Before & After: Updating Ubuntu Without Fear Before: you’ve got an Ubuntu 20.04 server running something important, and every time you see packages can be upgraded your stomach drops. You know you should update, but you’re scared a reboot will kill your app and you’ll spend your evening undoing the damage. After: your services restart cleanly, you’re not afraid of…
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If you’re staring at a black terminal window thinking “nope, not today”, you’re not alone. Before you learn the basics, Linux looks like a wall of weird commands and cryptic errors. After you understand a few simple concepts, that same black window becomes a powerful remote control for your server or local machine. Most Linux guides expect you to “just…
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If you try to manage a Windows Server from Ubuntu and your first move is to install an SSH client, you’re already in the wrong lane. Linux servers are usually managed with SSH. Windows Server, on the other hand, expects you to use RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol). On Ubuntu 18.04, the easiest way to remote into a Windows Server is…
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If you’re running MySQL 5.7 on Ubuntu 18.04 and want to switch to MariaDB 10.5, you’re in the right place. Ubuntu 18.04 ships MySQL 5.7 and MariaDB 10.1 in its default repos. So if you want MariaDB 10.5, you can’t just hit apt install and call it a day—you need to: Remove MySQL first Add the MariaDB 10.5 repository Install…
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Stuck Getting WordPress Running on Ubuntu 18.04? You’ve got an Ubuntu 18.04 server, you’ve heard you need this “LAMP” thing, and all you want is a working WordPress site without breaking the server. This is usually where small business owners, freelancers, and DIY sysadmins start to sweat. This walkthrough keeps it practical: what you need ready, why it matters, and…
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Logging In to a Fresh Ubuntu 18.04 Server Without Breaking Anything A while back, I spun up a new Ubuntu 18.04 server late at night, half-asleep after putting my kids to bed. I typed ssh root@something, saw a scary message about “authenticity can’t be established”, and my brain yelled: “Did I just get hacked?” Turns out, that message was totally…
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