Console Command Reference

[ Basic Command Reference for UNIX/Linux ]
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Linux/UNIX command                  Description                                          MS-DOS equivalent  
--------------------                --------------------                                --------------------
./{application}                  start {application} in current dir.                    {application}
{up arrow / down arrow}          previous / next command in buffer                      doskey  
cd {directory}                   go to directory {directory}                            cd  
cd .. (or cd ../ or cd /..)      go down one directory                                  cd..  
{string} [tab] [tab]             view all commands starting with {string}
adduser                          add a user to the system
ls                               list a directory                                       dir  
cat {filename}                   view a textfile on the terminal                        type  
mv {filename} {newname}          move or rename file                                    move  
cp {filename} {filepath}         copy file                                              copy  
rm {filename}                    delete a file                                          del  
mkdir {directory}                make a directory                                       md  
rmdir {directory}                remove a directory                                     rd  
rm -r {directory}                remove directory and all underlying files              deltree  
rm p                             remove a package
df                               Show free space on device                              chkdsk
top                              view memory status (q to quit)                         mem  
man {command}                    get a manual page about these commands                 help
less {filename}                  enhanced text file view  
echo                             print something on the screen                          echo  
mc                               Norton Commander for UNIX                              nc  
mount                            to couple a device (cdrom) (floppy)
umount                           to uncouple a device
shutdown -h now                  to shutdown (same as the shutdown on windows start menu)
shutdown -r now                  to shutdown and reboot the system

[ Advanced commands ]
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chmod {permissions} {file}          Change file permissions  
ls -l x                             Perform a detailed directory listing for file x  
ln -s x y                           Make a symbolic link from x to y  
find x -name y -print               find file y, begin the search from within directory x and 
                                    print the results to the screen  
ps                                  to view all running processes  
kill x                              to terminate process x (x is PID from ps)  
[alt] + F1 - F7                     switch to terminal 1 - 7 (in text terminal; F7 = X-Windows 
                                    (when started))  
lilo                                to make a boot disk  

[ Additional Advanced commands ]
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dmesg                               print kernel buffer, useful to review boot messages

[ Derek's General Linux Quick Command Reference with examples ]
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*-----[access removable drives]-----*
cdrom mount -> mount /dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom
cdrom unmount -> umount /dev/cdrom
floppy mount -> mount /dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy
floppy unmount -> umount /dev/fd0

*-----[logging on and off]-----*
shutdown -h now (to completely shutdown system
startx -- -bpp 15 (load XF86 in high colour)
15= 32768, 16 bpp= 65536, 24 or 32 bpp,= 16.7 mil colors

*-----[connect to inet with minicom]-----*
minicom -s
cntrl-A + D , (add phonenumber if necessary)
connect , after the *%^*)*^%58^%&%(*^&%$^&*(*&(^%
cntrl-A + Q and choose "Quit without Reset"
at the prompt type: pppd defaultroute /dev/modem

*-----[install software and components]-----*
RPM -> rpm -i --percent filename.rpm
tar xvf filename.tar -> untar
gzip -dfvr -> un-gzip

*-----[hotkeys and multitask]-----*
Alt-F1 through F6 -> switches consoles
Ctrl-Alt-F1-F2 to 6 -> switch from X to console
Alt-F7 -> switch from console back to X

*-----[miscellaneous]-----*
ping -i 300 host.domain.com /dev/null -> ping bot
ping -i 300 host.domain.com }/dev/null & -> better
ps -u username -> show my processes on SunOS Unix
route -h -> show network info and ip's

*-----[console keystrokes]-----*
vi -> vi filename (powerful text editor)
pico -> pico filename (edit a text file)
SHIFT-PGUP -> in colsole to scroll up
ls | less -> does directory in scrollable format
ls -l | less -> above with file sizes
pico filename -> create batch program
chmod +x filename -> set executable file permission
ln -s realdir fakedir -> create link to directory
pwd -> shows working directory

*-----[technicial]-----*
modprobe -> added kernel module
modprobe ne.o -> with parameters to add netcard

*-----[recompile kernel]-----*
uname -r -> display current kernel version
/usr/src/linux
make config or make menuconfig

[ Terminology ]
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symlink  Symbolic link to another file or directory. Like Win95's shortcuts  
shell script  Like MS-DOS's batchfiles; perform a series of commands after another.  

[ X-Windows ]
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startx                                 to start X-windows  
[ctrl] + [alt] + [backsp]              to quit X during trouble  
[ctrl] + [alt] + F1 - F6               to switch to text terminal 1 - 6 (in X-windows)  
xf86Config                             most primitive setup/configurator for x (in text terminal)  
Xconfigurator                          another configurator for X in text terminal  
xf86Setup                              an X-Windows configurator for X  
configX                                to configure Metro-X server  

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