This is a totally random post full of linux commands that I find useful but am always forgetting. I use linux at work and also on a command-line-only VM at home. I’m always battling with it, largely because I’m a noob. Usually after a couple of hours of playing with it I have a head full of really useful commands. However the next time I run into a problem I won’t remember any of them.
To prevent that happening again, this is a brain dump of all the commands I really, really should remember.
Installing stuff
You want to install something:
1 2 | sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install #### |
Keeping things up-to-date:
1 2 | sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get upgrade |
It seems that a lot of the time aptitude is actually better at this stuff?
1 | sudo aptitude full-upgrade |
Cleaning up:
1 2 | sudo apt-get autoclean sudo apt-get clean |
(or use aptitude)
Something won’t install because you’ve not got access to it (it’s not available for your distro etc). You probably need to find a URL for a “PPA” from somewhere like http://launchpad.net (Try Googling “project-name ppa site:launchpad.net” – thanks @Keithamus) to add to:
1 | sudo vim /etc/apt/sources.list |
These usually require keys which are provided with the URL. To add the key:
1 | sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys ###key### |
There’s loads of useful information about this here: https://launchpad.net/+help/soyuz/ppa-sources-list.html
Where am I / it ?
What version of ubuntu am I on?
1 | cat /etc/issue |
Where is something installed (e.g. mysql)
1 | which mysql |
Where are the files located?
1 | locate mysql |
You probably want to pipe that into less
1 | locate mysql | less |
To find a file with a specific file name the syntax is:
1 | find PATH -name 'FILENAME' |
An example might be:
1 | find / -name 'myfile.txt' |
To find text within a file the syntax is:
1 | grep -r 'SEARCH' PATH |
An example might be
1 | grep -r 'Hello World' / |
I always forget the -r to make it recursive and wonder why it doesn’t work.
Samba
Samba broke? Go Windows stylee & restart it:
1 | sudo /etc/init.d/samba restart |
Still broke? Get a more useful error message from Windows by going into the command prompt and typing
1 | net use m: \\ip-address\service |
(Yes OK this is a Windows command not a linux one…)
Perhaps it doesn’t recognise the username/password combo:
1 | sudo smbpasswd –a username |
(and enter a new password when prompted)
Still broke? You might need to do some reconfiguring in the config file. Remember to check that everything has the access privileges it needs
1 | sudo /etc/samba/smb.conf |
Noob
Yep, I are one! Like a linux redneck. I use a dash of trial and error mixed with a pinch of brute force, but normally I win in the end :D Hope someone else finds these useful. Also, yes I pretty much sudo everything. Sudo make me a sammich and all that jazz.
See something really bad here? Please enlighten me, but be gentle!
