Get Started Using Linux

This category is designed to help beginners get started using Linux, especially those transitioning from Windows. Learn essential Linux commands, system setup, and configuration tips to make the switch easy and smooth.

How to use LZMA Compression

LZMA CompressionLZMA compression (Lempel-Ziv-Markov chain algorithm) is a high performance data compression algorithm known for its high compressing ratio. It is widely used in various applications where space efficiency is critical, such as software distribution, embedded systems, and large datasets.

How to Create a Bootable USB from ISO using DD

create a bootable usb from iso fileHow to manually create a bootable USB from ISO Files Using the Linux dd Command. You can manually create a bootable USB from ISO files using the dd command from within Linux or any Unix-based system.

CHMOD Command | Change File Permissions in Linux

change file permissions linux-chmod commandThe chmod command is an essential tool for managing file permissions in Linux and Unix-based systems. It allows users to control the access rights to files and directories, ensuring that only authorized users can read, write, or execute specific files.

Rename File in Terminal from Linux

rename files in LinuxRename File in Terminal from Linux: At first it might not be obvious, but you can easily use the mv command to rename files in Linux. From the terminal, this Linux command can be used to move a file from one location to another or to rename a folder in Linux.

How to Find a File in Linux from the Terminal

search file linuxEasily find a file in Linux from the Terminal: If you've ever lost a file, the Linux find file command can help you track it down quickly. The Command Line Interface (CLI), also known as the terminal, allows users to interact with their Linux systems by typing commands.

Erasing a Flash Drive - Permanently Delete Files

erasing flash drivesPermanently erasing a flash drive: Have you ever wondered how to permanently delete files from a USB drive so no one can recover them? In this tutorial, we show you how to wipe USB drives using Linux, making sure that your files are gone for good.

Accessing Linux Files from Windows

Access Linux files from Windows with explore2fsAccessing Linux files from Windows (Linux Windows file sharing). How do I read Linux files from Windows or access files from Linux on Windows?

Easily Change Ownership of File in Linux

change ownership of file linuxYou'll eventually come across the need to change ownership of file or directory in Linux. The best method to do this is through the use of the chown command which stands for "Change Owner".

How to Check Linux Version and Kernel Information

Check Linux VersionHow to easily check Linux version and display installed kernel information. In this post, I walk you through multiple methods to check your Linux operating system (OS) version using simple terminal commands.

How to Find and Kill Processes on Linux

kill process LinuxIt is inevitable that at some point you'll need to find and kill processes running on Linux. Like any other operating system, the programs or applications run on it can lock up, malfunction and become unresponsive.

Using and Linux Command to Chain Commands

&& operator and command in LinuxAnd Linux Command; && in Linux, logical operators are used in various contexts, including shell scripting and command line operations. Logical operators are used to perform logical operations on values or conditions, and they are typically used within conditional statements to control the flow of a script or to evaluate expressions.

How to Add User to Sudoers File

add user to sudoers listAdd user to sudoers file, list or group so that you can give a new user root access or privilege. How do I add a user to Sudoers?

Updating Linux: Ubuntu, Fedora, CentOS, Arch

Press Y to continue apt upgradeUpdating Linux: Keeping your Linux system updated is essential for maintaining stability, security, and getting the latest features. This guide will walk you through updating and upgrading packages and moving to the latest release on several popular Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, Fedora, CentOS, and Arch Linux.

Clear Terminal History in Linux

clear the terminal command historyClear Terminal History in Linux; How do I clear bash history? How can I remove command line history or delete typed commands from the terminal?

Open Files as Root via Right Mouse Click

Open As AdministratorHow to easily add a context menu item that enables a Linux user to open files as root or administrator via right mouse click when browsing a file system. This feature allows the user to navigate their file system and open or edit any file or directory as the root user or admin of the system.

