On Wed, 8 Aug 2001, David Walker wrote:

> A couple of questions, when I want to read /etc/defaults/rc.conf can I just
> type the path and filename or do I need to type read /etc/defaults/rc.conf.

You can use the 'cat' command to output the contents of a file, but
it'll probably scroll off your screen.  Use the "more" command to read
a file and pause at every page: i.e. "more /etc/defaults/rc.conf"

Basically this file shows what all the default configuration settings are.
You can add lines to /etc/rc.conf to override those settings.  The
rc_configured setting is just a sanity-check to make sure you've thought
about configuring your system before you go using it.  If you don't want
to setup networking, there probably isn't anything that you HAVE to set in
rc.conf.  So for now just changing the rc_configured in /etc/rc.conf to
YES should be good enough.

Have your read about how to use "vi"?  It's kind of a tricky editor
(basically you have to enter command modes like "insert" to add text, so
normal letters sometimes are commands - 'i'=insert - instead of regular
typing).  If you don't want to try using it yet, you can just do the "echo
rc_configured=YES >> /etc/rc.conf" to ADD a line to your rc.conf as Jeremy
Reed suggested.  If you want to try using vi to edit the file, then you'll
first need to tell vi what type of terminal you are using.  Type "export
TERM=vt100".  Now "vi /etc/rc.conf" should work (after mounting your
drives as previously suggested).  If you get stuck in vi type "ESC : q!
ENTER" to abort what your doing and quit without saving - you don't want
to screw up that file or your system won't boot (easy enough to fix, but
still...).

> Can you explain what fsck does?
> I imagine you mean I should type:
> fsck /
> and then:
> fsck /usr
> can you explain what is optional and why?

It is just something thats normally done automatically before mounting
filesystems - checked the filesystem (like DOS scandisk).  It doesn't hurt
to do this, but it won't do anything unless you system wasn't shut down
properly.

> Presumably then from the root I type mount -a.

Yep, doesn't have to be in the root though.

> Do I need to specify a directory where to mount it?

Nope, the '-a' makes it reads /etc/fstab (use more to look at that file
if you like) and mounts everything listed there.

> A further question, I know I have installed a manual. Apparently if I type
> man password it will show me info about netbsd passwords. Do you know if
> there is a reference to commands so I can learn about them and stop having
> to ask all the time. At the moment I have to try suggestions, reboot into
> Windows, connect to www, check my email, search the www, reboot into netbsd,
> etc. It's expensive and slow. And I can't imagine anyone wanting to answer
> my questions. I wouldn't.

Heh heh.  First of all, you might want "man passwd" - passwd (not
password) is the command used to change your password.  When I was
starting out I bought a book.  But I'm sure there are some good
introductory references on the net somewhere too.  Look for things like
"introduction to UNIX" - just keep in mind that there are slight
differences between the different flavours of UNIX (i.e. 'more' and
'mount' are used by all UNIX systems, but the 'rc.conf' configuration
system is specific to NetBSD).  Even stuff about Linux will be somewhat
applicable.

Hope this helps,
	Rick