[2024-feb-29] Sad news: Eric Layton aka Nocturnal Slacker aka vtel57 passed away on Feb 26th, shortly after hospitalization. He was one of our Wiki's most prominent admins. He will be missed.

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howtos:misc:biffs_slackware_tips [2018/03/04 22:49 (UTC)] – created bifferoshowtos:misc:biffs_slackware_tips [2018/03/04 23:50 (UTC)] (current) – [Booting the Installer] bifferos
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 ====== Biff's Slackware Tips for Noobs ====== ====== Biff's Slackware Tips for Noobs ======
  
-==== Introduction ====+===== Introduction =====
  
 I was going to call this page 'Slackware for Dummies' however there's a book of the same name on Amazon :-(.  I've accumulated a few bits and pieces that I feel are useful for people starting out in Slackware but which are too small to warrant their own HOWTOs.  If you feel I should break anything out into its own HOWTO please add comments in the discussion section.  Please also be aware that some of this is about opinion, and just one person's opinion at that.  Unless otherwise stated this guide refers to Slackware64 14.2. I was going to call this page 'Slackware for Dummies' however there's a book of the same name on Amazon :-(.  I've accumulated a few bits and pieces that I feel are useful for people starting out in Slackware but which are too small to warrant their own HOWTOs.  If you feel I should break anything out into its own HOWTO please add comments in the discussion section.  Please also be aware that some of this is about opinion, and just one person's opinion at that.  Unless otherwise stated this guide refers to Slackware64 14.2.
  
-==== Booting the Installer ====+===== Booting the Installer =====
  
 === 1) How much memory does Slackware require? === === 1) How much memory does Slackware require? ===
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 === 2) The installer just dropped me into a shell.  What now? === === 2) The installer just dropped me into a shell.  What now? ===
  
-You need to create a partition on your hard disk before continuing.  Assuming you have only a single hard disk and don't have any data you want to keep on your this disk, create a single large partition on your hard disk with e.g.:+You need to create a partition on your hard disk before continuing.  Assuming you have only a single hard disk and don't have any data you want to keep on this disk, create a single large partition on your hard disk with e.g.:
  
 <code> <code>
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 Fluxbox. Fluxbox.
  
-=== Do I need to create a rescue disk ===+=== Do I need to create a rescue disk===
  
-No.  If you mess up your bootloader you can still recover your system using the install media, so there's not much point unless you have a specific reason of your own.+No.  If you mess up your bootloader you can still recover your system using the install media, the DVD boot screen even tells you how, so there's not much point unless you have a specific reason of your own.
  
-==== First Boot After Install ====+===== First Boot After Install =====
  
-=== How do I stop Slackware taking 2 minutes to boot ===+=== How do I stop Slackware taking 2 minutes to boot===
  
 If you are using LILO, edit /etc/lilo.conf.  Change the line If you are using LILO, edit /etc/lilo.conf.  Change the line
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 === How do I add a user? === === How do I add a user? ===
  
-Adding a user is probably the first thing you need to do on a newly installed Slackware system because you don't want to do everything as root.  This isn't because you give a stuff about security, it's because lots of program (including Xorg) will complain if you run them as root.+Adding a user is probably the first thing you need to do on a newly installed Slackware system because you don't want to do everything as root.  This isn't because you give a stuff about security, it's because lots of programs (including Xorg) will complain if you run them as root.
  
-Run the 'adduser' command+Run the 'adduser' command:
  
 <code> <code>
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 Keep hitting the 'enter' key and accept all defaults as if you're a Noob you're unlikely to change any of them. Keep hitting the 'enter' key and accept all defaults as if you're a Noob you're unlikely to change any of them.
  
 +===== Xorg =====
  
 +=== There's no GUI!  How do I start X? ===
 + 
 +Once upon a time X had to be configured before it worked in Slackware.  This is fortunately no longer the case and X now detects almost all your settings.  Simply type 'startx'.
 +
 +=== My keyboard doesn't work properly! ===
 +
 +That bit I said about X now detecting almost all your settings?  Well keyboard is one of the exceptions!  Run:
 +
 +<code>
 +setxkbmap <variant>
 +</code>
 +
 +Where <variant> can be found in /etc/X11/xkb/symbols
 +
 +=== Your Window manager recommendation sucks.  I hate Fluxbox already! ===
 +
 +You just need to change one link in /etc/X11/xinit:
 +
 +  * Login as root
 +  * cd /etc/X11/xinit
 +  * ls  # to look at the WMs available.
 +  * rm xinitrc
 +  * ln xinitrc.<name> xinitrc
 +
 +=== But I want X to start on boot, how? ===
 +
 +Slackware already has a [[slackware:beginners_guide#start_a_graphical_desktop_environment |great guide]] for this.  You need to change the runlevel in /etc/xinittab.
 +
 +===== Networking =====
 +
 +=== How can I see what's listening on my computer's ports? ===
 +
 +<code>
 +# netstat -an | less
 +</code>
 +
 +=== I changed my network card and now the new one comes up as eth1 instead of eth0 ===
 +
 +<code>
 +# rm /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules
 +</code>
 +(reboot)
 +
 +===== Slackware programs =====
 +
 +=== How do I find which packages have been installed? ===
 +
 +<code>
 +# ls /var/log/packages
 +</code>
 +
 +=== How do I find out what libraries a program uses? ===
 +
 +<code>
 +# ldd <exe path>
 +</code>
 +
 +=== How do I find all the libraries on my system? ===
 +
 +(as root)
 +<code>
 +# ldconfig -p
 +</code>
 +
 +=== How do I find which Slackware package contains file XXX so I can install it on my system? ===
 +
 +<code>
 +# wget http://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-14.2/slackware/MANIFEST.bz2
 +# less MANIFEST.bz2
 +</code>
 +(search for the file)
 +
 +===== USB =====
 +
 +=== I can only access my USB device as root ===
 +
 +Create a new file in /etc/udev/rules.d.  It should contain the following:
 +
 +<code>
 +ATTRS{idVendor}=="<vendor>",ATTRS{idProduct}=="<product>",MODE="0666",GROUP="users"
 +</code>
 +
 +For <vendor> and <product> put the values obtained from running 'lsusb' when you inserted your usb device.  Use 'lsusb -v' to get the long form of the information.
 +
 +Worked example:
 +
 +<code>
 +# lsusb
 +Bus 005 Device 003: ID 413c:2003 Dell Computer Corp. Keyboard
 +</code>
 +
 +/etc/udev/rules.d/80-mydellcomputerkeyboard.rules:
 +<code>
 +ATTRS{idVendor}=="413c",ATTRS{idProduct}=="2003",MODE="0666",GROUP="users"
 +</code>
 +
 +This will allow any users to access that device, which on a multi-user system could be considered insecure but will get you working.
 +
 +
 +
 +===== CD/DVD-ROM drives =====
 +
 +=== How do I write a CD/DVD, I don't understand cdrecord? ===
 +
 +You're not the only one.  To write the image myimage.iso, the command is:
 +
 +<code>
 +# growisofs -Z /dev/dvd=myimage.iso
 +</code>
 +
 +You may need to be root to run this.
  
  
 howtos:misc:biffs_slackware_tips ()