Restore Grub after Windows Install

Use boot repair to restore grub after windows installRestore Grub after Windows Install: After installing Windows alongside Linux, the Windows bootloader overwrites the Grub bootloader. This results in not being able to boot into Linux, which is where a Grub fix comes in.

Create Your Own Live Linux Distro

make your own live linux distroEasily Create Your Own Live Linux distro, remix or spin; Creating your own custom Live Linux distro and resulting ISO file is not overly complicated. However, there are many different approaches depending mainly on which Linux base you decide to use.

Make a Casper Persistent File from Windows

Casper Persistent File CreatorUse the Linux persistent USB file creator to make a casper rw persistent file or writable persistence loop file for Ubuntu based distributions. Written for use from within Windows, this tool enables you to quickly create a loopback filesystem image to use for saving and restoring Ubuntu changes while booted from a live USB.

Install GRUB2 on USB from Windows

GRUB2 on USBHow to Install Grub2 on USB from Windows. The following covers the process of installing Grub2 on a USB Flash Drive from within Windows.

Mount exFAT USB from Linux

mount exFatMount exFAT USB from Linux. How to access and use an exFAT formatted USB Flash Drive from within Linux.

Installing GRUB2 on USB from Linux

Ubuntu Desktop 20.0How to Install Grub2 on USB from Linux to make a BIOS an UEFI bootable USB that can boot on all Machines. In the following tutorial, I'll show you one way of easily installing Grub2 Bootloader to a USB flash drive from an up and running Linux Operating Environment.

Ubuntu Remote Desktop Screen Sharing

Ubuntu Sharing ScreenUbuntu Remote Desktop screen sharing with Windows and Linux. The following tutorial covers the process of remotely accessing and controlling an Ubuntu desktop screen from another Linux or Windows computer.

Create a Casper-RW Larger than 4GB

GParted Create a New Ext2 PartitionCreate a Casper-RW Larger than 4GB; The following tutorial will show you one way to create a writable Casper partition on your USB flash drive. The benefit of using a casper-rw partition as opposed to a casper-rw block file is that you can expand your persistent storage beyond 4GB.

Create a larger casper-rw loop file in Linux

The following tutorial explains how to create a larger casper-rw loop file (or writable file) for your Ubuntu based flash drive install. For example on: Ubuntu, Xubuntu, Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Crunchbang or Linux Mint.

Sharing Files Between Ubuntu and Windows

Sharing Files Between Ubuntu and Windows. In the following tutorial, I cover how to modify the casper script to allow you to mount your USB Flash Drive with read/write access.

Ubuntu - Remove the prompt to eject CD

How to remove the Ubuntu eject CD prompt: The following tutorial covers the process of removing the "Please remove the disk, close the tray (if any) and press ENTER to continue" prompt entirely from your USB Ubuntu installation. …

Ubuntu Installer Not Detecting Hard Drive

Ubuntu Installer not detecting hard drive: I recently experienced a problem installing Ubuntu on a particular computer. Ubuntu's Ubiquity Installer was not detecting my SATA hard drive, although a fdisk -l command found the drive just fine, and the drive also appeared in gparted.

What is Persistent Linux?

what is persistent LinuxPersistent Linux - What is it? After looking through some of the tutorials offered on Pen Drive Linux, you may be wondering what USB persistence means.

Compiz Ubuntu Beryl installation

This step-by-step tutorial explains how a user can install Compiz on Ubuntu. Compiz is a composite window manager that allows the Linux user to attain stunning, 3D desktop effects with their personal desktop environment, as can be seen in the example Ubuntu Beryl Cube effect.

How to Fix Compiz Missing Title Bar

The following explains how to fix the Compiz missing title bar problem in Ubuntu. If you've been toying around with Ubuntu and have enabled Desktop Effects "Compiz", you might notice that the title bar or window decorations have disappeared.

Ubuntu Linux Shell Commands quick reference

The following is a quick reference list of some useful Linux shell commands along with a short description of common usage. There are several more, but this basic list was created to help familiarize the newly introduced Ubuntu users.

