Changing File Permissions in Linux

If you want to give read permissions, use the command:

chmod 744 yourfile

to give execute permissions*, use the command:

chmod 755 yourfile

to give read/write permissions, use the command:

chmod 766 yourfile

to give all permissions, use the command:

chmod 777 yourfile

Solving The Initramfs Problem

Try adding the following to /boot/grub/menu.lst

all_generic_ide

Splash Screen Wrong Resolution

Sometimes after changing the screen resolution, the splash screen will remain at its old size. There are two ways to remedy this.

Method One:

Install "startupmanager" via synaptic and adjust the resolution using the GUI.

Method Two:

Open a terminal and type.....

gksudo gedit /etc/usplash.conf

Change the resolution as required and then type the following into a console......

sudo update-initramfs -u

Mounting Partitions (Mint 5.0)

Unlike in Mint 4.0, for some reason the NTFS partitions don't auto-mount on bootup in Mint 5.0. To get them to boot, the easiest solution is to download the "ntfs-config" tool from Synaptic. It's basically a GUI tool that alters the fstab for you.

If however you're happy with editing the fstab, you need to create individual directories first in /media, using......

sudo mkdir /media/nameofdirectory

........and then alter your fstab accordingly. The finished product should look something like this......

proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# Entry for /dev/sda5 :
UUID=a1f611d0-1cf4-4906-b652-5f851d0b70a6 / ext3 relatime,errors=remount-ro 0 1
# Entry for /dev/sda7 :
UUID=b1fa4d86-0b25-4e96-a331-8a1033b8f647 /home ext3 relatime 0 2
# Entry for /dev/sda6 :
UUID=2294b177-9d7f-4a68-a32a-ff3b8adcbefa none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0
/dev/sdb6 /media/Video ntfs-3g defaults,locale=en_GB.UTF-8 0 0
/dev/sdb1 /media/Archives ntfs-3g defaults,locale=en_GB.UTF-8 0 0
/dev/sdb5 /media/Audio ntfs-3g defaults,locale=en_GB.UTF-8 0 0
/dev/sda1 /media/System ntfs-3g defaults,locale=en_GB.UTF-8 0 0

How to force a crashed application to quit

Method One:

Type in a terminal.....

top

...and make a note of the PID number of the process you wish to stop. Then type into a console.....

kill PID

...where PID is replaced by the actual number of the process.

Method Two:

Press alt+PrintScreen and type reisub to shut down and restart your machine properly.

Method Three:

Use the "Force Quite" Gnome Applet.

Incorrect Screen Resolution (Mint 5.0)

There seems to be a problem with the "Heron" release of Ubuntu with regards it accurately detecting screen resolution and monitor type. Using the vesa drivers, the maximum screen size seems to stick at 800x600. After installing the nvidia proprietary drivers and restarting, the resolution if further lessened to 640x480 and the nvidia X-server setting tool is likewise maxed out at 640x480, with no hope of changing anything.

There are a few issues here. Firstly, by default Mint enables Compiz...which makes navigating your way around the nvidia X Server tool virtually impossible, due to it jumping all over the place with every mouse click. If this is an issue for you, first turn off Compiz by choosing "None" under "Visual Effects" in "Appearance".

Secondly, after installing the propreitary nvidia drivers and restarting, type the following into a console.......

gksudo displayconfig-gtk



.....to bring up the "Screen and Graphics Preferences". Under "Screen" choose a suitable monitor type and resolution and under "Graphics Card" choose the nvidia driver and not the "Vesa" driver. "Test" if you like and then hit "OK" if all goes well.