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.
Change Ownership of File in Linux using Chown
Easily Change Ownership of File or Directory in Linux. Changing file or directory ownership in Linux is a common administrative task. Whether you're managing a server, developing software, or organizing personal files, understanding how to use the chown command effectively is essential. This guide will walk you through the process, explain its syntax, and provide practical examples.
How to Find a File in Linux from the Terminal
Learning how to find a file in Linux from the terminal can save time, reduce frustration, and significantly improve your productivity. Whether you're hunting for misplaced files, organizing a complex directory structure, or managing storage space, the find command in Linux is a powerful and versatile tool you need to master.
How to Untar, Unzip, or Extract Tar.gz Files in Linux
Learn how to untar, unzip, and extract tar files or tar.gz archives in Linux. In Linux and Unix-based systems, files are often compressed using formats like .tar, .tar.gz, or .tgz. These methods are widely used for packaging software and other downloadable content. Mastering how to create a tarball, view the contents of a tar archive, append to a tar file, and extract or untar files is essential for efficiently managing and using these archives.
How to Install and Use LZMA Compression on Linux
LZMA compression (Lempel-Ziv-Markov chain algorithm) is a high-performance data compression algorithm known for its high compression ratio. It is widely used in various applications where space efficiency is critical, such as software distribution, embedded systems, and large datasets. This tutorial will guide you through installing and using LZMA on Linux. We'll cover everything from installation to basic and advanced commands, including how to compress and decompress files using this powerful tool on popular Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Fedora, and Arch Linux.
How to Create a Bootable USB from ISO using DD
How to manually create a bootable USB from ISO Files Using the Linux dd Command. You can use dd to write ISO to USB from within Linux or any Unix based system. The dd command is powerful and can be used for copying data bit by bit from a source to a destination, in essence making an exact copy of the source at the destination.
CHMOD Command | Change File Permissions in Linux
The 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. The term CHMOD stands for CHange MODe, representing a fundamental skill for maintaining a secure and efficient system.
How to Install WINE on Ubuntu: Run Windows Apps
How to Install WINE on Ubuntu and Run Windows Apps on Linux. Have you ever needed to run a Windows program on your Linux machine? WINE is a powerful compatibility layer that enables Linux users to seamlessly run Windows executable (.exe) files. By bridging the gap between Windows and Linux, WINE makes it possible to use essential Windows software, tools, and even some games directly from your Linux desktop.
Rename File in Terminal from Linux
Rename File in Terminal using Linux: Renaming files in Linux using the terminal might not be immediately obvious, but it's quite simple with the mv (move) command. This powerful command allows you to rename files, rename directories, and move files to different locations.
Whether you need to rename a single file, batch rename multiple files, or automate file renaming using scripts, this guide will show you the best ways to do it.
Accessing Linux Files from Windows
Accessing Linux Files from Windows (Linux to Windows File Sharing): How do I read Linux files from Windows or access files from Linux on Windows? The following section covers several methods that can be used to share files from Linux to Windows. This guide will help you access ext3 or ext2 partition data on Windows using tools and techniques tailored for seamless integration between the two operating systems.
How to Check Linux Version and Kernel Information
How 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. Whether you're using Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, Fedora, or any other Linux distribution, these methods will help you identify your OS version quickly. Keep reading to learn how to check your Linux version with commands like lsb_release, cat, and others. Plus, we’ll also cover how to find your kernel version and other useful details.
How to Find and Kill Processes on Linux
It 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. At which point you'll want to locate the process and stop or terminate it. Other use case examples might be to free up system resources for other tasks or to put a halt to security threats.
Using and Linux Command to Chain Commands
And 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 or Wheel Group
Adding a user to the sudoers file or group is an essential step for granting administrative (root) privileges on a Linux system. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to safely give a user sudo access using the visudo
command, the recommended way to manage sudo permissions. Whether you're using Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch, or another distribution, we’ve got you covered with instructions tailored for each one.
Updating Linux: Ubuntu, Fedora, CentOS, Arch
Updating 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.
Open Files as Root via Right Mouse Click
How 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. It is a great solution for those that are not completely comfortable using terminal commands.
