RED HAT LINUX ALL POSSIBLE QUESTIONS ON REDHAT LINUX FOR SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR CO

URSE.
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====UDDALAK BANERJEE(UBJ)
Q.What is SCSI?
ANS:IT is set of evolving standard electronic interfaces that allow personal com
puters to communicate with peripheral hardware
it allows connecting of 7 to 15.
Q.What is ide?
ANS:It is a standard electronic interface used between the data path of a comput
er motherboard and the disk storage device.
Q.What is Gateway?
ANS:The Ip address of the machine that has the network IDs of other network in t
he Internet/Intranet so that it can forward the packets to other networks for de
livery.
Q.What is a netmask?
ANS:A 32 bit value that allows the recipient of IP packets to distinguish networ
k ID of the ipaddress from the host id .
Q.What is MasterBootRecord?
ANS:It is information stored on the first sector of any hard disk.IT also contai
ns bootloader program.
Q.What are the types of Partition?
ANS: 1.primary--partition from which OS boots
2.Extended--store data or program
#There can me more than one primary partition at a time but only one of them is
a active primary partition.
Q.What is partition naming scheme in Red Hat LInux?
ANS: /dev/xxyN
/dev-where all device files reside
xx:-Types of device on which the partition resides hd or sd
y:-device on which partition resides.
/dev/hda2-First hard disk's(a) second primary partition.
/dev/sda5-First hard disk's first logical partition.
N-partition numbers.
1-4-primary partition
5-logical partition.
Q.What are 2 types of partition?
Ans:1./boot partition (less than 16 mb)
2.root partition
#all files except boot files are stored here.
Q.What is network boot diskette image file?
ANs:bootnet.img
Q.What is 'PCMCIA'?
ANS:IT stands for personal computer Memory card International Assosiation.
PCMCIA support diskette image file is pcmcia.img and is located in the images di
rectory on the Redhat cd.
Q.WHAT ARE The way of installing REDHAT linux in your system?
Ans: 1.local CDROM
2.NFS IMAGE
3.FTP
4.HARD DRIVE
Q.What Installation classes in Redhat linux?
Ans: 1.WorkStation
2.Server
3.Custom
Q.How to start installation from cd?
ANs: d:
cd\dosutils
autoboot.bat
Q.What is default method of installation?
Ans:The default method of installation of RedHat Linux is autoprobing to automat
ically detect the hardware in your system.
Q.What is expert mode?
Ans:boot:expert
if initial set up doesnot detect hardware you may need to restart the installat
ion in expert mode.
Q.How can we perform unintended installation?
ANs: by KICKSTART MODE
boot:linux ks
it looks for file named ks in the floopy
Q.What are the five virtual consoles ?
Ans:f1-- installation program's dialog box
f2--- shell prompt
f3---install log
f4---system log
f5---Other messages
Q.Why is virtual consoles used?
Ans:so that user can work on multiple terminals.
Q.How to change keyboard type after you have booted your RedHat Linux System?
Ans:usr/sbin/kbconfig
or setup command if logged in as root
Q.How is partition created?
ANs:1.disk druid utility
2.fdisk
Incase os/2 is also present how would partitions be done?
Ans: fdisk can be used to set partition types to linux swap and linux native.
Q.What are Druid Buttons sections options?
Ans:ADD,EDIT,DELETE,OK AND BACK
Q.What are function keys that are used incase of Druid?
Ans:f2--add nfs
f5:Reset
TO select every partition we use spacebar
Q.How to configure a mouse?
ANs:to determine the interface of the mouse device,check where the mouse cable p
lugs into the system.
IF the connector at the end of the mouse cable plugs into a rectangular connecto
r,you have a serial mouse.
Q.How to configure mouse after installation.?
Ans:/usr/sbin/mouseconfig command
Q.What are options for setting ip addresses at installation time?
Ans:1.Static Ip address
2.BOOTp
3.DHCP
Q.how to configure Tcp/ip?
ANs:Enter ipaddress -
NETMASK-
DEFAULT GATEWAY-
PRIMARY NAMESERVER-
Q.How configure the network?
