/etc Directory

/etc directory contains most of the basic Linux system-configuration files.

adjtime - Holds to data to adjust the hardware clock.

aliases - Can contain distribution lists used by the Linux mail service.

bashrc - Sets system-wide defaults used for bash shell users.

cdrecord.conf - Contains defaults used for recording CDs.

crontab - Sets cron environment and times for running automated tasks.

csh.cshrc (Or cshrc) - Sets system-wide defaults for csh ( C shell ) users.

exports - Contains a list of local directories that are available to be shared by remote computers using the Network File System.

fedora-release - Contain a string identifying the current Fedora core release.

fstab - Identifies the devices for common storage media and locations where are mounted in the Linux system. This is used by the mount command to choose which file system to mount.

group - Identifies group names and groups IDs that are defined on the systems. Group permissions in Fedora are defined by the second of three sets of rwx (read, write, execute) bits associated with each file and directory.

gshadow - Contains shadow passwords for groups.

host.conf - Sets the locations in which domain names are searched for on TCP/IP networks. By defaults, the local hosts list is searched, then any nameserver entries in resolv.conf.

hosts - Contains IP addresses and host names that you can reach from your computer.

hosts.allow - List host computers that are allowed to use certain TCP/IP services from the local computer.

hosts.deny - List host computers that are not allowed to use certain TCP/IP services from the local computer.

inittab - Contains information that defines boots, shuts down, or goes into different states in between. This is the most basic configuration file for starting Linux.

issue - Contains the lines that are displayed when a terminal is ready to let you log into Fedora from a local terminal, or the console in text mode.

issue.net - Contains login lines that are displayed to users who try to log in to the Linux system from a computer on the network using the telnet service.

lilo.conf - Sets Linux boot loader (lilo) parameters to boot the computer.

man.config - Used by the man command to determine the default path to the location of man pages.

modules.conf - Contains aliases and options related to loadable kernel modules used by your computer.

mtab - Contains a list of file system that are currently mounted.

mtools.conf - Contains settings used by DOS tools in Linux.

named.conf - Contains DNS settings if you are running your own DNS server.

ntp.conf - Includes information needed to run the network time protocol (NTP).

passwd - Stores account information for all valid users for the system.

printcap - Contains definitions for the printers configured for your computer.

profile - Sets system-wide environment and start-up programs for all users.

protocols - Sets protocols numbers and names for a variety of internet services.

redhat-release - Contains a string identifying the current Red Hat release.

resolve.conf - Identifies the locations of DNS name servers computers that are used by TCP/IP to translate Internet host domain names and numbers.

rcp - Defines remote procedure call names and numbers.

shadow - Contains encrypted passwords for users who are defined in the passwd file.

shells - Lists the shell command line interpreters that are available on the system as well as their locations.

sudoers - Sets commands that can be run by users, who may not otherwise have permission to run the command, using the sudo command.

syslog.conf - Defines what logging messages are gathered by the sys logged daemon and what file they are stored in.

termcap -

RUNNING MICROSOFT WINDOWS, DOS AND MACINTOSH APPLICATION

Linux can run same applications that are intended for other operating system using emulator programs.

There are some important emulator programs which are given below.

1) DOSEMU: For running DOS programs( http://dosemu.sourceforge.net).

2) WINE: Foe all windows version.

3) ARDI: For Macintosh operating system (MAC OS).

RUNNING DOS APPLICATIONS

I. Using mtools:

mtools are mostly DOS commands that have the letter m in front of them and that run in Linux. Using these commands, you can easily work with DOS files and file system.

Command	Function
mattrib	Which is used to change an MS-DOS file attribute.
mbadblock	Which tests a floppy disk and marks any bad blocks contained on the floppy in its FAT.
mcd	To change the directory.
mcheck	Which is used to verify a file.
mcopy	To copy a file.
mdel	To delete a file.
mdeltree	Which delete an MS-DOS directory along with the files and subdirectories it contains.
mdir	Which lists a directory's contains.
mformat	Which is used to format a DOS floppy disk.
minfo	This command is used to print information about a DOS device, such as a floppy disk.
mkmanifest	This command is used to create a shell script that restores Linux file names that were truncated by DOS command.
mlabel	The DOS label command, which is used to make a DOS volume label.
mmd	Which is used to create a DOS directory.
mmount	This command is used to mount a DOS disk in Linux.
mmove	Which is used to move a file to another directory or rename it.
mrd	Which is used to remove a DOS directory.
mren	Which is used to rename a DOS directory.
mshowfat	This command is used to show the FAT entry for a file in a DOS file system.
mtoolstest	This command is used to test the mtools configuration files.
mtype	Which is used to display the contents of a DOS file.
mzip	This command is used to performs operations with zip disks including eject, write protect and query.
mdu	The Linux du command, which is used to show the amount of disk space used by a DOS directory.

