Linux
Fix: server certificate does NOT include an ID which matches the server name
When attempting to configure SSL on a server designed to run Apache or potentially another similar web hosting technology, you might end up getting an error that tells you that the server certificate does NOT include an ID which matches the server name. This is technically just a warning and…
Fix: ssh_exchange_identification ‘connection closed by remote host’
While in many cases the ssh_exchange_identification: Connection closed by remote host error can be caused by issues related to the hosts.deny and hosts.allow configuration files, there are other things that can cause the problem. If you’re reading this, then chances are you’ve already checked to make sure that both of…
Fix: ssh_exchange_identification: read: connection reset by peer
Fortunately, the ssh_exchange_identification: read: Connection reset by peer error is quite rare, but you might run into it if you’re trying to ssh into any type of Unix server. It doesn’t matter if you’re using Windows with cygwin to access Ubuntu or macOS with the terminal to ssh into Arch,…
Fix: You don’t currently have permission to access this folder
If you’re using the Linux subsystem in Windows, cygwin or any of the other various ways to interface Unix and Windows together, then you might run into the you don’t currently have permission to access this folder error. In a pure Linux or Unix environment, you might get an error…
Fix: Cannot find a valid baseurl for repo: base
If you’re on any of the Linux distributions that use the yum package manager, then you might end up seeing an error that reads Cannot find a valid baseurl for repo: base shortly after you finishing installing the operating system. This is most commonly an error associated with the Fedora,…
Fix: Could not open file /var/lib/dpkg/status
You might get a nasty “could not open file /var/lib/dpkg/status” error or something similar if you’ve been poking around the /var/lib/dpkg/ directory and clearing things out as the root users. Most files located in /var, according to the Linux Filesystem Hierarchy Standard, are temporary and change during operation. However, that…
How to View the Contents of a Text File from the Linux Command Line
What command lets you view the contents of a file has to be one of the most commonly asked questions by newer users of Linux. As with most things related to a traditional Unix environment, there’s more than one way to do things and most of these tips would also…
Fixed: sudo: no tty present and no askpass program specified
The no tty present and no askpass program specified output line is one of those ssh error messages that really isn’t all that helpful because it doesn’t really get to the point of what’s causing the issue. More than likely, you’re actually working with a valid TTY of some sort…
Fixed: No Matching Key Exchange Method Found
When you’re trying to use ssh to get in touch with a remote server, you might receive an error that reads no matching key exchange method found before giving you a suggestion as to which encryption algorithm you’ll want to be using. You won’t be able to connect to the…
Fix: Could not open lock file /var/lib/dpkg/lock
Getting the could not open lock file /var/lib/dpkg/lock error message can be confusing because it might very well ask if you’re root immediately afterward even if you were running an update command with the sudo prefix. This error command will show up on nearly everything that uses the apt-get package…
Fix: No targets specified and no makefile found.
Whether you’re working with Ubuntu, Debian or Red Hat, you might see an error that reads make: *** No targets specified and no makefile found. Stop. Since this is a general issue related to GNU Make as a whole, you might see it on countless Unix implementations. It means that…
Which Linux Distribution is Considered the Most Cutting-Edge Distribution?
Linux has a reputation for being extremely conservative, which could be due to the fact that it doesn’t always support new hardware as soon as it comes out. This has more to do with the fact that hardware vendors don’t share how their products work with the open-source software community…
Fix: Cannot Connect to the Docker Daemon
You might be very confused if a Linux terminal is throwing a “cannot connect to the Docker daemon” error at you, because more than likely the Docker daemon is already running when you see that. While you’ll want to ensure that it is, you’ll probably be puzzled when you find…
Fix: Please enter a commit message to explain why this merge is necessary
Possibly one of the most embarrassing error messages to get stuck in when using the git development hub involves commit messages after doing a normal merge. You might see a line instructing you to please enter a commit message to explain why this merge is necessary, but if you write…
Fix: Could not open a connection to your authentication agent
You might get an error that reads “could not open a connection to your authentication agent” when you try and add a key passphrase by using the ssh-add command. This particular problem is usually caused by the ssh-agent not getting correctly assigned, which is why so many people find it…
Fix: Unable to Boot ‘Please Use a Kernel Appropriate for your CPU’
Most problems that users have with GNU/Linux are well after they’re booted and trying to work with some software package, but what happens if you get a message that reads unable to boot please use a kernel appropriate for your CPU while you’re trying to start? If you’re working with…
Fix: Unable to Correct Problems ‘You have Held Broken Packages’
You might find that when you’re trying to install a package on Linux you find a dreaded line that reads E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages. The installation then refuses to progress beyond this point. You might find this on any Linux distribution that uses apt-get…
Fix: psql: could not connect to server: No such file or directory
PostgreSQL promotes itself as the most advanced open-source database application platform, and Debian Linux certainly has plenty of packages that make it even more complex. You can also find boatloads of packages for PostgreSQL if you’re working with Ubuntu Server or any of the various Ubuntu spins, since they’re based…
Fix: root User’s Home Directory is /root
You might have noticed an error where typing cd or cd ~ takes you to /root instead of something inside of the /home directory that seems to hold home directories. If you’re getting this error, then you’ve probably noticed it every single time you’re operating as the super user in…
How to Find Out What Motherboard You Have in Linux or Ubuntu
Just like with RAM cards and any USB, PCI or PCI Express devices that you might have attached to your system, Linux provides you with tools to find the make and model of the motherboard you have installed. This is particularly useful because while it can be difficult to get…
How to make a Program Executable from Everywhere in Linux
Most people install programs from the official package manager, so they don’t have to think about where they go in Linux. After installing them, they simply type the program’s name and it works like nobody’s business. What happens if you write your own executable shell script or you download a…
How to Check RAM Slots in Linux
You have two options when it comes to checking which RAM slots are occupied and with what on your machine. The first is to open up the case and look. This might involve unscrewing bolts on a desktop or releasing some cases this a fragile door on a laptop. Doing…
How to Reassign Cursor Keys in vi & vim
While some people might take exception to any change to the classic vi Unix cursor keys, you might be a vim user who wants to change them up. The nice thing about Linux, BSD and Unix as a whole is that you have the final say about everything. Many gamers…
Fix: Lost Desktop Wallpaper in Linux
Each individual Linux distribution stashes desktop wallpaper in a different place. You might want to know where it’s location is if you want to, say, symlink at SLiM or other theme package to it. It’s also good to know if you want to delete old wallpaper that just seems stuck…
How to Format a Drive as exFAT on Linux
If you’re transferring files between computers running Windows and Linux, then you can either format drives with the exFAT or NTFS file systems to make things smooth. Since Windows, OS X, Linux and now several mobile devices like the Sony Xperia Z can read exFAT, you may prefer to use…