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Linux Study Guide - System Initialization & X Windows

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Term
Definition
.dmrc (display manager runtime configuration) file   A file that is stored within each user’s home directory to list the preferred desktop environment for use by the GNOME Display Manager.  
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.xinitrc (X initialization runtime configuration) file   A file that is stored within each user’s home directory to list the preferred desktop environment for use by the startx command.  
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/boot   The directory that contains the kernel and boot-related files.  
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/boot/grub/grub.conf   The GRUB configuration file.  
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/etc/inittab   The configuration file for the init daemon that specifies the default runlevel.  
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/etc/lilo.conf   The LILO configuration file.  
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/etc/rc.d/init.d   The directory in which most daemons’and startup/shutdown scripts are located.  
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/etc/rc.d/rc*.d   The directories used to start and kill daemons in each runlevel.  
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/etc/rc.d/rc.local   The final script executed during system startup.  
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/etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit   The first script executed during system startup.  
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/etc/X11/XF86Config   The configuration file used by the XFree86 implementation of X Windows.  
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/etc/X11/xorg.conf   The configuration file used by the X.Org implementation of X Windows.  
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active partition   The partition searched for by an OS after the MBR.  
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boot loader   A program used to load an OS.  
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chkconfig command   A command that can be used to configure daemon startup by runlevel.  
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compiz   A window manager that is commonly used within the KDE and GNOME desktops to provide 3D effects.  
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Daemon   A Linux system process that provides a certain service.  
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default runlevel   The runlevel that is entered when the Linux system is initialized at boot time.  
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desktop environment   The software that works with a window manager to provide a standard GUI environment that uses standard programs and development tools.  
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Display Settings utility   A graphical utility that can be used to configure the video card and monitor settings for use by X Windows.  
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dmesg command   A command that displays hardware-related messages generated by the Linux kernel.  
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dual boot   A configuration in which two or more OSs exist on the hard disk of a computer; a boot loader allows the user to choose which OS to load at boot time.  
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EasyBCD   A free Windows utility that can be used to modify and configure the Windows boot loader so that it can dual boot a Linux OS.  
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ELILO   A boot loader used with computers that support Intel Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) technology.  
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extended multiuser mode   Also called runlevel 3; the mode that provides most daemons and a full set of networking daemons.  
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GNOME Display Manager (gdm)   A program that provides a graphical login screen.  
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GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)   An open source graphics manipulation program that uses the GTK+ toolkit.  
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GNU Object Model Environment (GNOME)   The default desktop environment in Fedora Linux; it was created in 1997.  
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GRand Unified Bootloader (GRUB)   A common boot loader used on Linux systems.  
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grub-install command   The command used to install the GRUB boot loader.  
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grub-md5-crypt command   The command used to generate an encrypted password for use in the /etc/grub/grub.conf file.  
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GRUB root partition   The partition containing the second stage of the GRUB boot loader and the /boot/grub/grub.conf file.  
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GTK+ toolkit   A development toolkit for C programming; it is used in the GNOME desktop and the GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP).  
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init command   The command used to change the OS from one runlevel to another.  
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initialize (init) daemon   The first process started by the Linux kernel; it is responsible for starting and stopping other daemons.  
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Initstate   See runlevel.  
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K Desktop Environment (KDE)   A desktop environment created by Matthias Ettrich in 1996.  
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K Window Manager (kwin)   The window manager that works under the KDE Desktop Environment.  
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KDE Display Manager (kdm)   A graphical login screen for users that resembles the KDE desktop.  
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lilo command   The command used to reinstall the LILO boot loader based on the configuration information in /etc/lilo.conf.  
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Linux Loader (LILO)   A common boot loader used on Linux systems.  
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Metacity Window Manager   The default window manager for the GNOME Desktop Environment in Fedora 13.  
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mouse-test command   A command used to detect and configure your mouse.  
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multiuser mode   Also called runlevel 2; the mode that provides most daemons and a partial set of networking daemons.  
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Ntsysv   A utility that can be used to alter the daemons that are started in each runlevel.  
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power on-self test (POST)   An initial series of tests run when a computer is powered on to ensure that hardware components are functional.  
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Qt toolkit   The software toolkit used with the K Desktop Environment.  
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Runlevel   A term that defines a certain type and number of daemons on a Linux system.  
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runlevel command   The command used to display the current and most recent (previous) runlevel.  
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runtime configuration (rc) scripts   Shell scripts that are used by the init daemon to initialize the system at boot time as well as start and stop daemons when entering a particular runlevel.  
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service command   A command that can be used to manually start, stop, and restart daemons.  
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Service Configuration utility   A graphical utility that can be used to start, stop, and restart daemons as well as configure the runlevels that they are automatically started and stopped in.  
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single user mode   Also called runlevel 1; the mode that provides a single terminal and a limited set of services.  
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system-config-display command   A command used to configure a video adapter card and monitor for use by X Windows.  
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system-config-keyboard command   A command used to configure a keyboard for use by X Windows.  
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telinit command   An alias to the init command.  
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upstart init system   The next-generation init daemon and related files used by modern Linux distributions such as Fedora 13.  
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virtualization software   Software that can be used to run multiple OSs simultaneously on the same computer.  
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vmlinuz-<kernel version>   The Linux kernel file.  
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window manager   The GUI component that is responsible for determining the appearance of the windows drawn on the screen by X Windows.  
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X client   The component of X Windows that requests graphics to be drawn from the X server and displays them on the terminal screen.  
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X Display Manager (xdm)   A graphical login screen.  
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XFree86   A common implementation of X Windows used in Linux distributions.  
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X.Org   A common implementation of X Windows used in Linux distributions.  
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X server   The component of X Windows that draws graphics to windows on the terminal screen.  
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Xvidtune   A program used to fine-tune the vsync and hsync video card settings for use in X Windows.  
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X Windows   The component of the Linux GUI that displays graphics to windows on the terminal screen.  
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