To format a floppy disk with EXT2 linux format, make sure the floppy is not mounted, then use:
mke2fs /dev/fd0
(This assumes that /dev/fd0 is your floppy drive)
Automating recurring tasks with Cron
Setup a crontab file which defines whe the task should run:
m h d M D /script
where:
| m | minute: 0-59 |
| h | hour: 0-23 |
| d | day of the month: 1-31 |
| M | month of the year: 1-12 |
| D | day of the week, Sunday-0, 0-6 |
| /script | the script to execute |
Values that are not relevant can be replaced with a ‘*” character.
Examples:
Run scriptA at 1:00 am:
* 1 * * * /scriptA
Run scriptB at every 15 minutes past the hour:
15 * * * * /scriptB
Run scriptC on the hour and every 30 minutes past the hour:
0,30 * * * * /scriptC
Run scriptD at 10,11 and 12, every Monday:
* 10-12 * * 1 /scriptC
To install the crontab setings, run:
crontab filename
To list the current crontab settings:
crontab -l
Common Linux Commands
| df | shows free and used disk space |
| top | shows memory usage – updates in real time |
| ps | Process Status – lists running processes |
| ps -ef | show system processes |
| find . -name FILENAME -print | locate a file named FILENAME and show it’s location |
| grep -r “pattern” * | search through all files and subdirectories from the current directory for the given pattern and print matches |
| uname -a | displays the current kernel version |
| lsb_release -a | displays Ubuntu installation version |
| fdisk -l | lists partition info |
Ubuntu/Debian Package Management
Install an app: sudo apt-get install name
Remove: sudo apt-get remove name (‘apt-get remove –purge name’ to remove all config files also)
List installed packages: sudo dpkg –list | more
RPM Commands (Red Hat/Fedora and derivatives)
| rpm -ivh PACKAGE | installs a new RPM |
| rpm -e PACKAGE | uninstalls an RPM |
| rpm -qi PACKAGE | Queries that a package is unstalled and displays information about it |