Linux Annoyances for Geeks: Getting the Most Flexible System in the World Just the Way You Want It

Preface

1. Configuring a Desktop Environment

     I Want the Advantages of Both KDE and GNOME

     I Need a Custom Login Menu

     I Can't Configure a Standard Background

     I'd Like Desktop Icons for My Applications

     The Desktop Is Too Big for My Monitor

     My Mouse Doesn't Do What I Want

     My Users Mess Up Their Desktops

     My CD/DVD Is Locked

     I Can't Get to the GUI

     User Downloads Are Overloading Workstations

     I Need to Manage Sound Events

2. Configuring User Workstations

     I'm Afraid of Losing Data

     My Boss Insists on Real-Time Backups

     I Lost Data When I Removed My Floppy/Memory Stick

     That Command Doesn't Write to My DVD

     I Don't Remember Where That File Is

     I Need to Search Within a Bunch of Files

     I Can't Copy from the Command Line

     How Do I Deal with Spaces and Odd Characters in Filenames?

     Users Are Complaining There's No ZIP

3. Optimizing Internet Applications

     Firefox Isn't Working as It Should

     I'm Drowning in Good Email

     I'm Having Trouble Converting from Outlook

     I'm Having Trouble Chatting on AIM, Yahoo!, or MSN

     I Need a Simple Web Browser

     I Keep Having to Start an FTP Download from Scratch

     I Need to Connect via Modem (GUI Tools)

4. Setting Up Local Applications

     So Many Options for Applications

     Microsoft Word Documents Don't Work on Linux

     I Need My Microsoft Office

     I Can't Read PDFs or PostScript Documents

     I Want My Quicken

     I Need a Screenshot

     Making GUI File Managers Work for You

     I Need a Movie Viewer

5. Installation Annoyances

     Linux Won't Work with All My Hardware

     I'm Having Trouble with Microsoft-Dependent Hardware

     Making That Laptop Sing with Linux

     My Wireless Card Works on Another Operating System, but Not Linux

     So Many Distributions, So Little Time

     Downloading New Distributions Takes Too Long

     Too Many Computers on Which to Install Linux

     I Need Help and Am Afraid of Asking Online

6. Basic Start Configuration

     It Takes Too Long to Boot

     Rooting Out the Bootloader

     Dual Boots Can Be Troublesome

     Dual-Boot Recovery

     My Computer Won't Stop Rebooting

     User Passwords Are Too Weak

     I Lost the Root Password

     My Server Is So Secure I Can't Log In as Root

     There Are Too Many Ways to Log In

     The Boss Told Me to Secure the Server Without Locking the Room

7. Kernel Itches and Other Configuration Annoyances

     The Kernel Needs an Upgrade

     Recompiling the Kernel

     I Can't Boot Because of a Kernel Panic

     I Can't Boot Because of Some "File Not Found" Error

     I Need to Add a Custom Kernel Module

     My Files Are on That Other Computer

     Regular Users Can't Mount the CD/DVD Drive

     I'm Having Trouble Connecting to an Existing Network

     I Need to Work with Microsoft-Formatted Partitions

8. System Maintenance

     I Can't Boot Because the Partition Is Corrupt

     My Hard Drive Is Failing and I Need a Backup-Fast

     A Windows User Reinstalled Windows on a Dual-Boot System

     My /home Directory Is Too Small

     My Hard Drive Is Too Slow

     Find the Right Update Repository

     Avoid Dependency Hell with yum

     Avoid Dependency Hell with apt

     I Need Those Microsoft Applications on Linux

     Keeping Up with Security

     My Firewall Blocks My Internet Access

9. Servicing Servers

     Too Many Options for Services

     Users Need to Download Files

     Users Are Still Demanding Telnet

     I Can't Send out Email Because the ISP's Server Is Down

     I Need Multiple Web Sites but Have Only One IP Address

     I Can't Remember Which Printer to Use

     BIND Is Too Complex for My Growing Network

     The Windows Computers on My Network Don't Show Up

10. User Management

     The Boss Wants to Set Up a Special Group of Users

     There Are Too Many Users Accessing the Internet from the Office

     Some User Is Taking Too Much Disk Space

     Too Many Tasks, Too Few Qualified Administrators

     Former Employees Keep Accessing the Server

     Securing by User

11. Administration Tips

     Too Many Computers to Update over the Internet

     My Favorite Service Is Not Included with My Distribution

     Configuring a Linux Gateway

     My Other Computer Has No Monitor

     I Need to Run an X Application Remotely

     So Many Server Logs

     The Logs Are Overloading My Hard Drive

     Administration Is So Repetitive

     I Don't Want to Work Late to Do That Special Job

Index