Ubuntu Specific and General Linux Questions

[The Mad Rapper]

I am doing some general Linux research and would be grateful for informative responses to the following:

1. Using Nutty Narwhal, how do I get in to GRUB? None of the key short cuts seem to work.

2. What is the best way to reset a user account password for a PC I have access to?

3. Where does Linux keep it's installed programmes? (i.e. Equivalent of Program Files in Windows)

4. Where is the Linux version of the registry? I understand this to be /etc and that there is no registry as such, but rather a collection of config files. Correct? Anything else I need to know about this?

5. If I install apps in WINE where are they kept?

6. Where is the time zone information held? (i.e. precisely in which file in the directory structure)

7. Does Gnome or whatever keep a record of last run programmes? If so, where is that list held?

8. Where are link files stored? (i.e Equivalent of Recent in Windows)

9. Where are e-mail archives kept (for Evolution or whatever mail client)

10. How can I determine when the last login occurred?

Thanks

 

[The Mad Rapper]

1. what is it u want to do with grub ? u could edit the /boot/grub/menu.lst
or i think u can install a gui app to edit it, another not sure what its called

I want to use GRUB to log in to Single User mode to forcibly reset the user password so the account can be accessed. I work in Computer Forensics and I want to be able to access user accounts on seized Linux PCs so that I can run them in a VM.

2. Do you have superuser access to the system ? if so either in the super user login, u could try, passwd <username>
or try sudo passwd <username> if u have sudo access from your account

No, in this scenario, all I have is physical access.

4. Linux doesn't exactly work the same as windows, so there isn't really a registry as such, but yeah, etc holds all the configs for the OS and apps
but u also have the . files in your home directory, these are hidden by default thou. (use ls -a to view)

Are any of these files any more significant than the other from the point of view of giving information about the system or what software has been installed?

9. depends on the client, but it'll be in the . files in your home directory, most likly, .evolution

How can I view those graphically? I mean to say, just through Nautilus? If I run Nautilus as sudo will that show me the .files?

10. login to what, gdm, terminal, system?
most login info is stored in /var/log/auth thou

Very grateful to you for your responses. Thanks!

 

[The Mad Rapper]

1. ah i see what ur trying to do.

im asusming the grub menu pops up ?

That's the thing, I couldn't get the GRUB menu to appear. I'd switch it on, boot through BIOS and the flashing hyphen would appear, then load the login screen. The various key presses I tried didn't work (Esc & Shift & Alt+F2).

Having read the post below yours, it seems that I may not have held the Shift key down long enough.

 

[The Mad Rapper]

or u didn't press it intime

start holding it down when the bios is up and dont let go until grub shows

Will do, thanks