Linux Cookbook

This handy cookbook teaches new-to-intermediate Linux users the essential skills necessary to manage a Linux system, using both graphical and command-line tools. Whether you run Linux in embedded, desktop, server, or cloud or virtual environments, the fundamental skills are the same. This book aims to get you up and running quickly, with copy-paste examples.

Carla Schroder provides recipes that cover specific problems, with discussions that explain how each recipe works, as well as references for additional study.

You’ll learn how to:

• •  Use systemd, the new comprehensive service manager
• •  Build simple or complex firewalls with firewalld
• •  Set up secure network connections for Linux systems and mobile devices
• •  Rescue nonbooting systems
• •  Reset lost passwords on Linux and Windows
• •  Use dnsmasq to simplify managing your LAN name services
• •  Manage users and groups and control access to files
• •  Probe your computer hardware and monitor hardware health
• •  Manage the GRUB bootloader and multiboot Linux and Windows
• •  Keep accurate time across your network with the newest tools
• •  Build an internet router/firewall on Raspberry Pi
• •  Manage filesystems and partitioning

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Installing Linux

Chapter 2. Managing the GRUB Bootloader

Chapter 3. Starting, Stopping, Restarting, and

Putting Linux into Sleep Modes

Chapter 4. Managing Services with systemd

Chapter 5. Managing Users and Groups

Chapter 6. Managing Files and Directories

Chapter 7. Backup and Recovery with rsync and cp

Chapter 8. Managing Disk Partitioning with parted

Chapter 9. Managing Partitions and Filesystems with GParted

Chapter 10. Getting Detailed Information About

Your Computer Hardware

Chapter 11. Creating and Managing Filesystems

Chapter 12. Secure Remote Access with OpenSSH

Chapter 13. Secure Remote Access with OpenVPN

Chapter 14. Building a Linux Firewall with firewalld

Chapter 15. Printing on Linux

Chapter 16. Managing Local Name Services with Dnsmasq and the hosts File

Chapter 17. Keeping Time with ntpd, chrony, and timesyncd

Chapter 18. Building an Internet Firewall/Router on Raspberry Pi

Chapter 19. System Rescue and Recovery with SystemRescue

Chapter 20. Troubleshooting a Linux PC

Chapter 21. Troubleshooting Networks

Appendix A. Software Management Cheatsheets

About the Author

Carla Schroder is a serial career changer who first laid hands on a PC in the mid-1990s and was instantly hooked. Since then she has worked as a system and network administrator running mixed Linux/Microsoft/Apple networks, tech journalist, and technical writer. Carla has written over 1000 Linux how-tos for various publications, and currently writes and maintains the product manuals for a Linux enterprise software company. She is the author of the Linux Cookbook, Linux Networking Cookbook, and The Book of Audacity. Her fans love her skill at translating nerd to end user, and answering all those “How do I do this?” questions.