On a default install of Ubuntu 14.04 that I have, the login page shows 'guest' as an option on login. When I log in as a normal user (not guest) and run ls -al /home, there is no guest user in /home. The guest user directory is actually in the /tmp directory which makes sense as when you login as guest, you see the message that nothing will be saved on logout. So I tried creating files and logging out and logging in, nothing was saved. Running any commands as guest outside the /tmp/guest* directory get permisson denied. Running a command prefixed with sudo when logged in as guest results in "operation not permitted".

It is possible to use text editors, LibreOffice, the file manager and web browser

Gwenview is a standard program to view images and run slide shows. I don't believe it is installed by default in Ubuntu.

After logging in as guest and then logging in as another user, I could view the guest directories in /media similar to what you show in post 29. They are empty as expected. You should be able to remove them with: sudo rmdir /media/guest*

The links I posted above (post 22) explain how the guest account works and how it can be modifed. If your system doesn't work as described above, someone has made changes from the defaults of the guest account.

I realize I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed here. But I tried this again as instructed and this is what has happened now. Its different. But I still don't have a clue where to go on my own. Lets just do the backup files and clear out the system and restart from nothingness. I would like to learn this on my own and not have to run to techy people to fix my computer. I bought some disks... hopefully i can write to them. What is the best procedure to follow to do this sort of thing. Or a link to somewhere where its spelled out. Please.

This is what has happened now:

By "tried this" do you mean changing the entry in the file you reference in your last post? If that's it, the error you got is because you entered the name of the text editor which should bo "nano" without the quotes. If you're not familiar with using nano, you could use gedit which is another text editor and might be easier for you to use. When you see command not found, then whatever you were trying to do won't work. If done correctly, it would have simply opened that text file and could then have made the change. Typing the change at the prompt won't do anything.

I hope you are not kidding, because of course you shouldn't do misspellings in console, it works only in chat with humans.

Getting along with computers has never been easy, also not for people who are more clever than us. Very much depends on personal commitment in terms of time and research/learning. After all it's really complex systems.

There is two concepts:
Try to get along with as much an userfriendly system as possible.
Or if you want to embrace a new hobby, then really learn it, in terms of reading manuals for many hours every week.

I started over with slackware. It has a more pure concept, you do more config in text files, and you have to do much research, but in turn you learn something about Linux.

Ubuntu or Suse will be installed easier, but it consists of much overhead, and you get used to graphical config. Everything else (not in the GUI), you are most probably going to miss. Attention is guided towards the config tools, not how the system works.

It depends on the user which system is better. Anyway also using Ubuntu and Suse will cost very much learning, though it might have higher "usability" in the beginning. But I think one learns less about Linux in general.

There are many manuals and guides online for the large distributions, and they're quite easy to find. But as I said, we all need to spend a lot of time.

I'm doing a lot of research at present about backing up and configuring the bootloader in Slackware.

I really don't understand how to add a "line", hitting 'enter' brings me to a password prompt. You are suggesting that I add that line in before hitting 'enter'? :

I have to read something at this point to figure out something so simple.

I have been advised to read "man"? or are you referring to me... so not kidding. Also been referred to Geddit which i can't access. I have a sci text editor sciTE Text editor but don't know how to use it. I didn't even know save was an option in the code terminal. I am skimming back and looking at the links to gain some insight.

I started a new thread in 'software' because I deleted my software center while cleansing my system of evil. I hope I don't get kicked out of the forum for stupidity.

Is there suppposed to be a "Guest" logged in while I am logged in, and my guest "TIM", is not logged in... please see upper right hand corner of screenshot. The two black check marks indicate me and some Guest are logged in right now. I can't find any access to this account, who it is, where they are... is this normal? This doesn't seem to be the same "guest" that is being explained to me as an entity required by the UNIX system to carry out a task, if I understand that correctly. This seems to be an actual unknown guest. Please correct me once again if I am still wrong.

Please note the attached screenshot.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Almost any command has a manual page. You can call the manual by typinng "man <command>" in the console. Like "man nano". Then press "PgDn" button to read next page of manual.

I use vim a lot as console text editor. There you have different modes, first I need to press Insert to insert text as I type. Afterwards you need to press Esc and type ":q" and press Enter to quit editing mode and return to console mode. Or you can to the same press Esc and type in "ZZ". Or preferably you press Esc and type "save filename" and press Enter to save your changes after editing.

It's a bit nerdy.

But you need to make full use of a text editor.

And you need to acquire sudo rights, in terminal or graphical.

And to read documentation, man pages.

