Hardware Linux (Test 3)

In Linux, what is always the top directory?

/: The top level directory in your system. It's called the root directory, because it's the root of the system: all the rest of the directory structure emanates from it like branches from the root of a tree.

Briefly describe the process of mounting a hard drive.

1. Plan the layout of the filesystem with the new drive 2. Partition the new hard drive 3. Format the new partitions 4. Test the new space 5. Copy data from old to new partition (optional) 6. Edit /etc/fstab 7. Reboot 8. Remove old data (optional)

In the Linux filesystem, what is the significance of the forward slash (/)?

A forward slash is used to represent the root directory.

What is a Live CD?

A live CD, live DVD, or live disc is a CD or DVD containing a bootable computer operating system.

What is the sudo command?

Allow access to other commands as a different user.

Why is using the sudo command preferable to logging in and running as the Root User?

Allows easy transfer for admin rights, in a short term or long term period, by adding and removing users from groups, while not compromising the Root account.

Why does the presence of a Live CD impact the need for physical security of Windows Computers?

Because you can reset passwords with live cds, so the only way to protect against it is having physical security to prevent people getting close to the computer.

Is UNIX open source?

Before no, but now yes.

Who is Linus Torwalds?

Creator of Linux

What is a good preventative strategy to maintain the confidentiality of your computer's data even if you don't have good physical security?

Encrypt all your important information.

In Linux, how would you search for a particular file?

Enter the "find" command at the command prompt.

Discuss how you would set the boot order in your BIOS in order to boot from the CD Drive.

Go into the BIOS and set it to boot of the CD drive.

Why will booting from a Live Linux CD protect an unmounted Windows hard drive?

Live discs are read-only, which means they're quite secure, since malware can't make any changes to the core system. If you do get an infection, it disappears as soon as you reboot.

What are 'man' pages?

Man pages are reference pages for commands and programs.

Is Open Source Software free software?

No it is not.

Explain Open Source Licensing. Give two examples.

Open source licenses are licenses that comply with the Open Source Definition . They allow software to be freely used, modified, and shared. To be approved by the Open Source Initiative (also known as the OSI), a license must be go through the Open Source Initiative's license review process.

How do you exit the man pages?

Press q.

In Linux, what is the main difference between the Desktop and Server versions?

Server versions of Linux install the bare minimum number of components for the system to function. After installation you will be faced with a blinking cursor. Desktop versions of Linux come prepackaged with a GUI environment and numerous tools and applications. After installation you will be presented with an environment that looks a lot like Windows or the Mac OS.

What command would you use to get information, such as a listing of all of the partition tables, on your hard drive?

Sfdisk.

What is an ISO file?

Single files for either CDs or DVDs.

In Linux, what is 'root'?

The "root" account is the most privileged account on a Unix system.

What makes a CD or DVD bootable?

The ISO files.

In Linux, how do you list files and folders?

The Linux ls command is used to list files and folders in a directory.

How does Eli define the term 'operating system'?

The Operating system is what allows the hardware to communicate with the software.

What is an Operation System Shell?

The Shell is the interface you use to interact with the Operating System

What is the Linux Root User?

The superuser, or root, is a special user account used for system administration. Highest Level User

What is the top command? What kind of information can you obtain with it?

The top command is a system monitor tool that produces a frequently-updated list of processes. It will show memory, CPU usage, and processes.

What is a Linux distribution? Give two examples.

The various versions of Linux that people have created. RedHat and Ubuntu

What does the apt-get command enable you to do?

To get the repository you would like to install.

With a Live Linux CD, how could you quickly ascertain whether a particular computer has a hardware or a software problem?

UBCD is the Swiss Army knife of recovery discs, containing more than 100 tools for performing deep sector-by-sector analysis of a hard drive's physical surface, recovering deleted or damaged files, rebuilding file tables, examining boot-sector errors and plenty more.

In Linux, what are the wild cards that you can use when working with the filesystem?

Wildcard: * zero or more characters ? exactly one character [abcde] exactly one character listed [a-e] exactly one character in the given range [!abcde] any character that is not listed [!a-e] any character that is not in the given range {debian,linux} exactly one entire word in the options given

What is the Linux command to change directories?

cd

Describe basic Linux folder navigation.

cd(space) name of the folder you want to go to ( cd/ )will take you to the root folder

What is the command that you would use to create a directory?

mkdir command.

What is the command that you would use to rename or remove a directory?

rmdir command.

Why are Live Linux CDs useful for troubleshooting?

In case something happens you can reboot and start from square one since troubleshooting is being done off the Live CD.

What is imgburn software? What does it do?

It copies disks

How is booting from a Live Linux CD impacted by the Windows security on a hard drive?

It is not impacted because a live cd can be used to wipe a password and then reset it to a new one.

What does the sudo command enable you to do?

It prompts you for your personal password and confirms your request to execute a command by checking a file, called sudoers, which the system administrator configures. Using the sudoers file, system administrators can give certain users or groups access to some or all commands without those users having to know the root password. It also logs all commands and arguments so there are a record of who used it for what, and when.

What is Knoppix? Why is it significant?

Knoppix is an operating system based on Debian designed to be run directly from a CD / DVD (Live CD) or a USB flash drive (Live USB). Knoppix can be used to copy files easily from hard drives with inaccessible operating systems. To quickly and more safely use Linux software, the Live CD can be used instead of installing another OS.

Are the Ubuntu Installation Disk also a Live CD?

Yes

Can virtualization software read from an ISO image?

Yes

Is Linux open source?

Yes

In the Linux Shel, when you are typing commands is capitalization significant?

Yes, because Linux will identify them as different characters or commands.

In a software context, what does Open Source mean?

You are able to view the source code for free.