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--- helpful_ubuntu_commands [2024/12/24 08:05] – created mike
+++ helpful_ubuntu_commands [2025/12/06 10:01] (current) – mike
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-====== Helpful Ubuntu/Linux Commands ======
+====== Helpful Ubuntu/Linux Commands and Procedures ======
 ----
+=== Disable Ubuntu Pro "Ads", Etc. ===
+<color red>First implemented in my network 03/20/2025; monitoring for effectiveness</color>
+  sudo pro config set apt_news=false
 === List hard drive serial numbers ===
   lsblk --nodeps -o name,serial
@@ Line 6: / Line 10: @@
 === List processes and the ports they are listening on ===
   netstat -tulpn | grep LISTEN
+or
+  ss -tulpn | grep LISTEN
 === Reload systemd manager configuration after changes made ===
@@ Line 18: / Line 24: @@
 === Changing default editor for visudo ===
   sudo update-alternatives --config editor
+If visudo complains about a missing defaults.vim file, it can be fixed thusly:
+  sudo touch ~root/.exrc
 === Disable GUI screen lock ===
@@ Line 36: / Line 45: @@
 === Finding largest files/directories ===
   du -a /dir/ | sort -n -r | head -n 20 (replace 20 with the # of lines you wish to have returned)
+=== Find the oldest file in a directory (and it's subdirectories) ===
+  find . -type f -printf '%T+ %p\n' | sort | head -n 1
+=== Finding files by file name (or file name portion) ===
+  find . -iname <filename to search for>
+=== Disable colors in the vi editor by default ===
+  Create (or edit, if it exists) ~/.vimrc; into this file add the command syntax off, and save the file.
+**Overwrite/blast the boot block on the hard drive (<color red>ONLY when you want to re-install the operating system!</color>)**
+  dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda count=1 bs=512
+=== Find files consuming the root file system ===
+  mkdir /tmp/rootbind
+  mount --bind / /tmp/rootbind
+  du -d 1 -h /tmp/rootbind
+=== Solution for Linux systems not visible in the "Network Neighborhood" on Windows machines ===
+  apt install wsdd
+=== View video resolution capabilities ===
+  xrandr -q
+=== Converting OTA DVR recordings to .MP4 ===
+OTA DVR recordings are saved as **.ts** files, which are not compatible with DaVinci Resolve (my video editor of choice).  For this reason, we must convert the files into a format that “DR” can comprehend.  We can do this on linux using the ffmpeg package:
+  ffmpeg -i <inputfile.ts> -vcodec copy -acodec copy <outputfile.mp4>
+=== Generate password hashes (useful for Ansible playbooks amongst other things) ===
+  mkpasswd --method=sha-512
+==== Cookbook for passing client IP address to systems behind a reverse proxy ====
+=== On the reverse proxy: ===
+Ensure that websockets support is enabled
+=== On the host: ===
+Create /etc/apache2/conf-available/remoteip.conf with the following contents:
+  RemoteIPHeader X-Forwarded-For
+  RemoteIPTrustedProxy x.x.x.x (replace w/ IP address of trusted proxy)
+Execute the commands:
+  ln /etc/apache2/conf-available/remoteip.conf /etc/apache2/conf-enabled/remoteip.conf
+  ln /etc/apache2/mods-available/remoteip.load /etc/apache2/mods-enabled/remoteip.load
+Edit ''/etc/apache2/apache2.conf'' and find the **LogFormat** lines.  Change each occurrence of **%h** to **%a**.
+Restart apache.
+=== Create new GPT disk partition ===
+sudo into an elevated shell and then perform the following:
+  parted /dev/sdX (where X is the letter of the drive to be manipulated)
+  mklabel gpt
+  Acknowledge the warning if one is given
+  unit TB
+  mkpart primary 0.00TB 2.00TB (or 3.00TB, 4.00TB, etc. depending on the size to be created)
+  print (to view the new partition)
+  quit (to exit parted)
+Then proceed to format the new drive, i.e. **mkfs -t ext4 /dev/sdb1**
+==== Changing the server's IP address ====
+  sudo vi /etc/netplan/00-installer-config.yaml
+  find the existing IP and change it to the desired IP; 'wq' out of the file
+  sudo netplan apply
+==== Changing the server's host name ====
+  hostnamectl set-hostname [new host name]