TrainSignal Training » Roman Rafacz

Linux File Permissions

Roman Rafacz — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:56:19 +0000

What we’ll cover in this article is how to identify permissions for files & directories and how to change them, as well as changing ownerships, groups, etc. Depending on what you want to do, you’ll want to make sure you have the appropriate permissions (obviously), so let’s find out how to change them.

Let’s start by making a file we can use.

I issued the “touch” command to make a file creatively named testfile.

Touch will just create an empty file but has all the same attributes as an actual file. You can see this by using “ls –l.”

Commands:: touch test file; mkdir workfolder

The permisions are broken into 4 sections.

chmod – adds and removes permissions

If you wanted to add or remove permissions to the user, use the command “chmod” with a “+” or “–“, along with the r (read), w (write), x (execute) attribute followed by the name of the directory or file.

chmod +rwx “name of the file”

chmod –rwx “name of the directory”

chmod +x testfile – this would allow me to execute

chmod –wx testfile – this would take out write and executable permissions

You’ll notice that this only changes the permissions for the owner of the file, in this case roman.

Changing Permissions for the Group Owners & Others

The command is similar to what we did before, but this time you add a “g” for group or “o” for users.

chmod g+w testfile

chmod g-wx testfile

chmod o+w testfile

chmod o-rwx workfolder

Lastly you can change it for everyone: “u” for users, “g” for group, & “o” for others; uog or a (for all).

chmod ugo+rwx workfolder – will give read, write, execute to everyone

chmod a=r workfolder – will give only read perission for everyone

chgrp – changing groups of files & directories

Another useful option is to change file permission to the group owning the file. Perhaps you create the files, but people on the db2 team can write/execute as well. We use chgrp for this purpose.

You can see above that testfile and the work folder belong to the users group.

By issuing the command – chgrp “name of the group” “name of the file” – you can change this.

chgrp sales testfile

chgrp sales workfolder

This give sales control of the file & then I can take away permissions for everyone else.

Note: The group must exit before you try to assign groups to files and directories.

chown – changing ownership

Another helpful command is changing ownerships of files and directories. The command is “chwon” along with “name of new owner” & “name of file.”

The files belonged to roman. To give ownership to tom, issue the command:

chown tom testfile

chown tom workfolder

We can also combine the group and ownership command by:

chown -R tom:sales /home/roman/tsfiles

The above command gives tom the ownership of the directory tsfiles, and all files and subfolders. The -R stands for recursive which is why all sub folders and files belong to tom as well.

As opposed to: chown tom workfolder

This command will give ownership to tom but all sub files and directories still belong to the original owner. The -R will transfer ownership of all sub directories to the new owner.

As you can see, you have several options when it comes to permissions. You have the capability to dictate who can do what & the flexibility to limit usability among users. It may be easier to just give all permission to everyone but this may end up biting you in the end, so choose wisely.

Permission in numeric mode

The above way of changing permissions will work fine but you may also need to know how to change permissions in numeric mode. chmod is used in much the same way, but instead of r, w, or x you will use numbers instead.

What are the numbers?
0 = No Permission
1 = Execute
2 = Write
4 = Read

You basically add up the numbers depending on the level of permission you want to give.

Examples:: chmod 777 workfolder; Will give read, write, and execute permissions for everyone.

chmod 700 workfolder

Will give read, write, and execute permission for the user, but nothing to everyone else.

chmod 327 workfolder

Will give write and execute (3) permission for the user, w (2) for the group, and read, write, and execute for other users.

Permission numbers: 0 = —; 1 = –x; 2 = -w-; 3 = -wx; 4 = r—; 5 = r-x; 6 = rw-; 7 = rwx

Either variation of changing permissions will work, just remember how to use the numeric values.

Linux Commands for Beginners Part 2: Exploring the CLI

Roman Rafacz — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:58:54 +0000

This article, which continues from Beginner Linux Administration, will focus mainly on the command line interface, also known as the CLI. We will explore features using ls, grep, piping and other tools used for generating info, creating files and directories, and a brief introduction to permissions.

In general you may be using a GUI to do everything, but using the CLI will give you a deeper, more profound understanding of how your Linux machine works. You’ll be surprised at how much you can learn about the OS as well as where certain files are located, why, how to edit, and accessing them quickly and more efficiently.

Using ls

Using ls is useful for quickly displaying files and directories, who created them, who owns them, and whether I have permission to read, write, and execute. You can also use it to quickly display a particular file. For example:

I’ll first start in the root directory (so issue the command cd /) then type the command ls.

All “ls” does is display the files and directories that you are in. Not much info as you can see, but there are several different options you can use along with “ls” to get the info you are looking for.

Let”s change to the /etc directory and run the ls command: cd /etc

You’ll notice when you run “ls” this time you see too many options and you can’t read all of them. So what we will do is execute “ls” but we will pipe the output of ls to the less command.

Piping: Redirects the output of one program into the input of another. The symbol is |. The command to the left is sent as input to the command to the right of the pipe.

Type ls | less

The files are displayed with colons at the bottom. Use the arrow keys to scroll up and down. All you have to do is hit the “q” button to get out of less.

Less: Less is a program that allows backward and forward movement. It is similar to opening a file in an editor but it doesn’t have to load the whole file before viewing which is helpful if you are dealing with large log files.

You can also just use less to view your files. For example we want to view the passwd file so we can quickly view all of the newest users added to the system.

[The passwd file stores essential info containing system’s accounts with user and group ID's, home directory, shell, etc.]

