Linux® is stable but setting it up and maintaining it correctly can be difficult. Troubleshooting tips include using commands like “top,” “killall,” “chmod,” and “sudo” and a rescue CD. “Top” displays processes and “killall” stops them. “Chmod” specifies file permissions, and “sudo” grants root permission. A rescue CD can access the command line or graphical interface for troubleshooting.
Linux® is known for its stability, which is why a large number of servers around the world run on it. If it’s set up correctly, a machine running Linux® should never crash, but the problem is setting it up and maintaining it correctly, which can be difficult. The best Linux® troubleshooting tips include knowing how to use a few specific commands — “top,” “killall,” “chmod,” and “sudo” — as well as how to use a rescue compact disc (CD).
The first two commands that anyone wanting to run Linux® troubleshooting should know are the “top” command and the “killall” command. The top command will display all processes running on the machine. The user will then be able to determine which process is consuming the most system resources at any given moment. The process can be modified or, if the process is not needed, it can be stopped using the “killall” command and the process name.
This can also be achieved by using a graphical user interface (GUI) tool such as the process manager in most Linux® distributions. If your Linux® machine is running a server, your use of GUI tools and the X Windows system in general should be kept to a minimum. This is because they are hardware intensive.
Another important Linux® troubleshooting command is the “chmod” command, which can be used to specify file permissions. Often a Linux® user will attempt to execute a file and receive a message that the file cannot be executed. This is because the Linux® operating system generally does not grant users permission to execute files if it is located outside the user’s home folder. “Chmod +x” can then be used to give execute permissions to the user. The “sudo” command can and sometimes should be used in conjunction with “chmod +x”, as in “sudo chmod +x”.
The temporary “sudo” command gives the user all permissions on a file. Using the “sudo” command, a user will be granted root or administrator permission to a file and will then be able to read, write, execute, move, copy, and more. A trick for beginners who aren’t comfortable with the command line is to simply start the graphical file manager as “sudo”.
Another important tool that users can take advantage of when troubleshooting Linux® is a rescue or live CD. A rescue CD can be used to access the command line or even a graphical interface if a Linux® installation becomes inaccessible. Troubleshooting can then be done from the Linux® operating system running directly from the CD.
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