ANs:Domain name
Host name
Secondary Nameserver(IP)
Tertiary Nameserver(ip)
Q.how to configure clock and set to GMT?
ANs:Select hardware clockset to GMT
and uncheck this to follow local time
Q.how to select services for start on reboots?
ANs:Services dialog box /ok/enter /configurePrinter/enter
Q.what is authentication configuration?
Ans: ENABLE NIS
USE SHADOW PASSWORD
ENABLE MD5 PASSWORDS(ENABLING THIS ALLOW A LONG PASSWORD OF 256 CHARACTERS)
Q.HOW TO INSTALL LILO?
Ans:1.install it at MASTER BOOT RECORD
2.First sector of your root partition.
Q.HOW is xwindow system configured?
ANs:While configuring the xfree86 server,the installation program launches the x
configurator utility.
Q. How to customerize your computer?
ANs:Custom/ok/Custom Monitor/OK/Screen Config/Dont probe
Q. What is default group name?
ANs: Username
Q.How to check Userid and groupid?
Ans: using id [opition][username]
options:
-u--- username
-g---groupid
-G---Supplimentary group
-n---print name
Q.What is umask value?
ANs: IT determines the initial file permission on newly created file.
Umask 002 --> 666 -002=664
Q. What are default values of user and group?
Ans root userid=0 groupid=0
bin groupid=1
steve groupid=500

Q.How can you force all files created to have same groupid as that of directory
in which it is created?
Ans:chmod g+s (directory name)
Q.what is a sticky bit?
Ans:For an executable program file,a sticky bit saves the programs text image on
the swap device so that it loads more quickly when it runs.Thus the program sti
cks to memory ,hence name "sticky bit"
Q.How to use sticky bit?
Ans:chmod +t dir1
Q.What info is present in following files
1./etc/passwd
2./etc/shadow
3./etc/group
4./etc/gshadow
5./etc/default/useradd
6./etc/skel
7./etc/login.defs
Ans:1, user account information
2.maintains password related information of the users in an encrypted and secure
3.maintain group information
4.maintain group password in an encrypted form
5.Maintain the default information that is used whenever new user is created
6.The directory contains default files that are copied to user home directory.
7.This contains system wide settings that are used while creating new users and
groups.
Q.What are contents of above files?
Ans:1.Username,Password,userid,groupid,comment,HOME,LOGINSHELL
2.Username,password,last,may,must,warn,Expire,diable,reserved.
3.groupname,password,groupid,user.
5. Group,home,inactive,expire,shell,skel
directly etc/default/useradd can be edited to create users
6.It acts as home directory for newly created user
7./etc/logindefs file contains system wide settings
Q.what are opitions available for useradd command?
Ans: -C comment
-d Path for user home directory
default:/home/loginname
-e expire date
when user account will be disabled
mm/dd/yy format
-f inactive days
value 0 disable the account -1 does not disable
-g initial groups .The option is used to specify the group name or number of the
users login group. Default is 1
-G group-this option specifies a list of supplementary groups of which you will
become a member
-u UID-default users if value>99 and greater than every other id
0-99 -uid used for the system
UID STARTS FROM 500 UPWARDS
-s shell -specify loginshell
-n -turnoff the feature that group will have same name as the username
Q.How to delete a user account?
Ans:userdel command
userdel [-r] login
used remove his home directory and all files in his home directory
Q.How to add a group?
Ans:group add -g GID
-r creates system account that is group having GID lower than 500
-f supress error messages
Q how to modify a group?
Ans: groupmod -n ubj
where ubj is name of the group
else use group id with -g
group mod -g 234
Q.what is use of groupdel?
ANs: It deletes a groupaccount from the system.
It changes /etc/group file
You have to manually change groupid for the files whose groupowner has been dele
ted.
groupdel groupname
Q.What is use of newgrp?
Ans: It is used to change the group identification for a user.It logs the user i
nto a new group.
newgrp[group]
IF no group is specified the group is changed to the users default GID
Q. Suppose ubj has primary group troy and supp group thomas .How to login as tho
mas?
