Ubuntu server and desktop recommendations.

kronoSX

kronoSX

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I installed Ubuntu server on a spare laptop but got a efi error and boot loops, knowing the aspire has a bug issue, it has been fixed via a bios update and secure boot setting, but I just deleted and format the drive, I installed win 10 and dual boot with Ubuntu 23.
I don't feel like installing Ubuntu server again.wasted to much time getting the bios fixed.

What is the 5 packages I need for making the Ubuntu desktop a server.should I just install Apache then php etc .

What packages would you install if you were to just have the desktop version.and wanted to make it a server.i know there are many packages for specific server needs.I am just wanting to build a setup for sysadmin practice and security engineer mockups.and of course pentesting. I want an enclosed network to study and apply what I learn on my network. Also wanna do the ssh stuff also.
 
apt install ubuntu-server

But what makes it a server is not having a desktop…everything else is just your choice of package to install.

Unlike the Desktop version you decide what makes it a server by installing what you need.

This exercise makes a lot more sense in reverse where you install Ubuntu Server with whatever you need and then install Ubuntu-desktop to give it an interface.
 
kronoSX said:
I installed Ubuntu server on a spare laptop but got a efi error and boot loops, knowing the aspire has a bug issue, it has been fixed via a bios update and secure boot setting, but I just deleted and format the drive, I installed win 10 and dual boot with Ubuntu 23.
I don't feel like installing Ubuntu server again.wasted to much time getting the bios fixed.

What is the 5 packages I need for making the Ubuntu desktop a server.should I just install Apache then php etc .

What packages would you install if you were to just have the desktop version.and wanted to make it a server.i know there are many packages for specific server needs.I am just wanting to build a setup for sysadmin practice and security engineer mockups.and of course pentesting. I want an enclosed network to study and apply what I learn on my network. Also wanna do the ssh stuff also.
Click to expand...
For what you would describe, I would recommend you run your Linux lab in virtual machines (Virtualbox or whatever you prefer) rather than a dual boot. That way you can create, destroy, snapshot roll back and create virtual network architectures on your lab laptop.

You can install something like Cockpit or Webmin to manage your instance through a Web Gui but if you are serious with server side linux you have to get comfortable with the terminal. Probably start with creating a static website with Apache, a MySQL database server and the install Wordpress or something.

Digital Ocean have lots of good community created tutorials on a whole load of Linux related stuff or you could check out some guys on YouTube like NetworkChuck or Learn Linux TV
 
SauRoNZA said:
apt install ubuntu-server

But what makes it a server is not having a desktop…everything else is just your choice of package to install.

Unlike the Desktop version you decide what makes it a server by installing what you need.

This exercise makes a lot more sense in reverse where you install Ubuntu Server with whatever you need and then install Ubuntu-desktop to give it an interface.
Click to expand...
i understand this and was gonna do the server install again, but my plak sak when the boot looped happened and i struggled for 2 hours fixing the damn bios and updating it,I never though updating a bios when the laptop battery is dead was a major issue,i had to scoure the web for a fix to force flash the bios,after that i was somma naar and tired,So i just deleted the bloody and format.i then installed win 10 and dual boot ubuntu 23.Oh the cries from the linux gods.I knew that i could just redo it and install a gui afterwords but god damn man i dont have time to do that all over again..lol
 
InvisibleJim said:
For what you would describe, I would recommend you run your Linux lab in virtual machines (Virtualbox or whatever you prefer) rather than a dual boot. That way you can create, destroy, snapshot roll back and create virtual network architectures on your lab laptop.

You can install something like Cockpit or Webmin to manage your instance through a Web Gui but if you are serious with server side linux you have to get comfortable with the terminal. Probably start with creating a static website with Apache, a MySQL database server and the install Wordpress or something.

Digital Ocean have lots of good community created tutorials on a whole load of Linux related stuff or you could check out some guys on YouTube like NetworkChuck or Learn Linux TV
Click to expand...
i got my own website with plex, and WordPress , the3 database server sql i think i got that also but its not local it all hosted by axxess.I did a nmap scan for ports i could use but sadly i tried and dont know the faaaak whats going on,all this information is just so much to cram in,i want to do all this ka@k in 12months.I only got a year to get to know most pentesting tools and how to use them,sysadmin basics tonormal but not advanced.Basic pentesting an basic python coding skills.And remember i am a electronics/ fleet/ tracking technician guy .This is a mountain i am facing and nogal this late in my life...gawd damn.
 
So what do you actually want to do with it?

Ubuntu Desktop and Server is basically the same. The only differences are the gui desktop that is installed.

If you want nginx, mysql and stuff like that you have to install them anyways on server also so you might as well just keep the desktop version because it's a laptop with a screen to make it look pretty instead of looking at a console screen all the time with the server version.
 
InvisibleJim said:
For what you would describe, I would recommend you run your Linux lab in virtual machines (Virtualbox or whatever you prefer) rather than a dual boot. That way you can create, destroy, snapshot roll back and create virtual network architectures on your lab laptop.

You can install something like Cockpit or Webmin to manage your instance through a Web Gui but if you are serious with server side linux you have to get comfortable with the terminal. Probably start with creating a static website with Apache, a MySQL database server and the install Wordpress or something.