Create Your Own Live Linux Distro
Easily 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. Many popular Linux distributions such as Knoppix, Ubuntu and DSL were originally based upon Debian.
How to Resize casper-rw Partition Images
How to Resize Casper-RW Partition Images. TopoResize is a free image resizing tool originally written by Chris Semler. Initially created to resize images containing an ext2 or ext3 file system within Windows (such as those found in Colinux), it can also be used to create a new filesystem image as well as shrink or enlarge existing persistent overlay images.
Make a Casper Persistent File from Windows
Use 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.
How to Install GRUB2 on USB from Windows
Install Grub2 on USB from Windows: Need a reliable way to create a USB stick that boots from both BIOS and UEFI? In this guide we will show you how to install the Grub2 bootloader onto a USB flash drive directly from Windows. Using the grub-install.exe utility, you'll prepare a highly compatible bootable USB device.
Mount exFAT USB from Linux
Mount exFAT USB from Linux. How to access and use an exFAT formatted USB Flash Drive from within Linux. Most newer Linux distributions already ship with exFAT FAT64 filesystem support via the FUSE library and related utilities. However, many older Ubuntu based distributions did not. The following solution covers the simple process of enabling exFAT detection from older Ubuntu based distributions.
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 USB flash drive install. For example, on: Ubuntu, Xubuntu, Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Crunchbang, or Linux Mint. A larger casper-rw loop file is particularly useful for those who have performed a Linux install to a large thumb drive using a Windows USB tutorial and need more persistent storage space for saving changes. The default casper-rw loop file we used in the Windows USB installation tutorials is only 1GB.
Sharing Files Between Ubuntu and Windows on Bootable USB
Sharing Files Between Ubuntu and Windows. Want to share files between Linux and Windows using a bootable USB drive? By default, Ubuntu’s casper
script mounts the USB drive in read only mode for non root users. This prevents saving files to the USB while running Ubuntu live from a flash drive, whereas we want to be able to access USB from Windows and Linux.
Ubuntu: Bypass or Remove the prompt to eject CD
Prompt to eject CD: How to Bypass or Remove the "Please Remove the Disk and Press Enter" Prompt in Ubuntu. If you're booting Ubuntu from a USB drive and tired of seeing the "Please remove the disk, close the tray (if any) and press ENTER to continue" message every time you shut down or restart, you're not alone. This tutorial will walk you through how to remove the eject CD prompt in Ubuntu entirely. It's especially useful for users running Ubuntu from a bootable USB drive, as there's no CD to eject in that case.
Ubuntu Installer Not Detecting Hard Drive
Ubuntu Installer Not Detecting Hard Drive: I recently encountered an issue when trying to install Ubuntu on a particular system. The Ubuntu Ubiquity Installer wasn’t detecting my SATA hard drive, even though the drive showed up perfectly in fdisk -l and appeared in GParted. The underlying cause turned out to be residual RAID metadata on the drive, which led the installer to incorrectly treat it as unsupported. If you’re facing similar Ubuntu installation issues with SATA hard drives, keep reading to find a solution.
What is Persistent Linux?
Persistent Linux - What is it? After looking through some of the tutorials offered on Pen Drive Linux, you may be wondering what USB persistence means. So in the following segment, I will cover my understanding of persistence in relation to Linux, data storage and recovery on USB flash drives. In addition, I will try to explain some of the limitations of using a USB persistent overlay partition, image or other persistence file data storage structure.
Mount NTFS Partition in Linux: Access Windows Files
How to Mount NTFS Partition in Linux to Access Windows Files. In this guide, I'll show you how to easily mount and access a Windows NTFS partition from a running Linux environment. Whether you need to repair a Windows system, recover files, or just share and access data in a dual-boot setup, knowing how to work with NTFS partitions on Linux can be invaluable.
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.
Ubuntu toram - Make Ubuntu Boot to Ram
How to Boot Ubuntu toRAM – Updated for Modern Versions: In this tutorial, we explain how to boot Ubuntu entirely from system memory using the toram
boot parameter. This allows you to copy the entire Ubuntu live environment to RAM, and once it's loaded, you can remove the USB device and continue working entirely from system memory.