Ans newgrp thomas.
Q.what are uses of pwconv and pwunconv?
ANs:pwconv-creates the shadow file that stores userpassword in an encrypted form
to provide better security.
pwunconv- remove the shadow password system.
Q.What are use of pwck and grpck?
Ans:pwck[-r][password shadow]
-r is used to execute pwck command in readonly mode.
here etc/passwd and etc/shadow files are checked.
grpck[-r] [group][shadow]
etc/group and etc/shadow options are checked.
Q.How can a root user run LINUX CONF?
ANS: IT can be run by root by any of the following interfaces--
1.command line
2.character based
3.xwindow based
4.web based
to enable it rootconfig/networking/misc/linuxnetworkacc
Q.What is use of KDE?
Ans: it is k desktop environment.
it is used to manage users and groups in LINUX SYSTEM.
Q.what are options used with chgrp?
ANs:IT is used to change group ownership for a file or directory.
option -r changes group ownership of files and directories recursively under a p
articular directory
-f it suppresses most of the error messages for instance if the filename that yo
u specify doesnot exist
-v it stands for verbose .this displays status of all files processed.
Q,what are options used with su?
Ans : - makes a new shell created as users login shell
This reset all the environment variables except TERM,HOME,SHELL
-m or -p- it preserves the environment variable
It doesnot reset the values of environment variable the HOME,USER,LOGINNAME,SHEL
LS
-S(SHELL NAME) IT SPECIFIES SHELL TO BE USED BY NEW USER
-C(COMMAND) IT SPECIFIES COMMANDS TO BE RUN ON NEW SHELL
Q.How to know whether printer daemon is running or not?
Ans lpc status
Q.what are components of print services in LINUX?
Ans:1.the print device files(/dev file)
2.the spooler(by lpd command)
3.print queue'(by lpq command)
4.the printer capablity etc/printcap database
Q.what is spooling?
Ans:Spooling is the process by which print jobs are rendered to a disk based fil
e that is understood by the printer and sent for printing
It is carried out by lpd(lline printer daemon)
The spool file are store at/var/spool/lpd
Q.Suppose two printer lp and lp0 are connected through server Message block (SMB
) service?HOw to arrange for the directory specification?
Ans::sd--- specifies spool directory
:mx-----specifies maximum filesize 0 index unlimited
:sh---specifies printer to suppress the printing of page header
:if---Specifies name of input filter
:at---specifies name of accounting file
Q.What is a taper?
Ans:IT is a tapedrive backup utility.
IT is used to maintain compressed or uncompressed archive on tapes or removable
media
Taper -t devicetype option device
l-harddisk
i-ide tape drive
s-scsi tape drive
m-removable floppy disk
z-floppy tape drive.
Q What is use of rpm?
Ans1.Installing
2.upgrading
3.uninstalling
4.Querying
5 .verifying
i386 means architecture of package
rpm -option package file
i=install
v=verify
h=print hashmark
u=upgrade
f=upgrade if older version exist
q=used to query on packages
e=uninstall
Q.Suppose you come across a file that you donot recognise and would like to find
out which package owns it .How would you do ?
Ans: rpm -qf/usr/bin/ubj
ubj-12.4.14
Q.SUppose you accidentally deleted somefile but are not very sure what you have
deleted .If you want to verify what you have deleted then what step should you t
ake?
Ans rpm-Va
Q.How to obtain more information about a package?
Ans:rpm -qip eject 2.0
Q.What are the 3 modes of cpio facility?
Ans:copy out-copy files into archive
copy in -extracts and list files from an archive
copy pass-copy files from one directory to another.
Q What is the disadvantage of dump facility?
Ans:It makes the backup program specific to only one filesystem.
Q WHat are backup tools?
Ans in redhat it is tar,cpio and dump
Utilities used are BRU 200O AND TAPER

Q What precaution should we take to run backup?

