Neil's Open Source & Linux Blog

For administrators. The sudo command is preferable to su but often your shell account is not configured to use this command. Typical error message: [name] is not in the sudoers file. This incident will be reported You need to: Configure sudo to allow the wheel group to use sudo. Add the desired accounts to the wheel group. Here's how: Log in as the super user: su - visudo Type: i Uncomment the specified line (see below) Save and quit: [Esc] :wq Uncomment the wheel group line as follows (or paste this in, if it's not in /etc/sudoers) # Uncomment to allow people in group wheel to run all commands %wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL Then, add the accounts to the group wheel to give them sudo access. gpasswd -a [name] wheel Adding user [name] to group wheel Then, after you've added your account name, exit Try sudo . You must enter your password (not root!) once per session. You're done!

Don't know what DAG is yet, but this is good for adding more packages: (libnet is needed by nessus) Add this to bottom of /etc/yum.conf: [dag] name=Dag RPM Repository for Fedora Core baseurl=http://apt.sw.be/fedora/$releasever/en/$basearch/dag (This on the page http://dag.wieers.com/home-made/apt/FAQ.php#B) Then do the following to find the pkg. note that when i do yum install later down, it picks the latest one. :) [root@localhost etc]# yum search libnet Searching Packages: Setting up Repo: dag repomd.xml 100% |=========================| 951 B 00:00 Setting up Repo: base repomd.xml 100% |=========================| 1.1 kB 00:00 Setting up Repo: updates-released repomd.xml 100% |=========================| 951 B 00:00 Reading repository metadata in from local files primary.xml.gz 100% |=========================| 566 kB 00:01 MD Read : #################################################...

YUM is great. Here's the first time I used it to install a package needed by nessus: YUM solves dependencies and everything (see gtk install lower half). [root@localhost ~]# sh nessus-installer.sh The script needs uudecode(1) to run properly Install the package 'sharutils-*.rpm' [root@localhost ~]# yum install sharutils Setting up Install Process Setting up Repo: base repomd.xml 100% |=========================| 1.1 kB 00:00 Setting up Repo: updates-released repomd.xml 100% |=========================| 951 B 00:00 Reading repository metadata in from local files primary.xml.gz 100% |=========================| 797 kB 00:03 MD Read : ################################################## 2623/2623 base : ################################################## 2622/2622 primary.xml.gz 100% |=========================| 207 kB 00:10 MD Read : ################################################## 463/4...

Been using this for a few weeks did several installs. there was some wierdness on 3 machines... 1. Installing on a Dell Inspiron 8600, the install hung several times. I powered off and tried again and it was fine again. The system has been perfect ever since and works great. 2.) During install on a Dell Inspiron 7500, the install hung during CD1. I started over and it went fine until CD3, where there was a read error and I had to clean some stuff off the disk. Since then it was fine and the system now works great, although there is no sound. Maybe these lockups are all related to media issues. I am using a copy I burned. 3.) One machine my CD3 was bad (burner error, the whole disk was actually blank) and I left the machine sitting there for 3 days until I got a new copy. When I finally continued, the install finished but after the reboot there is some video wierdness like when I go to Applications/System Tools, the menu there is empty (I am root). I was going to reintsall, but...

I chose to install djbdns because it's small, simple, and secure. All instructions are located at: http://cr.yp.to/djbdns/install.html On our installation, I had to install gcc. I used rpmdrake. When I run rpmdrake on this machine (Gateway pc, 'dizzy', it comes up and flashes forever. finally I close the small window in front, and the packages come up and things seem to work fine. Anyway, I picked gcc and it found the dependencies and installed them. But at the command 'make', I am getting the error shown below, which I got around with the instructions below: ...stuff deleted ./compile uint32_pack.c ./compile uint32_unpack.c ./makelib byte.a byte_chr.o byte_copy.o byte_cr.o byte_diff.o byte_zero.o case_diffb.o case_diffs.o case_lowerb.o fmt_ulong.o ip4_fmt.o ip4_scan.o scan_ulong.o str_chr.o str_diff.o str_len.o str_rchr.o str_start.o uint16_pack.o uint16_unpack.o uint32_pack.o uint32_unpack.o ./load auto-str buffer.a unix.a byte.a buffer.a(buff...