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. This is a fairly common problem amongst systems using ATI or Nvidia video cards and commonly occurs after switching to a higher resolution.
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. Those who might be migrating from a Windows operating environment.
How to change the Debian Menu Icon and Name
Change the Debian Menu Icon and Name: This tutorial covers the process of changing the default Debian Menu Icon to a custom icon and optionally changing the Debian Menu name. This guide is for users who enjoy customizing their environment while using a pure Debian Linux setup or a remix based on Debian.
How to install Intel PRO ipw3945 wireless drivers
The 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. The Intel® PRO Wireless 3945ABG network cards are older cards that were commonly used in various laptops ranging from HP to Dell.
How to install and enable Compiz in Debian
Installing Compiz in Debian is a relatively simple process. It can be used to enhance the visual experience and usability of the Linux desktop environment. Probably one of the most popular effects is to create a Desktop Cube to navigate multiple screens or virtual desktops in a 3D space like shown in the Pendrivelinux homepage picture.
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. This tutorial should have you up and running video hardware accelerated in just a few minutes.
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. Having your own Debian Linux or Ubuntu mirrors enables you to drastically speed up the process of installing packages or complete netbuilds on one or more networked Linux PCs.
Upgrade NVIDIA Drivers in Debian After Kernel Update
Upgrade or Reinstall NVIDIA Drivers in Debian After Kernel Update: After a recent kernel update in Debian, you might find that your system no longer boots into the graphical interface. This is a common issue when using proprietary NVIDIA drivers, as they’re tightly linked to the Linux kernel. When your boot screen hangs or you're stuck in a terminal only interface, it likely means you need to reinstall or recompile your NVIDIA drivers to match the updated kernel.
Install Deb Packages with Dependencies
How to Install deb Packages on Ubuntu or Debian Linux. Using Ubuntu or Debian and need to install a .deb file manually? While many applications can be installed directly from the repositories using tools like apt, aptitude, or Synaptic, you may occasionally download standalone .deb packages from developer websites or third party sources.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to manually install Debian packages (.deb
files), handle dependencies, uninstall installed packages, and search for them using the terminal. This process works for both Debian and Ubuntu-based Linux systems.
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. Advantage to installing these drivers over the nvidia-glx or xorg-driver-fglrx are that you get a nice GUI control panel and advanced features to work with.
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. In this tutorial, we will be using a script called "envy" created by Alberto Milone.
How to Remove Old Linux Kernels
How 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.
How to Upgrade Debian Versions
How to Upgrade Debian Versions (Step-by-Step Guide): Looking to upgrade your Debian Linux system to the latest stable release? You’re not alone! One of our subscribers recently asked, "How can I upgrade to a newer Debian version without reinstalling the OS?" The good news is, if you're using a full local installation of Debian (on a desktop or server), upgrading to a newer release is easier than you might think.
Mouse pointer disappears after switching users
Fix a Missing Mouse Pointer in Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, and Others): Has your mouse pointer disappeared in Linux after logging in, switching users, or waking from suspend? If you’re still able to move the mouse but just can’t see the cursor on screen, the issue likely lies with your video card driver, especially if you’re using the nv
NVIDIA driver.
Linux VGA Modes Set Screen Resolution at Boot
A straightforward way to set your Linux VGA modes, GRUB screen resolution, and color depth for most Live Linux distributions is by using the vga=
parameter boot option. For instance, at boot, you might type: vga=795
. This command sets your Linux system to boot with a screen resolution of 1280x1024 at 24-bit color depth. Follow along as we explore the options of enabling you to Linux boot in graphics mode including GRUB gfxmode settings.
How to find your Linux Kernel Version
How to Check Your Linux Kernel Version: Wondering which Linux kernel version your system is running? Whether you're troubleshooting, installing new drivers, or verifying compatibility with a software package, knowing your exact kernel version can be crucial. Luckily, Linux provides multiple easy ways to find this information directly from the terminal.
Linux Filesystem Hierarchy: Directory Structure
Linux Filesystem Hierarchy: Knowing the Directory 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. Knowing this early on will help you to become oriented with and hopefully confident in navigating and using this directory structure.
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.