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Exploring the Linux File Types
UNIX and Linux systems have a variety of file types, and do not require extensions. This situation seems designed to cause confusion for anyone having to manage system files. Even worse is attempting to determine what is the type of a file that has been created by another administrator of the system, or that was installed and has no further documentation.

Lab Info
Table of Contents
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Challenge
Use the ls, file, and stat Commands on Various Files on Your System to Determine File Type Information
Commands used to examine files on the system.
Move into the /dev directory
cd /dev
In this directory determine file types.
ls -l
cd /etc file * | less
locate the aliases files. cat the DB file
cat aliases.db
clear the terminal of non std characters.
reset
read the file in octal or hex format
od aliases.db hexdump aliases.db
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Challenge
Understand the Important Differences Between Regular Files, Directory Files and Hard and Soft Links Using Various Commands
View file and directory details using the
ls
command, create a regular file, and then create a hard link and a soft link that the file. Display the differences between the hard and soft links usingls -l
options for more information and lastly view more information about the files with thestat
command, including their types as defined in the magic number files.
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