No browser inststalled byu default. ftp ftp.mozilla.org log in as anonymous at ftp>, type: bin hash passive then cd into /pub/mozilla.org/firefox, get the latest with the word "installer" in it. download, unzip, and untar it. cd /home/keith/firefox-installer [root@dizzy firefox-installer]# ./firefox-installer [root@dizzy firefox-installer]# *** eeeeeeee = [Exception... "Component returned failure code: 0x80520006 (NS_ERROR_FILE_TARGET_DOES_NOT_EXIST) [nsIFile.remove]" nsresult: "0x80520006 (NS_ERROR_FILE_TARGET_DOES_NOT_EXIST)" location: "JS frame :: file:///home/keith/firefox-installer/components/nsExtensionManager.js :: ensureExtensionsFiles :: line 245" data: no] *** loading the extensions datasource *** loading the extensions datasource [root@dizzy firefox-installer]# it worked.

[root@dizzy root]# urpmi webmin unable to take medium "Commercial Applications CD 6 (x86) (cdrom8)" into account as no list file [/var/lib/urpmi/list.Commercial Applications CD 6 (x86) (cdrom8 )] exists unable to take medium "Commercial Applications CD 6 (x86) (cdrom9)" into account as no list file [/var/lib/urpmi/list.Commercial Applications CD 6 (x86) (cdrom9 )] exists unable to take medium "Installation CD 3 (x86) (cdrom4)" into account as no list file [/var/lib/urpmi/list.Installation CD 3 (x86) (cdrom4)] exists unable to take medium "Supplementary Applications CD 4 (x86) (cdrom5)" into acco unt as no list file [/var/lib/urpmi/list.Supplementary Applications CD 4 (x86) ( cdrom5)] exists unable to take medium "Supplementary Applications CD 5 (x86) (cdrom6)" into acco unt as no list file [/var/lib/urpmi/list.Supplementary Applications CD 5 (x86) ( cdrom6)] exists unable to take medium "Supplementa...

Email & Webmin Install Computer: Shuttlex OS: Mandrake Linux 10.0 Official Power Pack Friday 16 July 2004 Installation Log Open terminal, su to root Install postfix: urpmi postfix Install webmin: urpmi webmin Install apache:  urpmi apache Update packages: urpmi --update --auto-select Start webmin, postfix daemons Test webmin in browser: https://localhost:10000/ Postfix Install [root@shuttlex root]# urpmi postfix To satisfy dependencies, the following packages are going to be installed (3 MB): libpostfix1-2.1.0-0.20040209.18mdk.i586 postfix-2.1.0-0.20040209.18mdk.i586 Is this OK? (Y/n) Y Please insert the medium named "Installation CD 1 (x86) " on device [/dev/hdb] Press Enter when ready... installing /mnt/cdrom/Mandrake/RPMS/postfix-2.1.0-0.20040209.18mdk.i586.rpm /mnt/cdrom/Mandrake/RPMS/libpostfix1-2.1.0-0.20040209.18mdk.i586.rpm Preparing...              ...

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Execute these commands to use the graphical front end for urpmi management, rpmdrake. Browse Available Software: /usr/sbin/rpmdrake Install Software: /usr/sbin/rpmdrake --root Mandrake Update: /usr/sbin/MandrakeUpdate Remove Software: /usr/sbin/rpmdrake-remove --root Software Media Manager: /usr/sbin/edit-urpm-media

URPMI and RPM Tutorial Urpmi Mini-mini-howto

KWS notes qmail discussion thread: http://archives.mandrakelinux.com/qmail/2004-05/ Read the thread "[qmail] New qmail mailing list" Some believe qmail is secure but hasn't been updated with new features. What new features it has are done by contributors, not by the author and not certified by him. Some are going to Exim since it has the latest features, although it has had some minor security issues in the recent past. I installed qmail. Last supported package is for Mandrake 9.2 but they say it works in 10.0. I still need to install a patch but haven't figured out how just yet. (Do I need to install qmail-local? qmailctl command is not found...) Configured files under /var/qmail/alias and /var/qmail/control as per byrd, mostly. Copied /etc/aliases file from byrd. After changing config files you have to type: qmailctl cdb - reread config files qmailctl reload - sends HUP signal to program newaliases - read new aliases file This is the Mandra...

Linux Server Configuration Computer: Dizzy July 12, 2004 Keith and I spoke on the phone and review the server configuration Email Qmail - (MTA) keith installed from package via the command line. Keith will install cyrus to complete the email server basic. Other Installations SquirrelMail SpamAssassin DNS - Keith has worked with BIND, but suggests DJBDNS Next Steps Draft schedule - Neil Research Cyrus - Neil Research DJBDNS -Keith Install & Configure DNS - Keith Send /etc/ archive to Neil - Keith Hardening Checklist Finish package installation Configure ssh Configure & test firewall Install tripwire & configure Update all software Install & configure bastille Hardware We discussed an error message related to on of the volumes (hda1?) not mounting as ext3, but ext2. I recalled the installation errors I encountered, but I think the evidence points to prob...

