Here are some solutions to problems Linux users often
encounter. If you have a better solution or have a question please send your solutions,
questions, or comments to us.
Are any of these solutions obsolete? Are they clear and easy to understand?
Slackware:
edit this file:
/etc/rc.d/rc.M
Look for and change:
/bin/setterm -blank 15
(15 minutes)
to
/bin/setterm -blank 60
(60 minutes)
that's the max
or
/bin/setterm -blank 0
that turns the screen blanking off
Results will take effect next reboot.
Or you could type
/etc/rc.d/rc.M
or you could just type:
/bin/setterm -blank 15
Other Linuxes:
Does any know where start up locations are for other linuxes not
mentioned here? Screen blanking in specific. For now I'd say
just type:
/bin/setterm -blank 15
Slackware:
find this file:
/etc/rc.d/rc.font
For example change
setfont ***
to
setfont default8x16
this allows some special characters to be used
like the prompt
"-->" would be solid using alt + 175
NOTE:
file: /var/adm/setup/setup.fontconfig
can show fonts
iso08.f08 font displays 50 lines
default8x16 font displays 25 lines
Other Linuxes?
Any one have a clue?
These files:
/etc/issue
/etc/issue.net
keep reverting to "factory set" message.
To prevent that in:
RedHat:
change the content of these files:
/etc/rc.d/rc.local
Are there more files?
To run cron jobs: RedHat, SuSE, Mandrake
Go to /etc
Look at edit crontabs. Read man crontabs before editing it.
This file tells crond to run whats in dir /etc/cron.daily,
/etc/cron.weekly, etc...
This file is a schedule of cron jobs. Each line is a "job". It
tells crond to do something at that given time.
Now go to one of the dirs.
e.g., /etc/daily/
create a file like this:
##
#!/bin/sh
/myBin/backup
Slackware:
For slackware its this file:
/var/spool/cron/crontabs
More notes
Here's what those numbers you see in crontabs mean.
*/1 * * * * /etc/cron/MyScript 1> /dev/null 2> /dev/null
This would run a program every minute
This part "1> /dev/null 2> /dev/null" will redirect mail to null.
Everytime crond does something the user gets an email about it, but with
the redirect, you won't get the email. Some people find it annoying.
crontab is found at /var/spool/cron/
It prevents hdparm from spinning down hdd because cron periodically writes
to hdd. So if you have APM (Advanced Power Management) this will affect
it.
More meanings
Do it at 00 of the hour:
0 * * * * /etc/cron/myprog
Do it at 4:02 AM everyday:
02 4 * * * /etc/cron/myprog
Do it at 4:22 AM every Sunday:
22 4 * * 0 /etc/cron/myprog
Do it at 4:22 AM every Tuesday:
22 4 * * 2 /etc/cron/myprog
Do it at 6:42 AM on the 1st of every month:
42 6 1 * * /etc/cron/myprog
Do it at 6:42 AM on the 1st of June:
42 6 1 6 * /etc/cron/myprog
minutes allowed are 0-59
hours are on a 24 hour time clock 0-23
days of month allowed are 1-31
month of year allowed are 1-12
days of week allowed are 0-7
gpm -R (repeater)
will not allow X-Win to use mouse.
When you try to force it to use you will get some error telling you
/dev/mouse is in use
With gpm -R option, mouse data is repeated in
/dev/gpmdata.
Remove -R in your gpm start-up file.
To change which interface startx gives you:
slackware:
/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xinit/xinitrc@
is a symbolic link to a manager.
just change it
SuSE:
Run wmlist to show all WindowsManagers WM.
Run YaST, it will guide you through.
RedHat and Mandrake:
I think its desk*** something.
Type desk and press tab twice to get a list.
If not, it could be ch*desk*.
If you know please e-mail me.