Otherwise there's only Microsoft, Apple, Tablet.

1 members found this post helpful.

It rather gives an overview of known users that have ever logged in (plus the guest). You can click these and switch login that way (normally need to give password for that).

Type "who --count" in terminal to see the users that are logged in.

Again: with "netstat -lp" in the console you can learn what servers are active, listening to access from outside. That's a crucial point.

Btw, you can type "man who" and "man netstat" in terminal/console to learn more about what exactly you're about doing.

It should be very simple to find or setup logs, that tell you if or when people log in. It's Linux, after all.

Edit: probably you're right, because of the checks to the right, maybe the guest is active. But if a person from outside is active that is traceable by netstat or other basic network and log analysis

1 members found this post helpful.

apples45, your problem is that you don't have the first clue how to use a computer command line, and most advice given here DOES include the use of the command line.

you have choices:

• learn about the command line. you might then evtl. want to migrate away from ubuntu, because see below.
• if there is one distro that tries to avoid using the command line, it's ubuntu. so don't use the command line. but then you'd have to rely on their online resources (askubuntu, ubuntuforums) for help and explanations.
• but as it seems that you are being inquisitive, you will have to learn the command line anyway sooner or later.

ergo:
learn the command line.
some search results.

thank you ondaho.

yup, this is the problem i am having. You chose to read a newbie thread, and look. I am starting to study command lines on linuxcommands.org. If you have any other suggestions i would appreciate them. i enjoy learning new things, im sure ill get the hang of it. for now, though, i am looking for help assuring myself that im not being followed, and also trying to reinstall some files i deleted.

albreich:

I got a real long output ... I listen to pandora a lot though. That guest is still logged in. I could look into a log, however i sort of have one already in that screenshot. Just wondering why. All of the speculation of who and why is falling away to larger problems now, unfortunately. I will see if the other forum can help me reinstall vital components.

First: Disable guest access.

http://tipsonubuntu.com/2015/04/28/d...-ubuntu-15-04/

(maybe you have gksu already installed, you can check if it already works / proceed to the part with the terminal).

Do you have the password for the terrible keyring function? Because you need that password to use the root password afterwards (administration password/root password is maybe your normal user password in Ubuntu). To get root privilige: that's always needed to edit any of the config files, or to issue vital system-wide commands.

Please give feedback, so this will be finished very soon.

Second: what files did you delete? If you know to what application package they most probably belong, you can try reinstalling the package(s) in Ubuntu software center.

Otherwise reinstall Ubuntu:

- Back up your needed personal files in /home/Tara(and Firefox bookmarks in the bookmarks manager, Passwords etc.) to an USB drive, etc.

- Get access to a second computer with internet to read installing instructions simultaneously. Or find all of them ex ante and print them out.

- Get recent installation DVD (or bootable USB medium).

- If you have backed up your files and have other access to the internet, and if you have a lot of time, just do it.

I deleted the keyring as well. But i have my root password i believe, i think someone already put me through that.

I no longer have access to the software center that shows recent uninstallations, so its hard to say. I am currently backing everything up to drive and i downloaded a copy of ubuntu, i hope it works. Thanks for the help. I checked out slackerware, but that seems a little much right now. the text editors seem like more to remember at this point. I will tink around and figure out why they are practical.

You can update, install and remove packages in Ubuntu in command line (of course!). If you cannot access the Software center.

http://www.howtogeek.com/63997/how-t...-command-line/

Normally it is bad to delete program files (in case you did that), better uninstall correctly.

For starters you can go to terminal and type

or
or just
and see what happens. Probably new versions will be installed and maybe broken packages will be fixed. Maybe that will solve the pure technical misfunctions.

Afterwards you can deinstall everything that you don't want in software center. Or in terminal with:

So all dependencies/consistencies within will be warranted, as opposed to when deleting program parts manually.

No. On a default install of Ubuntu I have, when I log in as user1 I will see the small circle (dot) to the left of the user1 name with a check mark to the right of the name. I notice in your image that the guest user has the check mark to the right but not the circle (dot) to the left. Don't really know what that means Logging in as guest and trying to switch to another user in a terminal results in: operation not permitted. The default guest user doesn't really have any access and can't switch to root or do anything to system files. You might check the link above on disabling guest account or the two links in post 22 that explain how it should work. If you had someone install for you, perhaps that person set it up in order to access the computer if needed to help you. Otherwise, you should just reinstall.

I managed the restrict guest access. But now my computer won't turn on. I have to reconfigure the graphics but the screen freezes. Do i just reinstall ubuntu again at this point?