Linux Annoyances for Geeks

by Jang, Michael

• ISBN13: 9780596008017
• ISBN10: 0596008015
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-04-30
• Publisher: Oreilly & Associates Inc

Summary

Yes, Linux has many annoying traits, despite all the hype to the contrary. You'll find out quickly when you're asked to standardise the organisation's Linux desktops or install a boot password on a server. With this book, you won't be caught unprepared. Many of the solutions in Linux Annoyances for Geeks come from author Michael Jang's decades of experience in system administration and consulting, while others are gleaned from common issues and answers found in online forums and power user web sites. With plenty of material for any Linux user, this book is an essential troubleshooting guide for both desktops and servers.

Author Biography

Michael Jang, RHCE, Linux+, LCP, specializes in books on Linux and Linux certification. His experience with computers goes back to the days of jumbled punch cards. He's written or contributed to more than a dozen books on Linux, Linux certification, and Red Hat Linux, including "RHCE Red Hat Certified Engineer Linux" (McGraw-Hill), and "Mastering Red Hat Linux 9" (Sybex).

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Configuring a Desktop Environment	1	(56)
I Want the Advantages of Both KDE and GNOME	1	(7)
I Need a Custom Login Menu	8	(8)
I Can't Configure a Standard Background	16	(4)
I'd Like Desktop Icons for My Applications	20	(4)
The Desktop Is Too Big for My Monitor	24	(6)
My Mouse Doesn't Do What I Want	30	(5)
My Users Mess Up Their Desktops	35	(4)
My CD/DVD Is Locked	39	(6)
I Can't Get to the GUI	45	(4)
User Downloads Are Overloading Workstations	49	(4)
I Need to Manage Sound Events	53	(4)
Configuring User Workstations	57	(44)
I'm Afraid of Losing Data	57	(5)
My Boss Insists on Real-Time Backups	62	(4)
I Lost Data When I Removed My Floppy/Memory Stick	66	(5)
That Command Doesn't Write to My DVD	71	(6)
I Don't Remember Where That File Is	77	(7)
I Need to Search Within a Bunch of Files	84	(4)
I Can't Copy from the Command Line	88	(6)
How Do I Deal with Spaces and Odd Characters in Filenames?	94	(2)
Users Are Complaining There's No ZIP	96	(5)
Optimizing Internet Applications	101	(35)
Firefox Isn't Working as It Should	101	(11)
I'm Drowning in Good Email	112	(6)
I'm Having Trouble Converting from Outlook	118	(1)
I'm Having Trouble Chatting on AIM, Yahoo!, or MSN	119	(5)
I Need a Simple Web Browser	124	(2)
I Keep Having to Start an FTP Download from Scratch	126	(4)
I Need to Connect via Modem (GUI Tools)	130	(6)
Setting Up Local Applications	136	(38)
So Many Options for Applications	136	(5)
Microsoft Word Documents Don't Work on Linux	141	(6)
I Need My Microsoft Office	147	(4)
I Can't Read PDFs or PostScript Documents	151	(2)
I Want My Quicken	153	(4)
I Need a Screenshot	157	(5)
Making GUI File Managers Work for You	162	(5)
I Need a Movie Viewer	167	(7)
Installation Annoyances	174	(39)
Linux Won't Work with All My Hardware	175	(4)
I'm Having Trouble with Microsoft-Dependent Hardware	179	(5)
Making That Laptop Sing with Linux	184	(6)
My Wireless Card Works on Another Operating System, but Not Linux	190	(5)
So Many Distributions, So Little Time	195	(3)
Downloading New Distributions Takes Too Long	198	(3)
Too Many Computers on Which to Install Linux	201	(5)
I Need Help and Am Afraid of Asking Online	206	(7)
Basic Start Configuration	213	(43)
It Takes Too Long to Boot	213	(6)
Rooting Out the Bootloader	219	(6)
Dual Boots Can Be Troublesom	225	(4)
Dual-Boot Recovery	229	(6)
My Computer Won't Stop Rebooting	235	(1)
User Passwords Are Too Weak	236	(4)
I Lost the Root Password	240	(3)
My Server Is So Secure I Can't Log In as Root	243	(6)
There Are Too Many Ways to Log In	249	(5)
The Boss Told Me to Secure the Server Without Locking the Room	254	(2)
Kernel Itches and Other Configuration Annoyances	256	(42)
The Kernel Needs an Upgrade	256	(6)
Recompiling the Kernel	262	(6)
I Can't Boot Because of a Kernel Panic	268	(3)
I Can't Boot Because of Some ``File Not Found'' Error	271	(3)
I Need to Add a Custom Kernel Module	274	(4)
My Files Are on That Other Computer	278	(4)
Regular Users Can't Mount the CD/DVD Drive	282	(2)
I'm Having Trouble Connecting to an Existing Network	284	(10)
I Need to Work with Microsoft-Formatted Partitions	294	(4)
System Maintenance	298	(48)
I Can't Boot Because the Partition Is Corrupt	298	(4)
My Hard Drive Is Failing and I Need a Backup---Fast	302	(5)
A Windows User Reinstalled Windows on a Dual-Boot System	307	(3)
My /home Directory Is Too Small	310	(3)
My Hard Drive Is Too Slow	313	(4)
Find the Right Update Repository	317	(8)
Avoid Dependency Hell with yum	325	(5)
Avoid Dependency Hell with apt	330	(3)
I Need Those Microsoft Applications on Linux	333	(5)
Keeping Up with Security	338	(2)
My Firewall Blocks My Internet Access	340	(6)
Servicing Servers	346	(46)
Too Many Options for Services	346	(4)
Users Need to Download Files	350	(4)
Users Are Still Demanding Telnet	354	(6)
I Can't Send out Email Because the ISP's Server Is Down	360	(6)
I Need Multiple Web Sites but Have Only One IP Address	366	(8)
I Can't Remember Which Printer to Use	374	(6)
BIND Is Too Complex for My Growing Network	380	(5)
The Windows Computers on My Network Don't Show Up	385	(7)
User Management	392	(35)
The Boss Wants to Set Up a Special Group of Users	392	(6)
There Are Too Many Users Accessing the Internet from the Office	398	(5)
Some User Is Taking Too Much Disk Space	403	(7)
Too Many Tasks, Too Few Qualified Administrators	410	(7)
Former Employees Keep Accessing the Server	417	(5)
Securing by User	422	(5)
Administration Tips	427	(44)
Too Many Computers to Update over the Internet	427	(12)
My Favorite Service Is Not Included with My Distribution	439	(5)
Configuring a Linux Gateway	444	(3)
My Other Computer Has No Monitor	447	(5)
I Need to Run an X Application Remotely	452	(3)
So Many Server Logs	455	(5)
The Logs Are Overloading My Hard Drive	460	(3)
Administration Is So Repetitive	463	(3)
I Don't Want to Work Late to Do That Special Job	466	(5)
Index	471