Make sure you’re in the /etc directory and type “less passwd.”

If you scroll down to the bottom (or type “G”) you will notice the last few users added to the system. Type “q” to quit less and let’s try it with the file called group.

Type less group

Go ahead and scroll around and then type “q” to quit.

Basically, less is just an alternate way to view files and directories but it is much more convenient than viewing data then using the cat command. We will learn how to edit this data later using vi.

You can issue the commands “cat passwd” and “cat group” to see the differences.

Also, there are other keystrokes you can use with less to quickly navigate within a document. You can always issue the command “man less” for a complete breakdown of what less does, and the other options available.

Using ls with Options

So, we’ve used “ls” on its own and we’ve used it with a pipe and less. Now we’ll use ls to find specific files we are looking for, as well as displaying more information associated with said file.

Let’s go back to the root directory, cd / and then type ls

Then type in ls –l

You’ll notice everything is displayed in long format which now includes info about permissions, group, size, date, and filename.

Permissions – drwxr-xr-x
Directories – 2
User – root
Group – root
Size – 4096
Date – May 5 04:03
Directory or File – bin

Read – you can read the file
You can write or make changes
Execute – you can execute the file

We will get into this in more detail and change permissions levels later using the chmod script.

Directories – The amount of directories within the directory
User – The user that owns the file
Group – Group assigned to the file or directory
Size – This should be obvious
Date – Date of last modification
Directory or file – Name of the directory or file

Other options to use with “ls” are:

-a – Displays all files, even those that are hidden
-g – Same as l except the owner is not printed
-r – Reverse order of how files are displayed
-m – Output is listed across the page

There are quite a bit of options and you can also use these in combination with each other.

Such as “ls –lar.”

As well as “ls –lar | less.”

As you can see, the “ls” command is just a simple way of displaying output in the command line interface but with the many different features associated, you can display the info to how you want it presented.

Let’s finish off this lesson with the grep command.

Grep – is a command that searches for a specific string in a file and prints out matching a match to given strings or words.

You can use grep with “ls” to locate a file you need but are unsure of the exact title.

If I’m in the /etc directory and am looking for a particular host file.

I will issue the command “ls |grep host.”

Then you can use “cat”, “less”, or even an editor like vi to view or alter the specific file you are looking for.

Let’s say you want the information on the user Roman that is in the passwd file. I would issue the command “grep roman passwd.”

As you can see it will just give me the information associated with the search word “roman.”

If you’re not in the directory of the file you are looking for you can always add the directory info in front of the file you are searching.

“grep igby /etc/group” – For user igby (replace with your own)

“grep roman /etc/passwd”

“grep roman /etc/hosts”

These are just simple commands that can be used for a multitude of purposes, but if you’re new to using the CLI you can play around with them and get a little more comfortable using them in different directories and your own files that you’ve created.

Hopefully this article has been informative for you. We will advance on the commands we’ve talked about in the next lessons, as well as get into the many others that are available.

Linux Commands for Beginners Part 1: Beginner Linux Administration

Roman Rafacz — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:25:34 +0000

The goal of this article is to help introduce new users to the basics of Linux. After reading this article you will have an understanding of how the Linux system is structured, where files and directories are located making it easier for you to navigate around, giving you a better idea of how your systems works. We’ll then move on to some basic Linux navigation, copy, showing your files and directories, etc.

Whether you’re new to Linux or are looking into getting some type of certificate, you’ll need to have some basic knowledge of the Shell, the Kernel, the Terminal, and FHS, among others. There’s actually quite a bit of other things you’ll need to know, but let’s start with the basics.

The Kernel

The Kernel is what controls everything on a system; think of it as the heart of Linux. It performs tasks that create and maintain the Linux environment. The Kernel receives instructions from the shell and engages the appropriate hardware (processors, memory, disks, enforces security, etc.). It is a bridge between applications and the actual data processing done at the hardware level.

The Shell

The shell is the interface between you and Linux. We issue commands through the command line interface which is interpreted and passed on to the kernel for processing. When we log onto the computer the shell will automatically start. It will then monitor the terminal for any commands.

This is the Terminal (command line interface).

There are a number of shells you can use, each differing slightly. Most Linux distros use Bourne-Again shell(bash) but support various others: Korn Shell, Bourne shell, C shell, etc. For all intensive purposes you can just stick with bash but I will show you how to change this if you want to. As you advance you can use shells to create scripts to automate tasks, making your daily routine all the more easier.

Filesystem Hierarchy Standard

Next important aspect is the FHS. Everything in Linux is either a file or a directory. The Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FSH) is the way that these files and directories are structured. More importantly though is how they are structured. Looks intimidating at first glance but when you realize that there is a method to this madness, you will find it’s so much simpler because everything is organized in the proper place and you can find where you want go much easier.

/ – The root directory. This is where your directory structure starts. Everything is housed under the root directory.

/bin – Essential user command binaries used for general operations: Copy, show directory, etc. (ls, cp, and cat – we’ll get to these commands soon)

/boot – Static files of the boot loader. Files here are necessary for a Linux system to start (Kernel & GTUB information)

/dev – Where the device files are located

/etc – Configuration files for all programs. Things like an apache web server, users & groups on your system, or printer configuration. Think of this as a control panel for Windows users. We will edit these text files later (These files should remain static and text based).

/home – Home directories for all the users to store personal files (i.e. /home/roman) –Windows equivalent of Documents & Settings.