II. USING DOSEMU:

dosemu does not come with Fedora Core distributions. Download the dosemu RPM file from "dosemu.sourceforge.net".

If it were running DOS then you can use dosemu.

The following commands can be used to start dosemu with in Linux.

dosemu	Starts the DOS emulator in its shell.
xdosemu	Starts the DOS emulator in its an X term window.
dosdebug	Starts a debug programs to view information and error messages about a running DOS program.

Note: Basic information about your DOS environment is set in the "/etc/dosemu/dosemu.conf" file.

If you want other users on your Linux system to use DOS, however, edit the "/etc/dosemu.users" file.

#vi /etc/dosemu.users

root c-all

all c-all

RUNNING MICROSOFT WINDOWS APPLICATIONS WITH WINE

The WINE project ( www.winehq.com ) has been making great strides in getting applications that were create for Microsoft Windows to run in Linux and other OS.

To get WINE for your Fedora system, you can go to the following places.

www.winehq.com

http://sourceforge.net/projects/wine/

http://wine.dataparty.no

http://wine.dataparty.no/install.html

A commercial version of WINE, called wineX, www.transgaming.com

VMware and Win4Lin are other good ways to run windows applications along with a Linux system on the same running computer.

VMware from www.vmware.com

Win4Lin from www.netraverse.com

UNDERSTANDING WINE

When you install the wine package in Fedora Core, the package creates /etc/wine/wine.conf and /etc/wine/system.reg files that, like the windows registry, identity the locations of components an application would need in a Microsoft Windows operating system.

The location of the basic Microsoft Windows operating system directories for wine is the $HOME/.wine/c directory for each users, which looks like the c: drive to wine. The /usr/share/wine-c directory contains the system-wide version of this directory that each user can point to.

MICROSOFT WINDOWS DRIVE LETTERS IN WINE

Microsoft Description	Windows Drive Letter Or Name	Driver letters Linux Directory	In wine Linux Device Name (if application)
floppy	A:	/mnt/floppy	/dev/fd0
Hard disk #1	C:	$HOME/.wine/c /usr/share/wine-c
CD-ROM	D:	/mnt/cdrom	/dev/cdrom

SETTING UP MICROSOFT WINDOWS APPLICATION, WINE

In the example, I want to be able to run the Microsoft paint program (mspaint.exe) from windows in Linux using wine. Here is an example of how to go about it,

I. Make a directory on which to mount your windows partition. For example,

#mkdir /mnt/win

#mount -t vfat /dev/hda1 /mnt/win

#service wine start

To make that partition permanently available to you from Linux, add the following line to /etc/fstab file

/dev/hda1 /mnt/win vfat defaults 0 0

II. Copy the mspaint.exe program from /mnt/win/Program Fies/Accessories/mspaint.exe to /bin directory.

#cp /mnt/win/Program Files/Accessories/mspaint.exe /bin

III. Run the wine command with mspaint.exe as an argument to see if it can run or if it needs some added DLL files.

#wine /bin/mspaint.exe

err: module : PE_fixup_imports Module (file) MFC42.DLL ( Which is needed by z:\a\mspaint.exe) not found.

IV. Next copy the necessary DLL file from the Microsoft Windows partition.

#cp /mnt/win/windows/system/mfc42.dll /usr/share/wine-c/windows/system

V. With the proper DLL files install, type wine /bin/mspaint.exe again and the Microsoft paint window opens.

#wine /bin/mspaint.exe

FINDING MICROSOFT WINDOWS APPLICATIONS FOR WINE

Applications that have been tested to run under wine are maintained at the wine application database ( http://appdb.codeweavers.com ).