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Linux Information|Annie UK


Saturday 18 May 2024



Below is a list of random Debian based Linux information for my reference. This info also includes some fixes for Raspberry Pi specific related issues


Random Linux Information

001 What apps are useful for a New (clean) Install | Debian
 

Nala - apt frontend:

sudo apt install nala

Misc apps etc…:

sudo nala install ufw gufw fonts-noto-color-emoji conky 7zip rclone tree traceroute inkscape rpi-imager vlc gparted keepassxc audacious ansiweather w3m lynx psensor code mesa-vulkan-drivers mesa-utils vulkan-tools nmap mame

Flatpak package manager:

sudo nala install flatpak

GIMP Beta:

flatpak install --user https://flathub​.org/beta​-repo/appstream/org​.gimp​.GIMP​.flatpakref

Netsurf web browser:

flatpak install netsurf

SNAP Package manager:

sudo nala install snapd

SNAP Store and Commander x16 emulator:

snap install core snap-store x16emu



002 Terminal | Debian
 

Use the following key-presses to open a terminal window:

Crtl + Alt + T

To display the terminal command history use the following command:

history



003 Software update and Tidy up | Debian
 

Use the following commands in a terminal window to update Linux to the latest software:

sudo apt update

sudo apt upgrade

Tidy up install:

sudo apt -y autoremove && sudo apt -y clean && sudo apt -y purge ?config-files



004 Journal files (journalctl) | Debian
 

Use the following command in a terminal window to clear out all journal files older than 1 day

sudo journalctl --vacuum-time=1d

Use the following command in a terminal window to clear out all journal files but leave the most recent files upto the specified amount of disk space (##B, ##M, ##G)

sudo journalctl --vacuum-size=1B

Use the following command in a terminal window to find out the amount of disk space it taken up by journaling

journalctl --disk-usage

Use the following command in a terminal window to disable journaling

systemctl disable systemd-journald



005 Location of script files | Debian
 

Scripts can be placed in the following directory so you don't have to include the full path

/usr/local/bin



006 Network Manager | Debian
 

To stop use the following

sudo systemctl stop NetworkManager.service

To start use the following:

sudo systemctl start NetworkManager.service

To restart use the following:

sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager.service



007 Stop audio setting defaulting to headphones | RasPi OS | Ubuntu
 

Use the following (for Ubuntu 22.04 LTS):

sudo nano /etc/pulse/default.pa

Find "load-module module-switch-on-connect.so" and comment it out by adding a # to the front of the line



008 Scrambled online accounts screen | Ubuntu | RasPi OS | Gnome
 

Use the following in terminal to open the settings with the screens unscrambled:

WEBKIT_DISABLE_COMPOSITING_MODE=1 gnome-control-center



009 Stop polling for an SD card constantly when not using one | RasPi OS
 

Edit config.txt

sudo nano /boot/firmware/config.sys

Add the following to the end of config.txt

dtparam=sd_poll_once



010 Get the CPU temparature | RasPi OS
 

Use the following command:

cat /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone0/temp

Note: The result needs to be divided by 1000 to get the actual temperature in °C



011 *.desktop file, allow launching | Debian
 

Use the following command:

gio set file.desktop metadata::trusted true



012 Add *.desktop file to launcher and/or menu | Debian
 

Copy the *desktop file into the following folder:

~\.local\share\applications



013 Turn off splash screen | RasPi OS
 

Edit the following file:

sudo nano /boot/firmware/cmdline.txt

Remove the following from the end of the line:

quiet splash



014 Backup / Restore entire HDD using command line (Terminal) | Debian
 

Backup:

dd if=/dev/sda of=./part1.image

Restore:

ddd if=./part1.image of=/dev/sda



015 Compressed backup to img file using command line (Terminal) | Debian
 

Backup:

cd ~

sudo dd if=/dev/<drive> | gzip -c - > <name>.img.gz

Where <drive> is the name of the mounted drive ie sde, mmcblk0, etc…



016 Login screen settings | Gnome
 

Use the following to edit the settings:

sudo nano /etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults

Some settings under the [org/gnome/desktop/interface] section:

cursor-size=64

text-scaling-factor=1.50

clock-format="12h"



017 ALT + F2 to open Run.. dialogue | Wayfire
 

Add the following into the file ~/.config/wayfire.ini at the bottom of the [command] section:

binding_power = <alt> KEY_F2

command_power = sh -c "$(zenity --entry --title="Run" --text="Enter Command")"



018 Configure Network Manager from CLI | RasPi OS | Bookworm
 

Use the following command:

nmtui



019 Auto update CertBot using cron | Debian
 

Use the following command to create a cron job:

sudo touch /etc/cron.d/certbot

Use Nano to edit the above file

sudo nano /etc/cron.d/certbot

Cut and paste the following into nano and save the file

# /etc/cron.d/certbot: crontab entries for the certbot package
#
# Upstream recommends attempting renewal twice a day
#
# Eventually, this will be an opportunity to validate certificates
# haven't been revoked, etc. Renewal will only occur if expiration
# is within 30 days.

SHELL=/bin/sh
PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin

0 */12 * * * root test -x /usr/bin/certbot -a \! -d /run/systemd/system && perl -e "sleep int(rand(3600))" && certbot -q renew



020 Show network information | Debian
 

Use the following command (change eth0 for the device you're interested in):

nmcli device show eth0



021 Check firmware is up to date | RasPi OS
 

Use the following command:

sudo rpi-eeprom-update



022 Stop / Start a package from updating via apt | Debian
 

Use the following commands:

sudo apt-mark hold package-name

sudo apt-mark unhold package-name

or to show packages on hold

sudo apt-mark showhold



023 numlock on at system start | Debian
 

Use the following command to install the app numlockx:

sudo nala install numlockx



024 Dark mode for the login screen | RasPi OS
 

Edit the file /etc/lightdm/pi-greeter.conf:

[greeter]
default-user-image=/usr/share/raspberrypi-artwork/annieuk.png
desktop_bg=#000000000000
wallpaper=/usr/share/rpd-wallpaper/RPiSystemdark.png
wallpaper_mode=crop
gtk-theme-name=PiXnoir
gtk-icon-theme-name=PiXflat
gtk-font-name= PibotoLt 24

Note: The directories the wallpaper and icons come from should not be altered as this seems to be hardcoded somewhere, just place and new wallpaper / icon files in the above directories



025 Find names and info of devices on the network | Debian
 

Use the following command:

avahi-browse -alr



026 Find MAC address and device manufacturer of most network device | Debian
 

Use the following command:

sudo nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24



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