=135568

nick S. Nickisgod1

nickisgod1@gmail.com