I would suggest running through these steps.
=====================================================================
1) Login as root
a) As root, edit the /etc/passwd. To do that type the command vipw.
This will give you a vi editor that will edit the passwd
file.
b) Find your user, and change the shell, which is at the end of the
line to /bin/bash.
c) Copy the default envirnment files to the home directory.
cd /etc/skel
cp .bashrc .bash_profile /home/<USERID>
cd /home/<USERID>
chown <USERID>:<USERID> *
2) Logout as root.
3) Login as your user <USERID>.
a) Run these commands.
which ls
which vi
which echo
b) If those commands give you:
/bin/ls
/bin/vi
/bin/echo
c) Then your shell is working properly, and your path is set up.
You should be able to now use ls, vi, and others with out getting
the command not found error.
=====================================================================
As others have mentioned, the root account is not to be taken lightly. You
could remove every file on your machine with the root user. All you need to
do is type the command in the right place, or have a typo in one command and
do the same.
Some people are so paranoid about the root user, they disconnect their
machine from the Internet to do work as root! That's how "sacred" the root
user is!
So if you need admin work done, use the command, su -, to become the root
user, do your work, and then logout as root. Never login to Xwindows as
root, and never leave yourself logged in as root.
There are ways to your user up to perform root functions, but I HIGHLY
advise AGAINST it! It's a very bad idea. Just like Sridhar mentioned, bad
with a capital B!
tdh
--
T. Holmes
-----------------
UNIXTECHS.org
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
UIN: 17021091
-----------------
"Real Men Use Vi!"
Uptime:
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
| Thanks for prompt reply
| This is wat i have for path
| /usr/local/bin /bin /usr/bin /usr/X11R6/bin
|
| I can't edit the file because I don't have access to vi either... I can't
| even ls... but can cd...
|
| Thanks again
|
| Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft?
| Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
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