/linux-tips

linux-tips

Tips on setting up a linux workstation /server.

Fedora Workstation

1. Install VirtualBox Guest Additions for Virtual Machines

  • Insert Guest Additions DVD to virtual machine.
  • Install the following dependencies:
sudo dnf install kernel-devel-$(uname -r)
sudo dnf install gcc make perl -y
  • Install Guest Additions:
cd /run/media/$USER/VBox_GAs_5.2.8/
sudo ./VBoxLinuxAdditions.run
  • Conditions for VirtualBox to work properly
  1. Turn off SElinux
  2. Turn off Secure Boot
  3. Make sure the current user has the privileges sudo usermod -a -G vboxusers $USER Optional: sudo usermod -a -G vboxsf $USER for shared folders

2. RPMFusion Repository

Run:

sudo dnf install https://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm https://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm -y

Support for Fractional DPI

Run:

gsettings set org.gnome.mutter experimental-features "['scale-monitor-framebuffer']"

3. Block Kernel Updates (Optional)

  • Block kernel updates from installing:
sudo echo "exclude=kernel*" >> /etc/dnf/dnf.conf
  • List all available boot entries:
sudo grep -P "submenu|^menuentry" /boot/efi/EFI/fedora/grub.cfg | cut -d "'" -f2
  • Boot the desired kernel at startup:
sudo grub2-set-default "Fedora (4.13.9-300.fc27.x86_64) 27 (Twenty Seven)"

4. Fix blank Wine applications (PlayOnLinux)

  • Install PlayOnLinux:
sudo dnf install playonlinux -y

  • Fix blank screen while running Windows applications. Problem as reported here:

  • Remove outdated libraries that ship with wine on playonlinux

rm ~/.PlayOnLinux/wine/linux*/*/lib*/libz*

5. WhatsApp Desktop Client

6. Remmina Remote Desktop Client

  • Ensure RPMFusion repo is installed.
  • Install Remmina:
sudo dnf install remmina* -y

7. VirtualBox

Run:

sudo dnf install VirtualBox kernel-devel-$(uname -r) akmod-VirtualBox
sudo akmods

8. ExFAT Support

Run:

sudo dnf install fuse-exfat -y

9. Visual Studio Code

Run:

sudo rpm --import https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc
sudo sh -c 'echo -e "[code]\nname=Visual Studio Code\nbaseurl=https://packages.microsoft.com/yumrepos/vscode\nenabled=1\ngpgcheck=1\ngpgkey=https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc" > /etc/yum.repos.d/vscode.repo'
sudo dnf check-update
sudo dnf install code -y

10. Telegram Desktop

Run:

sudo dnf install telegram-desktop -y

11. Google Chrome Browser

Run:

sudo bash -c 'cat << EOF > /etc/yum.repos.d/google-chrome.repo
[google-chrome]
name=google-chrome - \$basearch
baseurl=http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/rpm/stable/\$basearch
enabled=1
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=https://dl-ssl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub
EOF'

sudo dnf install google-chrome-stable -y

12. Enable Intel GUC Firmware (No longer required)

For Skylake, Kabylake and later chipsets:

  • Add the following line:
echo "options i915 enable_guc_loading=1 enable_guc_submission=1" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/i915.conf
  • Make changes boot:
sudo dracut --force
  • Reboot:
sudo reboot now
  • Check settings take effect:
sudo cat /sys/kernel/debug/dri/0/i915_guc_load_status

13. Fedora Mediawriter

For writing isos to USB drive, install Mediawriter tool:

sudo dnf install mediawriter -y