/lib – Essential shared libraries and kernel modules

/media – Mount point for removable media

/mnt – Temporary mounted file systems

/opt — Add on application software packages – (i.e. Program files for windows users)

/sbin — Essential system binaries

/tmp – Programs write their temporary files here.

/usr – Multi-user utilities & Applications. It contains application source codes, documentation, & config files they use. It’s the largest directory on the system.

/var – Variable data on a system. Data that will change as the system is running (Log files, backups, cache, etc.)

/root – Home directory for root

/proc – Virtual directory containing process information (system memory, hardware configuration, devices mounted, etc.)

The directories that I would be most concerned starting off are /etc, /home, /dev, /mnt. As your skills progress you’ll venture off into other areas, but I started out in /etc 95 percent of the time. There are directories that extend, but we’ll get those later.

Navigation & Issuing Commands

The first thing you want to do is open a terminal. Depending on the distribution you are using this may differ but you should find it in Utilities. Since you are new to Linux, I recommend downloading a distro and trying it Live without having to install. Check out the blog’s Linux section and our list of Linux distros.

Let’s start with some basic commands

pwd – Print working directory will tell you what directory you are in.

Notice that I used pwd to tell me where I am & I used cd (change directory) to move into another folder.

cd – Change Directory. Can be used with “/” & then the folder you want to go to. For example, cd /home/roman will take me to the directory that exits for user Roman.

ls – Lists files & directories that you are in.

It may help to use the ls command to list what files and directories exist in the directory you are in. It’s vital to know the difference between ls & pwd. pwd tells you where are, ls tells you what you have to work with.

whoami – Tells you which user is logged in

You’ll notice I used the su command to change from user roman, to root, then to igby, though igby does not exist. I then used “exit” to go back to user roman.

su – Substitute user. There are some rules and additional features that we’ll explore on the next lesson.

Let’s go to your home directory and finish off a few other commands. For me it will be cd /home/roman.

Let’s make a file and delete it.

touch – A command you can use to quickly create a file that you can also “touch” on existing files (We’ll dive into that later)

You’ll notice that “createfile” wasn’t there before but when I used it with the “touch” command it was created. Nothing is in createfile but it exists.

rm – Removes the file for you

clear – Clears the terminal for you

Those are some of the basic commands. There are plenty more where that came from. Hopefully this article has been informative and insightful. The next article will follow up on this one with more information on Linux as well as commands to really get you going.

How to Setup Your Own FTP Server

Roman Rafacz — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:00:43 +0000

If you’ve ever used FTP before then you already know it’s a very convenient way to exchange data from one location to another.

If you’re like me and constantly have to burn discs, package them, and then ship them or perhaps you always have to carry around a hard disk with you in case you need to access files and documents, then setting up an actual FTP server of your own is the way to go.

It’s a fairly straightforward process and extremely beneficial, considering the cost of materials, time for shipping, etc. that you have to deal with now. Why take up those extra resources when you don’t have to?

What is FTP?

FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and is used to exchange files on the Internet. An FTP server allows requests for files via FTP to be accessed. As outlined by the RFC, one of the main objectives of FTP is to promote the sharing of files and to transfer data reliably and efficiently.

So even if you’re just sharing music, photos, or any type of data really, an FTP server can provide access to the data quickly and efficiently.

Choosing an FTP Server Product

There are several free versions of FTP products available on the market including FileZilla, Golden FTP, Xlight FTP Server and others.

For today’s demonstration, I chose Serv-U FTP because it has an easy to use interface and good reviews. It also has a free 30 day trial which allows you to test all of the features and options that they have to offer.

Even if you don’t want to spend money on an FTP Server and want to use a free product instead, I would still suggest installing the Serv-U trial and taking advantage of the 30 day free trial, especially if you’re new to FTP.

Trust me, it’s much easier to learn how FTP servers work on a product that has a good interface and is easy to use then it is on a free option that has limited support and tricky interface. At least that was my experience.

Setting Up An FTP Server

1. Start off by downloading Serv-U FTP.

2. The installation is really straightforward but let’s run through it anyway.

3. It starts off with your typical install information such as language, install location, and agreement not to sue after you computer crashes … just kidding, it’s all the usual stuff you see with any other software install.

4. Before you finish the install you have one more chance to review all of your setup info to make sure it’s correct. If no changes are needed, simply click Install.

5. After the install you’ll see one last message from the setup wizard that gives you the option of starting the Serv-U Management Console. Select the option if you’re ready to continue and click Finish.

6. Once the install is complete you’ll be prompted to answer some questions regarding your FTP server.

The first question will be regarding a domain name. If you don’t have one available you can create one at DynDNS.com — it’s free. (More info on domain names and DynDNS.com below.)

7. Next are the protocol and ports selections; you can leave the settings as they are.

8. For step 3 of 4 on the Domain Wizard select All Available IP Addresses and click Next.

9. The last step is in regards to encryption, and for this I would suggest using the server settings (the first option) which is the most secure options, unless you have a reason to choose otherwise.

10. After this, your setup is complete.

Setting up a Domain

To make your FTP available on the Internet you will have to setup a domain name.

What I did was go to DynDNS.com and set up a free account with a custom address that I use for my FTP server. You have the ability to create a domain name something like:
myftp.homeftp.net. You then use this name to connect to you ftp server.

It’s free and simple.

Setting Up Your Router

Now that you have a domain name for you FTP server, you will have to setup your router so that it forwards all incoming requests to the computer that is setup as your FTP server.

