Linux Administration

2 – System Access and File System

Takoradi Technical University
Important
• Linux has a super-user account – root.
• root is the most powerful account, can create, modify, delete accounts and
make changes to the system configuration files.
• Linux is case-sensitive.
• XYZ is not the same as xyz.
• Avoid spaces when creating files and directories.
• Linux kernel is not an operating system. It is a software with the OS
that receives commands from users and passes them to system h/w or
peripherals.
• Linux is mostly cli-based, offers greater flexibility with commands.
Acces to the Linux System
• There are two types of access
• Console access – direct access when connected through VGA, HDMI, etc.
• Remote access – connecting remotely over a network
Putty
Command prompts
• What are command prompts?
• text-based interface used to execute commands on a computer's operating system.
• On Windows, the command prompt cmd, can be accessed by typing "cmd" into the search bar
or pressing the Windows key + R and typing "cmd" into the Run dialog box.
• On Linux and Unix systems, the command prompt is known as the shell or terminal, and it can
be accessed by opening a terminal application or by pressing the Ctrl + Alt + T keys.
• Once open, you can type in commands and parameters to execute specific tasks on your
computer. 
• For example, you can use the "dir" command on Windows or the "ls" command on Linux/Unix
to list the files in a directory, or the "cd" command to change the current working directory.
• The command prompt is a powerful tool for advanced users and system
administrators, offering a more direct and precise way of interacting with the OS.
They can also be more complex and less user-friendly than a GUI.
Introduction to Filesystem
• What is a Filesystem?
• It is a system used by an OS to manage files. The system controls how data is saved or
retrieved.
• The OS stores files and directories in an organised and structured way.
• System configuration files
• User files
• Log files
• Commands/Scripts
• There are many different types of filesystems, improved with new
releases of the OS, e.g. ext3, ext4, xfs, NTFS, etc.
File Structure and Description
• Linux has a hierarchical file structure, i.e., files and directories are
organized in a tree-like structure with a single root directory, overview
of the most important directories in the Linux file system:
 / (root): highest level directory, all other directories are contained within it.
 /bin: contains essential executable files (binaries) required for the system to function properly.
 /boot: contains files required for the boot process, including the kernel, boot loader, and
configuration files.
 /dev: contains device files, which are used to communicate with hardware devices.
 /etc: contains system configuration files, including files for network settings, system services,
and user accounts.
 /home: contains the home directories for individual users, each user has their own directory
within the home directory, where they can store their personal files.
File Structure and Description – cont’d
 /lib: contains system libraries, used by the executable files in the bin directory.
 /media: used to mount removable media devices such as USB drives, CDs, and DVDs.
 /mnt: used to mount temporary file systems.
 /opt: used for optional software packages that are not part of the default installation.
 /proc: contains information about running processes and system resources.
 /root: the root user's home directory.
 /sbin: contains system binaries that are used for system administration tasks.
 /tmp: the tmp directory is used for temporary files.
 /usr: contains user files and applications, including user libraries, executables, and documentation.
 /var: The var directory contains variable files, including system logs, mail spools, and printer
spools.
The filesystem is organized in a logical manner, making it easy to find/manage files and directories.
Navigating File System
• When navigating the linux filesystem, there are a few important
commands:
• cd
• pwd
• ls
“cd” – change directory, primary command for moving from one folder
to the other in the filesystem.
“pwd” – present working directory, tells current directory user is in.
“ls” – list, lists all files/directories within current working directory.
Linux file types
• Each file/directory in Linux has detailed information or properties.
Type # of Links Owner Group Size Month Day Time Name
drwxr-xr-x 21 root root 4096 Feb 27 13:33 var
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 7 Feb 27 13:15 bin
-rw-r-r- - 1 root root 0 Mar 2 11:15 testfile
What is root?
• There are three types of root on a Linux system:
• Root account: root is an account or username on Linux machine, most
powerful account, access to all commands and files.
• Root as /: the very first directory in Linux, also called root directory
• Root home directory: the root user account also has a dorectory located in
/root which is called root home directory
Changing passwords
• Change your initial password as soon as you login
• Command = passwd userid
• Old password: - enter your current password
• New password: - enter your new password
• Retype new password: - re-enter your new password
 End
Questions?