Linux Troubleshooting for System Administrators & Power Users

Description

Linux is a fast-growing operating system with power and appeal, and enterprises worldwide are quickly adopting the system to utilize its benefits. But as with all operating systems, performance problems do occur causing system administrators to scramble into action. Finally, there is a complete reference for troubleshooting Linux - quickly! Linux Troubleshooting for System Administrators and Power Users is THE book for locating and solving problems and maintaining high performance in Red Hat Linux and Novell SUSE Linux systems.

This book not only teaches you how to troubleshoot Linux, it shows you how the system works - so you can attack any problem at its root. Should you reinstall if Linux does not boot? Or can you save time by troubleshooting the problem? Can you enhance performance when Linux hangs or runs slowly? Can you overcome problems with printing or accessing a network? This book provides easy-to-follow examples and an extensive look at the tools, commands, and scripts that make Linux run properly.

* A troubleshooting guide for all Linux users: Focuses on common problems with start-up, printing, login, the network, security, and more
* Restore Linux when boot, startup, or shutdown fails - and reinstall Linux properly when all troubleshooting fails
* Explains how to use some of the most popular Linux performance tools, including top, sar, vmstat, iostat, and free
* Handle storage problems and CPU slamming to ensure high Linux performance
* Solve hardware device problems by deciphering error messages and using the lspci tool
* Use backup/recover commands and tape libraries to create proper backups
* Identify and correct remote and network printing problems using spooler commands

Gone are the days of searching online for solutions that are out of date and unreliable. Whether you are a system admin, developer, or user, this book is an invaluable resource for ensuring that Linux runs smoothly, efficiently, and securely.

CONTENTS:

Preface xvii

Chapter 1 System Boot, Startup, and Shutdown Issues 1

Chapter 2 System Hangs and Panics 51

Chapter 3 Performance Tools 79

Chapter 4 Performance 107

Chapter 5 Adding New Storage via SAN with Reference to PCMCIA and USB 159

Chapter 6 Disk Partitions and Filesystems 185

Chapter 7 Device Failure and Replacement 229

Chapter 8 Linux Processes: Structures, Hangs, and Core Dumps 253

Chapter 9 Backup/Recovery 285

Chapter 10 cron and at 315

Chapter 11 Printing and Printers 345

Chapter 12 System Security 383

Chapter 13 Network Problems 423

Chapter 14 Login Problems 495

Chapter 15 X Windows Problems 527

        Index 551