Ans:Run the system as single user
by #init s
Q. how to create and extract tar files?
Ans: tar -cvf name ========creates files with file name as name
tar -xvf name=============extracts files with filename as name
x=extract file
t=display list
a=concatenates tar file
Q.what are the raid levels supported for LINUX ?
Ans:Raid 0 ,1 and 5
Q.What is command to mount the usb device?
Ans:mount -t /dev/sda1/mnt/usb
t is used to specify the type of filesystem that is present on the diskette.
/dev/st0 method of access is sequential
Q.How to remove print job from the print queue?
Ans:by lprm command
Q.What is use of rlpr?
Ans:It is used to send a printjob directly to a queue on a remote machine withou
t configuring the printer on local machine.
Q How to print files to specified printer.?
Ans:lpr
Q What is the command for formatting large text files in linux for printing?
Ans: pr
QHow to specify a printer on which output is to be printed?
ANs: lpr command with -p option
Q.What are types of printers that can be configured in LINUx?
Ans:1. local printer connected to linux server
2.Remote unix/linux(lpd) printer .A printer that is physically connected to a u
nix machine
3.Window 95/Windows nt (smb printer)
4.NOvell Network(NCP) printer
Q.what is use of Lpc?
Ans:Lpc enable--enable the printer to accept new jobs
Lpc status---check status of printer daemon and queue
Q What are characterestics of NFS?
ANs:1.It enable the sharing of filesystem over a network
2.NFS follow the client server architecture in which the server is the machine t
hat shares its filesystem and the clients are the hosts that access the shared s
ystem.
Q.How do you share resources in a Novell Netware and linux?
ANs:using Netware core protocol(NCP)
Q.What are the daemon used in case of NFS?
Ans:1.Portmapper
2.nfsd
3.mountd
Portmapper manages remote procedure call(RPC)
portmap runs as a server and converts RPC program numbers into defense advanced
research Project Agency protocol port numbers.
Q.How to start portmap?
Ans:/etc/rc.d/init.d/portmap start
Q.how to start NFS?
Ans:/etc/rc.d/init d /nfs start
Q.What does fstab file contain?
Ans:It contains descriptive information of the filesystem that have to be mount
ed automatically at boot time
Q.What is use of netconf utility?
Ans:IT is used to configure NFS graphically
Q.What is use of fsconf package?
ANs:It can be used from NFS client to mount NFS filesystem
Q.Mountd is not running What to do?
ANs Start mountd by following command
kill all -HUP /usr/sbin/rpc.mountd
Q.On NFC server the exported filesystem has been mounted after NFS was started.I
N such a case the server is exporting the underlying mount point.What to do?
Ans:Stop the nfsd and restart it
The client machine also needs to unmount then remount the file system.
Q.What are the components on the Samba suite?
Ans:1.smbd-provide file and print services to SMB clients
config fle--etc/smb.conf
2.nmbd-provide name serving and browsing support
It helps in the browsing protocols which make up the Windows Network Neighbourho
od view.
3.samba-shell script in /usr/sbin directory
It is used to stop and start samba smbd and nmbd deamons
4.smbclient-The utility is used to access SMB shares on window machines.
5.nmblookup-allows NETBIOS name queries to be made from Linux machine
#nmb lookup steve-ird
6.testparm -checks smb.conf file for errors
7.lmhosts-It is a samba file for NETBIOS name to IT address mapping
Q.What are the sections of /etc/smb.conf file?
Ans 1.global section
all the parameters defined here act as defaults for the sections that do not spe
cifically define those parameters
2.homes section
This section allows a remote user to access only his/her own HOME directory on t
he LINUX mACHINE
3.THE PRINTER SECTION
Shares the printer defined in /etc/printcap file
Q.how to access Samba shares from Linux Machines?
Ans 1.smbclient command
It provides a FTP like command line interface that allows transfer of files from
a share on a SMB Server
Q.smbmount command
Mount a samba server
Q.HOW to enable SWAT?
Ans 1.goto etc/services
SWAT 901/tcp--------this line should not be commented
2.Edit /etc/inetd.conf
to remove comment before following line
SWAT stream tcp ...