Digital Ocean have lots of good community created tutorials on a whole load of Linux related stuff or you could check out some guys on YouTube like NetworkChuck or Learn Linux TV
Click to expand...

Even simpler…just run Ubuntu inside Windows.
 
kronoSX said:
i understand this and was gonna do the server install again, but my plak sak when the boot looped happened and i struggled for 2 hours fixing the damn bios and updating it,I never though updating a bios when the laptop battery is dead was a major issue,i had to scoure the web for a fix to force flash the bios,after that i was somma naar and tired,So i just deleted the bloody and format.i then installed win 10 and dual boot ubuntu 23.Oh the cries from the linux gods.I knew that i could just redo it and install a gui afterwords but god damn man i dont have time to do that all over again..lol
Click to expand...

Doing it over and over is how everyone else learned to use it….
 
kronoSX said:
i got my own website with plex, and WordPress , the3 database server sql i think i got that also but its not local it all hosted by axxess.I did a nmap scan for ports i could use but sadly i tried and dont know the faaaak whats going on,all this information is just so much to cram in,i want to do all this ka@k in 12months.I only got a year to get to know most pentesting tools and how to use them,sysadmin basics tonormal but not advanced.Basic pentesting an basic python coding skills.And remember i am a electronics/ fleet/ tracking technician guy .This is a mountain i am facing and nogal this late in my life...gawd damn.
Click to expand...

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You can learn it in less than a month if you do it properly and stop ****ing around, jumping to the next thing every time it gets a little hard.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Doing it over and over is how everyone else learned to use it….
Click to expand...
I installed server twice and delete,i installed ubuntu 22 times over the last 8 months.I am so drilled on this.Ok let me wipe this gawd damn drive again and install the server.lol.

1683223897920.pngthis main pc updated this morning
 
kronoSX said:
I installed server twice and delete,i installed ubuntu 22 times over the last 8 months.I am so drilled on this.Ok let me wipe this gawd damn drive again and install the server.lol.

View attachment 1519073this main pc updated this morning
Click to expand...

Stop reinstalling it, that’s not learning that’s just doing the same thing over and over again.

Learning comes from fixing the thing, not just starting over every time.

Anyone can install Ubuntu over and over again, it’s not a special talent.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Stop reinstalling it, that’s not learning that’s just doing the same thing over and over again.

Learning comes from fixing the thing, not just starting over every time.

Anyone can install Ubuntu over and over again, it’s not a special talent.
Click to expand...
ubuntu crashed so many times , i broke it and sometimes its not repairable ,Advice on ubuntu forum was to backup and reinstall,Its no problem i dont enjoy it but its a easy fix.
 
kronoSX said:
ubuntu crashed so many times , i broke it and sometimes its not repairable ,Advice on ubuntu forum was to backup and reinstall,Its no problem i dont enjoy it but its a easy fix.
Click to expand...

That’s not learning anything, that’s simply giving up and repeating yourself.
 
kronoSX said:
i got my own website with plex, and WordPress , the3 database server sql i think i got that also but its not local it all hosted by axxess.I did a nmap scan for ports i could use but sadly i tried and dont know the faaaak whats going on,all this information is just so much to cram in,i want to do all this ka@k in 12months.I only got a year to get to know most pentesting tools and how to use them,sysadmin basics tonormal but not advanced.Basic pentesting an basic python coding skills.And remember i am a electronics/ fleet/ tracking technician guy .This is a mountain i am facing and nogal this late in my life...gawd damn.
Click to expand...
If you already installed a web server from scratch using the shell, then maybe you don't need to practice what I suggested.

Sysadmin, pentesting and Python coding covers a lot of ground so if you feel like you are facing a mountain the you need to break down your problem into smaller, realisitic and achievable chunks as well as prioritise what is most important and valuable to your goals and also what is enjoyable to you to learn.
 
kronoSX said:
ubuntu crashed so many times , i broke it and sometimes its not repairable ,Advice on ubuntu forum was to backup and reinstall,Its no problem i dont enjoy it but its a easy fix.
Click to expand...
Even more reason to use a VM - install it once, snapshot it, break it, roll it back to a good state
 
InvisibleJim said:
If you already installed a web server from scratch using the shell, then maybe you don't need to practice what I suggested.

Sysadmin, pentesting and Python coding covers a lot of ground so if you feel like you are facing a mountain the you need to break down your problem into smaller, realisitic and achievable chunks as well as prioritise what is most important and valuable to your goals and also what is enjoyable to you to learn.
Click to expand...

There’s being able to do those things yourself…and then there’s copy and pasting them from a guide and being lucky it worked.

Which is why the moment things break some people lose the plot and reinstall because they don’t actually understand what they were doing and need to follow the guide exactly all over again and hope it all works.
 
InvisibleJim said:
Even more reason to use a VM - install it once, snapshot it, break it, roll it back to a good state
Click to expand...
Ok i dont know what you guys think about this concept.I do not want a vm on the same pc i am practicing.I want to sysadmin a pc that is like separate and on a network.This is my setup i am gonna do tonight when loadshedding ends..lol
first laptop-install ubuntu server and set it up then install a gui on it
second laptop- install ubuntu desktop
third laptop install ubuntu and dual boot with windows 10.
I will then hook the 2 laptops up to router via lan and not wifi.
This will be my testing ground.If there is anything you wish me to do on these 3 laptops please advise.
Thank you
 
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