First thing is determining the computer’s IP address. You need this so that the router knows where to send the FTP request to.

To do this, go to Start/Run and type in cmd.

In the command prompt type in ipconfig to find your IP address.

I recommend setting up your computer with FTP server with a static IP address so that it does not change. For more info on this refer to this article on configuring a static IP address in Vista.

Next, we turn our attention to the router. What you want to do is connect to your router by typing in http://192.168.1.1 into any Internet browser. I have a Linksys router, and other routers may vary slightly but the basic concept is the same.

Now, type in the username and password for your router; if you don’t know it, look on your router, it should have a default one.

In the setup tab of my router, there is a setting for DNS Service where you can put in the domain name, username and password for your DynDns Domain account.

The last thing you want to do is go to port forwarding and enter the port number you are using (should be 21) and then the IP address of the machine with the FTP server.

Creating FTP Users

After your initial FTP Server install, a wizard will come up for creating FTP users.

Again, it’s very straightforward; enter the username, password, directory access (what files they have access to), and finally read and read/write access.

In steps 3 and 4 you select what directory your users can access as well as read only or full access rights.

The User Wizard guides you through the easy 4 step process and explains everything along the way.

In the global settings of Serv-U you can create more users, user groups and configure a lot of options, like access and download limits, IP restrictions, you can also monitor connection, server activity and much more. in other words, Serv–U gives you a lot of flexibility.

Testing Your New FTP Server

Now let’s make sure your new FTP server works.

If you have the capability to go to another computer on a different network, try it out with one of the free FTP clients like Filezilla or Fireftp. Just test out the usernames and passwords you created and make sure you are able to get to the directories you’ve allowed access to as well as read and write permissions.

Obviously, you will want to be careful who you give these out to as well as knowing they will have free range to the information on our computer. If the FTP server is for personal use, you should be fine but be careful in a corporate setting.

Last Thing: Security

This part is optional and beyond the scope of the article, but additional security is always a concern with FTP as well as any data transmitted over the web.

You may want to utilize Serv-U’s ability to allow secure connections (SSL), which will encrypt passwords and the data that is transmitted. In the Serv-U settings under Limits and Settings you’ll find the option to allow SSL and configure encryption settings.

Or if you’re using a different FTP server, make sure to configure your security settings accordingly.

That’s it for setting up an FTP server! Now you can sit back and enjoy the easy exchange of data from anywhere.

Top 7 TCP/IP Utilities Every Networking Pro Should Know

Roman Rafacz — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:53:45 +0000

If you’re planning on pursuing a field in networking or just looking to expand your networking knowledge then this article is for you. TCP/IP utilities are essential — not only will they help you on your networking exams but you’ll be able to diagnose most TCP/IP problems and begin working on solutions.

The top 7 tools that I will talk about today include: Ping, Tracert, ARP, Netstat, Nbtstat, NSLookup, and IPconfig. These tools will help you to check the status of your network and allow you to troubleshoot and test connectivity to remote hosts.

You use these utilities in Dos and you get there by clicking on Start, going to Run and typing cmd.

Here are the top 7 TCP/IP utilities and their functions.

1. Ping

The PING utility tests connectivity between two hosts. PING uses a special protocol called the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) to determine whether the remote machine (website, server, etc.) can receive the test packet and reply.

Also a great way to verify whether you have TCP/IP installed and your Network Card is working.

We’ll start by Pinging the loopback address (127.0.0.1) to verify that TCP/IP is installed and configured correctly on the local computer.

Type: PING 127.0.0.1

This tells me that TCP/IP is working as well as my Network Card.

To test out connectivity to a website all you have to do is type: ping espn.com

The results should tell you if the connection was successful or if you had any lost packets.

Packet loss describes a condition in which data packets appear to be transmitted correctly at one end of a connection, but never arrive at the other. Why? Well, there are a few possibilities.

The network connection might be poor and packets get damaged in transit or the packet was dropped at a router because of internet congestion. Some Internet Web servers may be configured to disregard ping requests for security purposes.

Note the IP address of espn.com — 199.181.132.250. You can also ping this address and get the same result.

However, Ping is not just used to test websites. It can also test connectivity to various servers: DNS, DHCP, your Print server, etc. As you get more into networking you’ll realize just how handy the Ping utility can be.

2. Tracert

Tracert is very similar to Ping, except that Tracert identifies pathways taken along each hop, rather than the time it takes for each packet to return (ping).

If I have trouble connecting to a remote host I will use Tracert to see where that connection fails. Any information sent from a source computer must travel through many computers / servers / routers (they’re all the same thing, essentially) before it reaches a destination.

It may not be your computer but something that is down along the way. It can also tell you if communication is slow because a link has gone down between you and the destination.

If you know there are normally 4 routers but Tracert returns 8 responses, you know your packets are taking an indirect route due to a link being down.

3. ARP

The ARP utility helps diagnose problems associated with the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP).

TCP/IP hosts use ARP to determine the physical (MAC) address that corresponds with a specific IP address. Type arp with the – a option to display IP addresses that have been resolved to MAC addresses recently.

4. Netstat

Netstat (Network Statistics) displays network connections (both incoming and outgoing), routing tables, and a number of network interface statistics.

It is an important part of the Network + exam but it’s a helpful tool in finding problems and determining the amount of traffic on the network as a performance measurement.

Netstat –s provides statistics about incoming and outgoing traffic.

5. Nbtstat

Nbtstat (NetBios over TCP/IP) enables you to check information about NetBios names.

