Getting Debian Updates

da_linkwent · 10-20-2006, 03:12 PM

Hi guys,I am a newbie to this forum and to say that I'm a novice would be an understatement. I have a Dell Poweredge 2400 server that my company through out because the scsi controller stopped working with Debian installed that i want to get familiar with but I know absolutely nothing about Debian and linux in general. I was told to get updates (using apt-get)but I dont know where to start. I need some serious help.
Thanks Guys.

jstephens84 · 10-20-2006, 03:20 PM

as root

apt-get update.

http://www.debian.org/ and http://www.debianhelp.co.uk/index.php Best places to begin your adventure with debian.

craigevil · 10-20-2006, 03:49 PM

A good place to begin is APT HOWTO
http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/ap....html#contents

Debian Tutorial - Removing and installing software
http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/de...l/ch-dpkg.html

If it has X and a window manager like KDE/Gnome the easiest way would be to install Synaptic.

da_linkwent · 10-20-2006, 03:49 PM

Thanks for the link,i'm using it as i type but what is "root"? I typed in "apt-get update" in a terminal window and it says "could not open lock file var/lib/apt/lists/lock - open (13 permission denied)

BTW The computer has 2 network adaptor (1 integrated)which should i plug the ADSL in?

reddazz · 10-20-2006, 04:03 PM

root is the super user (user with all privileges) on Linux and Unix systems. You are getting the access denied error because only root can make major system changes. To switch to root, start a terminal session using Konsole or gnome-terminal, enter the command "su -" (without quotes). Once you have gained root access, enter "apt-get update" to update your package information, after then enter "apt-get upgrade" to perform the actual upgrade. Once everything is done, enter the command "exit" so that you leave the root account because working as root all the time is not recommended since you can easily do harm to your Linux installation.

da_linkwent · 10-20-2006, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reddazz

root is the super user (user with all privileges) on Linux and Unix systems. You are getting the access denied error because only root can make major system changes. To switch to root, start a terminal session using Konsole or gnome-terminal, enter the command "su -" (without quotes). Once you have gained root access, enter "apt-get update" to update your package information, after then enter "apt-get upgrade" to perform the actual upgrade. Once everything is done, enter the command "exit" so that you leave the root account because working as root all the time is not recommended since you can easily do harm to your Linux installation.

Ok that worked therefore the NIC i plugged the adsl in is the one forthe internet and other for lan? I have a externat hard drive can i use it with debian?

jstephens84 · 10-20-2006, 05:16 PM

Yes you can. You just have to edit the /etc/fstab and tell it where to mount when to mount it and what users will be able to mount it. If this drive will be shared with Windows I would suggest you make it a fat32 drive.

da_linkwent · 10-21-2006, 07:44 PM

i ran Apt-get update and upgrade and the system reboot but now it stopped at "starting samba daemons: nmbd smbd". what must i do now?