3.restart the inetd daemon
kill all -HUP inetd
Q.How to create and manage SAMBA shares?
Ans:1.By editing /etc/smb.conf directly by text editor
2.By using netconf utility to create SAMBA share.
3.BY using SWAT.
Q What are the subnet masks used for A,B AND C NETWORK?
Ans:A--- 255.0.0.0
B----255.255.0.0
c----255.255.255.0
Q.When the linux server is switched on how to enable dhcpd?
Ans:By ntsysv command.
Q.What is stored in dhcpd.leases file?
Ans:The Ip address leased by the DHCP server to specific clients are stored in a
filenamed dhcpd.leases.
Q.What is the empty file creation command
Ans:Touch /etc/dhcpd.leases
Q how to configure DHCP for linux clients?
ANs:Type netconf/Client task /basic host information/config mode
Q.How to start dhcpd from commandline?
Ans:/sbin/dhcpd
Q.how to turn off the network?
ANs:/sbin/dhcpcd-k
Q.what are the commands used to see ip address configuration in most used system
s?
Ans: WIN 95---------WINIIPCFG
WINNT---------------IPCONFIG
LINUX---------------IFCONFIG
Q.You have configured the dhcpd daemon to obtain an Ipaddress during boot time b
y adding IT IN THE BOOT UP SCRIPT.hOWEVER WHEN YOU BOOT YOUR MACHINE IT DOESNOT
HAVE ANY IPADDRESS.HOW TO RESOLVE?
Ans: Use the -r option while starting dhcpcd daemon
/sbin/dhcpcd-r
Q.What are the types of DNS Server?
Ans: 1.primary(translates domain name to IP ADDRESS)
2.secondary(derives its data from another nameserver)
3.Master(it includes primary and secondary nameserver and participate in zone tr
ansfer(ie file transfer from primary to secondary))
4.caching(recieves the DNS request from a DNS resolver and forwards the request
to another nameserver
Q.In which way can a Httpd daemon run?
Ans:1.standalone
2.inetd
Q.When is inetd used?
Ans: ONLY IN CASE---
1.Linux server is configured to run multiple services
2.When we donot want multiple copies of the daemon running
The config setting for inetd is present in file etc/inetd.conf
Q.which are the 3 configuration files for APACHE?
Ans: 1.httpd.conf--IT contains directories that control the operation of the ser
ver daemon
2.srm.conf--controls the specifications of the documents that the server provide
s to client
3.access.conf--This file defines the server settings that affect the type of ser
vices allowed and under what circumstances
Q.How to start Proxy server in Lynx?
Ans: Uncomment the setting part by searching the keyword
http_proxy
Q.how to start proxy server in Netscape?
ANs:EDIt/perferences/Advanced/Proxies/Manual Proxy config
Q.how to start proxy in INternet explorer?
Ans:Tools/Internet Options/connections/Lansettings/proxy server
Q.what are the different types of proxy server used?
Ans:1.Application Proxies
2.SOCKS proxies
Q.What are Application Proxy and Socks proxies?
Ans:Application proxies are those servers which handle all requests
They support user authentication
SOcks proxies are widely used as firewall socks server appears as a client to th
e application server the client are hidden.
Q.What are the types of firewall?
Ans:1.proxy server
2.Packet filtering firewall
proxy server blocks selected network packets
packet filtering firewall denies access to specific hosts on the Internet
Q.how to test the Apache server?
Ans:lynx local host
Q.HOw to deny access to output chain?
Ans:ipchain -P output deny
Q.How to specify the default policy for forward chain as DENY that is drop packe
ts?
Ans:ipchain -p forward deny
Q.What are the options used mostly with ipchains?
Ans: -N --creates new chain
-x--Deletes an empty
-p--Changes policy for a built in chain
-l--lists the rules in a chain
-F--flushes the rules out of a chain
-z--zeroes the packet and byte counters on all the rule in a chain
-A--Appends a new rule to a chain
-I--Inserts a new rule at some position in a chain.