It helps us view the NetBios name cache (nbtstat -c) which shows the NetBios names and the corresponding IP address that has been resolved (nbtstat -r) by a particular host as well as the names that have been registered by the local system (nbtstat –n).

6. NSLookup

NSLookup provides a command-line utility for diagnosing DNS problems. In its most basic usage, NSLookup returns the IP address with the matching host name.

7. IPConfig

Not part of the TCP/IP utilities but it is useful to show current TCP/IP settings.

The IPConfig command line utility will show detailed information about the network you are connected to. It also helps with reconfiguration of your IP address through release and renew.

Let’s say you want to know what you’re IP address is — ipconfig is what you type in the command prompt.

ipconfig will give a quick view of you IP address, your subnet mask and default gateway.

ipconfig /all will give you more detailed information.

Through ipconfig /all we can find DNS severs, if we have DHCP enabled, MAC Address, along with other helpful information. All good things to know if we have trouble getting connected to the internet.

Other IPConfig tools that are helpful include ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew. But before I get into this let’s discuss how we actually get an IP Address.

There are two ways to obtain an IP address. One way is to have a static IP address which we manually assign. The second one is to have a dynamic IP address obtained through a DHCP server.

If you were to right click on Network Connects, go to Properties, right click on Local Area Connection, scroll down to Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and select Properties — you’ll see two options:

Obtain an IP address automatically
Use the following IP address

Unless you know your static IP address you’ll want to stick to the option for automatically obtaining the IP address. If you have it set to automatic your computer will be issued an IP through a DHCP server.

And just in case you’re wondering, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a network protocol that enables a server to automatically assign an IP address to a computer from a defined range of numbers (i.e., a scope) configured for a given network.

In laymen’s terms: I have a cable modem at home and I have that modem connected to a wireless router that issues out IP address to anyone that connects to that router. That is DHCP that is issuing out IP addresses.

Your company probably has a server dedicated to this. Understanding this is definitely important for any networking exam.

Let’s look at what happens when we release our IP address.

I’ve just lost internet connection and my IP address is 0.0.0.0. If I type ipconfig /renew this option re-establishes TCP/IP connections on all network adapters and I can resume my internet surfing.

Note: ipconfig /release renew won’t work if you manually assigned your IP addresses.

That’s about as far as these utilities go. Again not only are they important for any Network exam, they are essential tools used in the field for troubleshooting and diagnosing network problems.

Hopefully they will serve you well.

10 Must Have Apps for IT Pros

Roman Rafacz — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:38:36 +0000

There are so many useful applications out there in the IT world it’ll make your head spin.

Here are 10 apps I’ve always found helpful — not only for personal use, but helping friends and family with their computer problems and issues with viruses, spyware, sharing files, etc. Most of them are free and all are great tools you will no doubt find useful.

Also, make sure to check out Brian’s 8 Must Have Windows Utilities and see what you’ve been missing.

1. Avast

Avast is a great anti-virus program that is reliable and easy to use. Avast protects your PC against viruses, spyware, adware, rootkits, and other malware.

I can’t rave enough about it. No installation or compatibility problems, no noticeable slowdowns and updates available almost every day. Also, it gives you the option to run a boot-time scan.

There are a lot of anti-virus software out there, if you want a reliable one, Avast is a great choice. The home version is a 2 month trial but can be extremely effective if you need to do a quick scan on someone’s infected computer.

Link to Avast: www.avast.com

2. Dropbox

Dropbox is a free online service used to backup and sync your data. It also allows you to share your files and photos with friends.

Dropbox works just like a folder on your computer except it automatically synchronizes with other computers linked to your account. Meaning a friend can be linked to the folder on my desktop and as soon as I drop in a file, the remote folder will shortly be updated and my friend can retrieve the file.

The best part is the convenience of having Dropbox wherever you are without the hassle of portable hard drives, CD’s, and other storage devices.

Free accounts come with 2GB of storage. You can also get 5GB through the referral program and as much as 50GB for a monthly fee.

If you’re interested in learning more, check out Brian’s article on Dropbox that talks about usage, security, and other info.

Link to Dropbox: www.getdropbox.com

3. CrossLoop

This is the quintessential app for helping those remote buddies trying to untangle their PC mess. Similar to LogmeIn or some other remote access program, CrossLoop is free, extremely easy to install, and is a convenient way to log onto someone’s computer remotely.

All you have to do is download, signup, and you get an access code you can give to another person to log in remotely. Give it a whirl, you won’t be disappointed.

Link to CrossLoop: www.crossloop.com/

4. UnDelete Plus

Undelete Plus is a free tool used to recover deleted files from your PC. Whether you emptied the recycling bin, deleted within a DOS window, or a networked drive, Undelete Plus is there to the rescue.

It scans your system for files that have been deleted and tells you whether or not they can be restored (some deleted files have already been overwritten).

It’s not 100% guaranteed, but since it’s free it’s worth a try.

Link to UnDelete Plus: www.undeleteplus.com

5. Everything

Everything is a great search tool that puts Microsoft’s Folder search to shame. Instead of wasting time waiting for MS to find what you need, use Everything to find exactly what you are looking for at lightning speed.

It’s also useful for those hidden files you can’t find. Really a great free to tool that makes life just a little bit easier.

Link to Everything: www.voidtools.com

6. Unlocker

This is a great tool for all those annoying file restrictions you get from Windows. You know what I’m talking about; those “Can’t delete file” or “Please close any other processes that may be using the file and try again”.