Dizzy Install Log 10:01 PM 6/28/2004 =========== Boot from CD 1. Accept defaults ... loads X installer. Language: English (American) License: Accept Install Security Level: Higher Security Administrator: root Paritions: Use existing hda: 12 GB hda1: 5.8 GB ext3 / hda5: 494 MB swap hda6: 6.3 GB ext3 /var hdb: 37 GB hdb1: 37 GB ext3 /home Format hda1 only (But other partitions are checked) Package Group Selection Workstation ----------- Internet Station Network Computer (client) Configuration Console Tools Server ------ Web/FTP Mail Database Firewall/Router Network Computer server Graphical Environment --------------------- Other Graphical Desktops Total Size: 735/5279 MB Really install servers? Yes Install commences. Requests discs 2 & 3 (2 times for disk 3!). Installation is successful. set root password: Creat new users: For admin users, I enabled: ctools, rpm, xgrp, ntools, adm, wheel...

Dizzy Install Log Mandrake 10.0 Download 9:58 PM 6/28/2004 =========== Because Dizzy uses shared video RAM, specifically 1 MB of 256, do I need to tell the bootloader? Like this: Boot from CD 1. F1 boot: linux mem=255M Kernel Panic: VFS: unable to mount root fs on ram3 Cancel & reboot. That didn't work...let's just try the defaults, next.

Dizzy Install log 9:52 PM 6/28/2004 I need to be sure I use the right ISO CD sets! The set I'm using is now the Mandrake 10.0 Official Download (4 discs). Memory Test ----------- Prior to starting the installation, I ran a memory test to ensure the hardware was still behaving properly. I ran MemTest86. Results: Pentium III 730 Mhz L1 Cache 32K L2 Cache 256K Memory: 255 MB Chipset i810e Note 1 MB of 256 is reserved for video RAM All tests passed after I ran the tests for approximately 5 hrs. Reboot w/ Mandrake 10.0 Official Download 1 of 4 Differences between the free Download version and the PowerPack Video drivers (e.g. ATI) Modem drivers

Command Line Email in Linux http://tldp.org/LDP/linuxcookbook/html/cookbook_38.html

Summer Fun The big news is Parker (as in Charlie), the new RH9 web server. Right after that, I moved to a new apartment. I had to shut down the home network and I haven't restored it yet. I've really moved over the hp ze4145 laptop, Zephyr, with Win XP Home. I'm running Cygwin on that to talk to the remote boxes using ssh from the command line. I found Jon Udell's blog, Jon's Radio . I lost trck of him after Byte wemt pay-per-view. He's a mad blogger, with UserLand's Radio. I think that let's him post pics to his blog. That's a key feature. I don't think Blogger supports that. Turns out Jon is a Christopher Lydon fan, too.

Installation News It turns out that the Gateway had a bad RAM chip, and when I swapped it out, the install went fine. I ended up installing Red Hat 9 on that box, with the intention to use it as a server of some sort. I have the exact same model at home, with, I think, a ATI Rage 128 video card. I also installed RH9 on that box and set it up as an NFS/Samba file server. That's working quite well; I really like the RH9 administration tools. Setting up Samba in particular was a breeze using the new RH9 tool, compared to editing the config files or even using the SWAT tools. I've updated all of the Linux boxes at work to RH9, and upgraded the old Compaq Presario 1200 laptop to RH9 as well. That disabled the Linksys wireless network card, but I was able to restore it easily with the new Linux Red Hat 9 RPMs for the wlan pcmcia card , from the linux-wlan-ng 0.2.0 RPMS site.

About this Blog I've been using Linux for a few years now, and administering both Linux and Windows servers. My company, Cadent Technologies Corp. , hosts some of our client's sites on Window 2000 using IIS 5.0 and SQL Server 7.0. I've been working with IIS since it came out, and Cadent has also specialized in ASP development. I've wanted to switch the company from Windows to Linux for some time. We are now using Linux as our file server, and I've started to migrate our clients and current projects to PHP. Once we move our web sites to PHP (on Windows), we can then move the sites to PHP on Linux, and then move the databases from SQL Server 7.0 to MySQL or Postgres. I realized it would take some time, so I started by using open source software on Windows, so I could run the same apps on Linux. I'm using the Mozilla Composer to create this blog. Composer tip: use Format >  Paragraph > Paragraph to insert <p> tags, not <br>...