How to change the Debian Menu Icon

The following tutorial covers the process of changing the default Debian Menu Icon to a custom Icon and in addition change the Debian Menu name. This is for those who prefer to customize things while still using a pure Debian Linux Operating environment or a remix that is based on Debian.

How to install Intel PRO ipw3945 wireless drivers

ipw wireless networksThe following tutorial covers the process of installing ipw3945 wireless drivers in Debian, Ubuntu or CentOS. Enabling you to get your Intel® PRO Wireless 3945ABG Wireless network card working in Debian or CentOS.

Install NVIDIA Video Card Drivers in Debian

The following tutorial covers the process of installing the Proprietary NVIDIA video card drivers from the Nvidia Website into your Debian Lenny Linux system. We have known a lot of people who have had some issues trying to get the NVIDIA drivers to install and work with Lenny, so we decided to write this tutorial to offer up some tips and help.

Create a Local Debian Mirror or Ubuntu Repository

Looking to set up and create a local Ubuntu mirror or Debian mirror or host your own Debian repository or Ubuntu Repository? You can use your local hard drive or a network drive and share your mirror over a network or even on the internet.

Upgrading NVIDIA Drivers in Debian Lenny

One of the drawbacks to installing NVIDIA Proprietary drivers in Linux is that when the kernel is updated, you have to reinstall (recompile) the software to match the new kernel. This tutorial explains how to upgrade Proprietary NVIDIA video card drivers after your Debian Lenny Linux system has been upgraded to a new kernel version.

How to Exit Man Page in Terminal

exit man pageHow do I exit man page from the terminal? Once you have finished viewing a Linux manual page for a program, you'll obviously want to exit or quit.

Install ATI NVIDIA Video Drivers for Ubuntu

This tutorial covers how to easily install proprietary drivers for your Nvidia or ATI video card using envy. These are the drivers that are listed in the download section of the ATI and NVIDIA Websites.

Install Nvidia or ATI drivers for Debian or Ubuntu

The following tutorial is for Debian or Ubuntu users who are looking to install proprietary drivers for their ATI or Nvidia video card. Installation of proprietary ATI or Nvidia video card drivers will allow you to take full advantage of all the 3d capabilities your Video card may have to offer.

How to Remove Old Linux Kernels

Ubuntu Desktop 20.0How to Remove Old Linux Kernels; At some point in time, almost every Linux user will have updated their kernel image. After you've used Linux with the new kernel image for a while and you're content that everything is working properly, you might want to remove the old Linux version or images that still reside on your system and appear as grub boot options.

Mouse pointer disappears after switching users

In Linux, if your mouse pointer disappears after switching users or after logging out and then back in, the problem is most likely caused by a bug with your video card driver. In most cases the mouse will still continue to work even though the mouse pointer is hidden or has disappeared completely from screen view.

Grub Error 21 after full install to USB hard drive

grub errorHelp, I'm getting a GRUB Error 21 after a Ubuntu USB Hard Drive Install. We recently received an inquiry from someone who experienced a GRUB Error 21 after attempting to install Ubuntu on an external USB hard drive.

How to find your Linux Kernel Version

Checking your Linux Kernel Version: Once your up and running with your favorite Linux distribution, you might find the need to install additional software packages or drivers. Some of these software applications or drivers can be specific to a Linux Kernel in which case you will need to find this information.

Linux Filesystem - Directory Structure in Linux

linux filesystem directory structureDirectory Structure in Linux: Once you have migrated from Windows to Linux you may notice that the filesystem is not what you are accustomed to. Of the first things a new Linux user needs to understand is the inner workings of the file system hierarchy in Linux.

Install NVIDIA Drivers Ubuntu

Install NVIDIA Drivers Ubuntu: Many Linux versions including Ubuntu do not enable proprietary video drivers by default. This means that NVIDIA 3D acceleration is not working by default.