This program is used to terminate a running process for files that can’t be accessed due to Windows file-access bugs. Unlocker successfully bypasses these bug restrictions and gives the user access to that file.

Basically, it lets you override those pesky Windows errors and do exactly what you want to do with your files.

Link to Unlocker: www.download.cnet.com/Unlocker

7. ClamWin

This is one of those “sleepers” out there in freeware land, but is a great anti-virus program. It boasts real-time monitoring along with other options.

Since it’s just under 6 MB in size (rather small for an anti-virus program) it does not bog your system down. It’s also known to find some threats which other anti-virus tools fail to detect.

The biggest knock against ClamWin is that the program still doesn’t have the ability to scan files on demand, something found in many newly released anti-virus products. But this isn’t a bad trade-off when you’re getting a free virus scanner in return.

Link to ClamWin: www.clamwin.com

8. Keepass

Keepass allows you to create a database with all of the passwords and use one master key to access them all. Not a bad idea for obvious reasons.

Keepass makes it easy to handle 10 different usernames, 9 different email accounts, etc. If you’re having trouble with passwords, this app is the solution for you.

It’s free and is small enough to fit easily on to even the least capacious USB drive.

Link to Keepass: www.keepass.info

9. MalwareBytes

There are a lot of spyware tools out there, but MalwayreBytes is an excellent one and far more useful and up-to-date than the forever behind-the-times Spybot Search and Destroy.

Malwarebytes is fast and doesn’t use a lot of resources. Quick performance, real time protection, and deep file scan are only some of the pros.

These days you can never have enough removal tools and MalwareBytes won’t disappoint. Oh yeah, you can get it for free too!

Link to MalwareBytes: www.malwarebytes.org

10. Ccleaner

Keeping your PC free of unwanted files, cached data and unneeded registry entries has never been easier. Ccleaner frees up hard disk space and cleans traces of your online activity.

Ccleaner doesn’t take a lot of time to run and definitely cleans out the crap, especially for novices or those who don’t performing regular PC maintenance.

It’s designed to be safe and secure to use, meaning it has multiple checks in place so that it won’t delete any useful information or documents you need. It’s a great tool and free software is always a plus.

Link to Ccleaner: www.ccleaner.com

So… Which One’s Your Favorite?

[poll id="3"]

VMware Server: Creating a Virtual Machine

Roman Rafacz — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:00:03 +0000

If you’ve ever had the need to run multiple Operating Systems on your computer, needed to test out new programs, or wanted to maximize your security — then creating a virtual machine might be the answer for you!

What is a Virtual Machine?

Let’s start with what a virtual computer is.

In short, a virtual machine is basically a computer on a computer. Meaning, I can run Windows XP on my computer and have a different OS on it inside my virtual machine at the same time. This is good for more reasons than you may think.

First off it’s convenient. Rather than having 3 different physical machines and having to install operating systems on each one, you can use VMware Server to create and manage all of your different OS’s.

You can also conserve energy and space by having just one machine with three different computers on it.

How about the ease of sharing — you can create a virtual machine and send it to a friend/coworker without having to deal with installation, CD’s, serial codes, etc.

Also backup purposes — you don’t have to worry about messing up your main operating system when you can screw up the virtual one, throw it away and create another one.

Let me give you my practical use of VMware Server.

My company does various types of training on a weekly basis ranging in all different types of programs and operating systems. Rather than sending individual cd’s, serial number, instructions, etc., each location is sent a virtual machine with all the necessary components and they can run that machine using VMware player. It makes life so much easier.

Whatever the reason, VMware Server is a helpful tool and it is easy to configure and use.

Getting VMware Server for Free

The first thing you want to do is get VMware server. It’s a free download; all you have to do is go to www.VMware.com, click on the Downloads link on the right and find VMware Server.

After you click on the Free Download link you will have to register with an email and they will send you a link to download the server. Once the download has finished you will want to make sure you don’t have any other VMware tools installed on your computer, specifically VMware player.

VMware player is what is used to play virtual machines. When you create a virtual machine on the server and send it to another computer/person, that machine will need VMware player to play the virtual machine.

VMware Server Installation

The installation is fairly straightforward.

You may get a message depending on whether or not you have IIS (Internet Information Services ) installed. You can continue with the installation and set it up later or install VMware Server after IIS is installed.

Note: It is not essential that you install IIS for what we’re doing here.

To install IIS go to Control Panel → Add Remove Programs → Add Remove Windows Components and make sure IIS is checked. You will also need your Windows installation disk.

Follow the setup guide and it will walk you through the installation. It will ask you for a serial at the end.

The download is free and so is the serial code. You can find it here and all you have to do is register your info (Phony McRingRing will do) and they will email you a serial code.

Creating a Virtual Machine

Once you start your VMware Sever you will be asked to choose between Local and Remote connect — select Local.

Next, choose the option for New Virtual Machine — this is the first step to creating your virtual computer.

Your next choice will be Typical or Custom Setup, go ahead and select Typical.

What Type of Operating System Are You Creating?

In the next step you will be asked to specify which OS you will be creating. You can create any type you want — Windows, Linux, Other. And don’t worry, you can always change this later on.

For this example I will select Linux/Mandriva.

Name & Network Type?

Your next choice will be the name and location of your Virtual Machine. And after that there will be the network type. Basically, how will your virtual machine connect to the Internet?

Go ahead and use Bridge Networking — it’s the best option and it will allow the guest operating system to have its own IP address and connect to the Internet.

