Configuration HOWTO: Configuration tools

Next Previous Contents

## 2. Configuration tools

Fundamentally, this document is made in two sections: the first, for the machines with a big hard disk and a working graphical interface, the second, for other which are in low resources, forced to work by typing from the command line.

## 2.1 Control Center

Of course, if you have a working graphical interface, to configure everything is very easy. As a matter of fact, starting from release 8.0, each Mandrake-Linux release comes with drakconf package. Other disrtibutions have their own control-center. This wizard allows to change the settings of

- Users
- Bootloader
- Disk management
- Display
- Firewall
- Network
- Keyboard
- Mouse
- Printer
- Services

## 2.2 Display

Now let me explain how you can change X server configuration through the following two steps.

### Step 1

Linux operating system uses a Graphical User Interface (GUI) called XFree, just because it is a free version of X windows system, wich was developed by X.org website members, also getting some IBM contyibutions. Today, X server configuration is totally automatic, so in the end of your new Linux system installation, if you are lucky, you can reboot, without having anything to do. Nevertheless, often it happens that, in spite of an installation of a lot of packages, it display a message saying that you are not able to start X server. The reason why this happens is that your monitor, or your graphic card, is not rightly detected. So you have only to update the whole installation, until to the Summary. Here, you can change your graphical interface settings, but, be very careful, when the opportunity knocks: when ask, disable the automatic starting Option for X server after the reboot. This allows to use your PC in text mode, so if you want to start X server, you have manually to run "startx" command.

### Step 2

If X server doesn't work yet, try with

`# XFdrake`

It allows to change current settings with minimal ones:

> `

>     Monitor:                SVGA (not interlaced) 1024 x 768
>     Frequency:              60 Hz
>     Graphic card:           VGA standard
>     Resolution:             640 x 480
>     Colours dept.:          8 bpp

> `

You can increase these values, by degrees, but without overclocking frequency speed. It may damages your monitor! When you are ready, run XFdrake again and select to start Xfree, upon booting. This has always worked for me, so I suggest you to write down these values, before.

## 2.3 Keyboard

First of some old raw applications, upon which was built current control-center. Of course if you work by typing from command line, it is very important to set your keyboard accordingly. For many countries and keyboard types appropriate keymaps are available already. So you can give "loadkeys" command followed by the two last letters of any your country URLs.

## 2.4 Users

Expecially if you want autologin, you have to add an user. Type "adduser" command, then set up his password whith "passwd -n", followed by the user name.

## 2.5 Mouse

If you chose to work by typing from command line only, you have no need to configure your mouse. Nevertheless, whith a working graphical interface you cannot use itself to change wrong settings. Open a console as a root user and type "mousedrake".

## 2.6 Printer

Lastly, if you want to set up your printer, you have to install CUPS driver. Type "printerdrake".

## 2.7 Bootloader

The program which loads the kernel into the memory at the boot time is called bootloader. The bootloaders that come with Linux distributions are LILO and GRUB. If you want change LILO configuration, you have to open the file /etc/lilo.conf. using your favorite editor. In this file each line has its meaning.

> `

>     boot=/dev/hda              Install LILO in the MBR
>     prompt                     If you want select another section
>     timeout=50                 Wait five seconds before booting
>     default=linux              The section to boot after the timeout

>     image=/boot/vmlinuz-x.x.x
>       label=Linux              Name we give to this section
>       read-only                Start with a read-only root
>       root=/dev/hda3           Location of the root filesystem

>     other=/dev/hdaX            The host where Windows is installed
>       label=windows

> `

Typical is how GRUB refers to hard drives and partitions.

## 2.8 Firewall

If your system is attached directly to Internet, or is on a large public network, enable it to help prevent unauthorized access.

Next Previous Contents