Unit 2

Unit 2

Linux Usage Basics

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Objectives

Objectives
Upon completion of this unit, you should be able to:

Log into a Red Hat Enterprise Linux system Start X from a console Access the command line from X Change your password Understand the nature of root privileges Elevate your privileges Edit plain text files
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Logging in to a Linux System

Logging in to a Linux System

Two types of login screens: virtual consoles (text-based) and graphical logins (called display managers) Login using login name and password Each user has a home directory for personal file storage

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Switching between virtual consoles and the graphical environment

Switching between virtual consoles and the graphical environment

A typical Linux system will run six virtual consoles and one graphical console
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Server systems often have only virtual consoles Desktops and workstations typically have both

Switch among virtual consoles by typing: Ctrl-Alt-F[1-6] Access the graphical console by typing CtrlAlt-F7

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Elements of the X Window System

Elements of the X Window System

The X Window System is Linux's graphical subsystem Xorg is the particular version of the X Window System used by Red Hat

Open source implementation of X

Look and behavior largely controlled by the desktop environment Two desktop environments provided by Red Hat:

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GNOME: the default desktop environment KDE: an alternate desktop environment

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Starting the X server

Starting the X server

On some systems, the X server starts automatically at boot time Otherwise, if systems come up in virtual consoles, users must start the X server manually

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The X server must be pre-configured by the system administrator Log into a virtual console and run startx The X server appears on Ctrl-Alt-F7
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Changing Your Password

Changing Your Password

Passwords control access to the system

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Change the password the first time you log in Change it regularly thereafter Select a password that is hard to guess

To change your password using GNOME, navigate to System->Preferences->About Me and then click Password. To change your password from a terminal: passwd

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The root user

The root

user

The root user: a special administrative account

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Also called the superuser root has near complete control over the system

...and a nearly unlimited capacity to damage it!

Do not login as root unless necessary

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Normal (unprivileged potential to do damage is more limited

) users'

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Changing Identities

Changing Identities

su - creates new shell as root sudo command runs command as root

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Requires prior configuration by a systemadministrator

id shows information on the current user

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Editing text files

Editing text files

The nano editor

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Easy to learn, easy to use Not as feature-packed as some advanced editors gedit, a simple graphical editor vim, an advanced, full feature editor gvim, a graphical version of the vim editor

Other editors:
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End of Unit 2

End of Unit 2

Questions and Answers Summary

r r r r r r

Login name and password startx gnome-terminal passwd su nano

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