Almost Done!

Next what you have to do is allocate the disk space for your new virtual machine. This really depends on how much space you want and what you intend to do with it. Just select enough space for the OS and some extra for programs you will be installing.

After a few minutes you will have your new virtual machine.

On the left it will list the Virtual machines you’ve created (for me it just says Mandriva). You can create as many as need and the tools at the top will allow you to start, shutdown, restart, maximize window, etc.

FYI — you can also click on the edit button on top to make changes to the operating system, disk space, etc.

Installing the OS on Your Virtual Machine

Remember you’ve only just allocated space for the virtual machine; you still have to install the Operating System.

Installing the OS on the virtual machine is as simple as putting the boot disk into the CD drive and starting your virtual machine. Once you start the virtual machine the installation process will begin.

You’ll have to go through the normal steps as you would be installing the OS on a new computer. You can install any operating system on your virtual machine, just make sure that you allocated enough disk space to do so.

You double click into the virtual machine to take control and to get out just enter Control – Alt – Delete.

Remember that you can always put your virtual machine on a CD and send it to another machine/friend/etc. Just make sure you power down the virtual machine beforehand. It’s like making sure you shut down your computer before you unplug it.

Also, you must have VMware player installed to use a virtual machine on a CD, which is another free download from our friends at VMware.

Lastly, if your virtual machine is running sluggish you will want to allocate some more RAM. You can do this in the Server by clicking on Edit Virtual Machine and upping the RAM.

That’s about it. Good Luck!

Guide to Installing and Setting up Linux — The Easy Way

Roman Rafacz — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:00:49 +0000

So you want to try Linux but don’t know how. Well, it’s actually pretty simple and you have a few options before deciding to fully commit to a Linux based operating system.

The first thing you need to ask yourself is which Linux distro do you want? I recently read an article on Digg about the top 35 Linux ditros out there.

Don’t worry, I won’t bombard you with all the different choices you have, but the three that you should consider are Ubuntu, Mandriva, and OpenSuse.

I like OpenSuse and Mandriva because of the interface, usability, and because it just looks really cool right off the bat. Ubunto is also a great option and the ease of installation makes it a great choice for any Windows user to try out.

There are a few things that I am going to address in this article:

I’ll talk about how to use the Live CD so that you can try out Linux without actually installing it
I’ll also discuss how to do a complete install for those of you who have given up on Windows completely … hey, I don’t blame you, I sympathize
I will also address another option for those of you who still want to be able to use Windows every now and again while also having Linux

Downloading Ubuntu Linux

The first thing you want to do is go to www.Ubuntu.com and determine how you want to receive your free copy of Ubuntu.

Your options are to either download directly or request a copy through mail. Both options are free but remember, a copy through the mail can take up to 10 weeks. The quick option is to just download it.

You have a few options with the download. The default is the one you will probably want to stick with but you have choices like a 32 bit version of Ubuntu or a 64 bit. Unless you know your graphics card can handle 64 bit graphics I wouldn’t change/or worry about this selection and just stick to 32 bit.

Next you’ll have to select your location. I would just pick whichever location is closest to you and click download. The download will vary depending on your Internet speed but 30-45 min is a good estimate.

Getting Your ISO onto a CD

You’ve downloaded Ubuntu … Now what?

Well what you’ve downloaded was an ISO image. An ISO image is an image of a CD/DVD, so what you need to do is get that ISO image onto a CD. There are a few ways to go about this.

If you have a CD burner on your computer then you probably have software as well. Something like Nero or Toast Titanium will work.

If you don’t have burning software then what you can do is go to CDBurnerXP and download burning software on XP. Follow the steps (each software will be a little different) and ultimately you should see an ISO/burn image option.

Once you have your copy of Ubuntu on a disk it’s time to get the party started!

Try Out The Live CD

With your computer running, go ahead and throw in you copy of Ubunto. A menu will automatically appear with all the options you need — the first being Demo and Full Install.

If you want to demo Ububtu, you will have to restart your computer with the CD in the tray. This is also the best way to install Ubuntu because you have that option in the Demo as well. When your computer reboots it should automatically come up with the Ubuntu menu (pictured below). From there you can go and try Ubuntu without any changes.

Ubuntu will come up and from here you can go ahead and start surfing around.

Do you see the Install icon your desktop? Good! Go ahead and click on that — it’s time to start the install.

Installing Linux Ubuntu

The next question you have to ask yourself is: In or out?

You’ve probably determined by now whether you want to install Ubuntu exclusively on your computer or if you want to install it while keeping Windows. If you haven’t you don’t have much time — make your snap decision now!

The first thing that will come up will be Language preference. Make your selection and click forward.

Next you will have Time Zone selection followed by your keyboard selection.

Pretty simple so far, right?

Your next option will be about Partitioning and there are two options you want to worry about.

Basically, do you want to do a full install of Ubuntu (Guided – use entire disk) or if you have a spare hard drive you will have that option under Guided (just make sure you select the right drive!)

You also have the option to partition your single drive and Ubuntu makes it really easy to use. There is an arrow tool in the middle that you can click and drag and decide for yourself. Just make sure Ubuntu gets at least 10 GB of space; I selected 50/50. Windows will have 50% of the drive and so will Ubuntu.

Once you decide click on the forward button and continue.

Next you will need to enter a name and password for the computer. Almost done!

You also have the option to import some of the documents and settings from your Windows accounts.

The last step is just a review of the installation. If everything looks kosher you can go ahead and click forward.

Note that the installation process will start after this. Go ahead and take a break as the install will take about 30 minutes.

All Done!

Now that wasn’t so bad was it? The install will include everything you need to start using Ubuntu right away (internet, Openoffice.org, etc.).

If you did a complete install your computer will go right into Ubuntu once it reboots. If you installed it alongside Windows, you will be prompted to a selection menu every time your computer starts — you will have to select Windows or Ubuntu.

Don’t Forget To Update

If you have a wired connection then you are good to go and you can start surfing away.

One thing you will want to do is to get some updates. There is a button on the top right corner that will update everything for you. It’s quick and painless and will benefit you for obvious reasons.

That’s all folks and remember there is a ton of Linux distros out there. Not all installs are the same but some are similar in installation, so check them out and make sure you find the right one for you.

Good Luck & Godspeed!

Out With The Slow, In With The Linux

Roman Rafacz — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:00:34 +0000

Sick of Windows? Can’t afford a Mac?

Some of you may have some old computers lying around that just can’t run Vista or XP anymore. Or maybe you’re just like me and want to spice things up with a kinky new operating system. Why not try Linux?

Don’t get me wrong. There are reasons to stick with Windows or Macs. Especially if there is a certain program you just can’t live without or if you’re living through your World of Warcraft account (you gamers know what I’m talking about!).

But if you want an operating system that is reliable, efficient, virus free then continue reading my friend.

How Much Does Linux Cost?

That’s the best part about Linux. It’s free!

You heard me right. While distributors are charging you hundreds of dollars for the newest version of Windows there are numerous distributors out there that are offering Linux free of charge. Seriously! With a few clicks you can have Linux downloaded and installed within the hour.

How about that old computer you have lying around that is too slow to run on some of the newer operating systems out there. You all know I’m talking about. You buy a new computer that’s fresh off the market and a few years down the line you find yourself getting a cup of coffee while you wait for that internet explorer to load.

As newer operating systems are released so does the need for hardware requirements such as RAM, Processor Speed, etc. Linux will run on older computers that XP would probably refuse to install. While some people need the speed that comes with newer computers for work, hobby, and what have you, there are many people who just surf the internet, write papers, and email.

These are things that Linux will do very well on an old machine because the operating system won’t be sucking up all the resources.

But I Don’t Want To Learn A New OS!

Don’t think you can use it? Think again. The interface and usability is very easy to use.

If you’re familiar with Windows or a Mac then you are not far off. It’s like anything that is new. You just need a few runs to get warmed up.

Also, once you install Linux it comes with a bunch of great programs that you will use right off the bat such as OpenOffice. It’s a great application that is equivalent to Microsoft Office which costs over $150 dollars, yet OpenOffice is free. And you can interchange MS Office documents with OpenOffice.

There are other free programs like Gimp which is used to process digital graphics and photographs similar to Photoshop.

Maybe you’re a little more tech savvy? Well you’ll find an excess of open source development tools, compilers, interpreters, editors and even versioning tools. Imagine how much money you will save!

Sick Of Problems With Spyware, Malware, Viruses And The Like?

Spyware and Viruses are another reason why switching to Linux will benefit most people.

How many times has your Windows machine been affected by these things? While Linux is not 100% immune it is almost entirely unaffected by these things.

One reason is 90% of the market is dominated by Windows users followed by Mac users, and Linux finishes far behind. The people making the viruses are targeting the largest market trying to infect as many people as they can.

Another reason is anytime you or anyone (or anything) else tries to do something that affects the operating system, a password is required unlike in Windows which will allow almost anything done to the system.

Lastly, is the availability to the source code. Basically any programmer can go in and look inside the operating system and look for security flaws. Linux is a community based operating system, any problems or security holes are fixed quickly because people care about Linux, unlike Windows where your relying on a team of engineers to fix problems with the system and it takes months.

Anyway most Linux distros have Antivirus software included but you can still download ClamAV for free.

Hate having to defrag your machine? Ask anybody new to computers and they will look at you like you just stole their cupcake. It’s a pain to have to remember doing this every so often and the way the Linux operating system is built it makes it unnecessary to have to defrag.

Linux has a journaled file system meaning fragmentation does not occur and as a result the system is much more stable.

Yeah, But It’s Just Too Much Work!

Is installation a problem for you? Well, unlike the Windows OS which can take hours to install (not to mention all of the applications you need to add in like Office), Linux takes about a half hour to install with all the apps that you need.

Also there are no serial numbers to remember, no activation codes, and most of all no cd’s that you have to store and keep around just in case your operating system crashes. Which by the way, it never will!

The updates are a lot easier as well. First off you won’t get that annoying windows update icon that seems to pop up every 10 minutes and just won’t go away. In Ubuntu for example with one button you can update everything on your computer at once.

Sold?

Well alright then! There are a number of Linux Distributors out there and even though they all differ slightly they’re all free, reliable, and efficient.

The three that come to mind are Mandriva, OpenSUSE, and Ubuntu.

Ubuntu is a great starting point for you Windows users because it’s especially easy to install and like I said before, it comes prepackaged with everything ready to go. As stated above it’s a free download and comes as an ISO image so all you have to do is burn and install.

If you’re hesitant to convert you may want to consider creating a dual boot system so that you can switch back and forth between Windows and Linux until you are comfortable making the switch.

Either way you have options when it comes to choosing an Operating System that is right for you so don’t feel like all you have is Windows or Macs to choose from .