How To Create Hidden And Password-Protected Folders In Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx & Maverick Meerkat !

Many times we want to secure our sensitive files on the system by encrypting and protecting the folders with password. Have you ever wondered how to achieve this on Ubuntu ? There are different ways to do this on Ubuntu , so in this post I will discuss one way out of many to do this on Ubuntu Linux 10.04 Lucid Lynx & Maverick Meerkat.

We will be using ' Cryptkeeper' to encrypt the folders with password on our Ubuntu system. Well 'Cryptkeeper' is an system tray applet that lets you create encrypted and password protected folders in Ubuntu that can’t be seen or accessed by other users without proper authentication.

So lets get going then ;

Step 1 :

We need to download 'Cryptkeeper' through 'Ubuntu Software Center' first

To get started, go to Applications –> Ubuntu Software Center.

Step 2 :

Then search and install ‘Cryptkeeper’

Step 3 :

After installing, go to Applications –> System Tools –> Cryptkeeper.

Step 4 :

You will find the 'Cryptkeeper' applet in the top panel.

Step 5 :

To create an encrypted protected folder, click on Cryptkeeper applet and select ‘New encrypted folder’

Step 6 :

Then type the folder name and where to save the folder and click ‘Forward’.

Step 7 :

Type the desired password you want to use to encrypt the folder and click on forward. The folder will be created and ready to be used.

Step 8 :

To access all encrypted folder, click on Cryptkeeper applet on the panel and select each folder.

Step 9 :

Type the password that you have set for that folder,before it is mounted and to be accessed. Enjoy !

Read more...

Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Try Out Ubuntu !

Its been a long time since I posted anything on my blog , so just thought of why not write on  benefits of using Linux over Windows ?So here in this post I will point out few top 10 reasons as why you should try out Ubuntu.

For those of you who think that Linux is terrible and Windows rocks, here is my say on why Ubuntu is better than Windows.

1. No Viruses – Thats true! as Linux does not recognize Win32 Executables so the possibility of having a virus on-board is absolutely 0%.
2. Open Source – Unlike Windows, Linux distributions are open source and the source code can be edited and modified to the most to suit your needs.
3. Better Learning – While Windows just teaches you how to install and run a program, Linux helps you do that using a Terminal. So if you fall in a situation where you don’t have a GUI, you can operate things well.
4. Free Software – Every application and software on Linux is free and open source. You don’t need to worry about licenses anymore and you can always find a better and free Linux alternative to a Windows application.
5. Easy to Use – This point may seem ironic but is true to a lot of extent. Linux Ubuntu is one of the most user-friendly and easy to use Linux distribution which even beats Windows XPand Vista in usability and ease of use.
6. Ubuntu Community Help – Ubuntu has a very active support and help community where you can get answer to your questions and problems in minutes.
7. Cool Desktop Effects – For those who think Aero in Windows Vista is damn cool! wait till you experience Compiz on Ubuntu which provides better 3D desktop effects with less resource usage.
8. Easy Upgrade – You can upgrade Linux Ubuntu through the package manager and all applications can be installed/updated through it. There is no need to Google for freewares as the package manager helps you find all of them.
9. Highly Customizable – If you like customizing your operating system without a billion registry and software hacks then Ubuntu is your ultimate choice.
10. Experience Live – Linux Ubuntu CDs come with a pre-installed OS environment which allows you to run the OS without even installing it. Carry your Ubuntu Live CD with you and use it on any PC anywhere around the world.

This may not be all but still these are some of the strong points that tell you how powerful Linux Ubuntu is. It definitely has some bugs and issues but as long as you don’t mingle with commands and updates too much, there shouldn’t be a problem using it. Enjoy !

Read more...

ISO Mounting Tools For Linux

One of the most sought after tool for Linux systems is ISO mounting tool.During my early days on Linux system I badly missed 'DaemonTools' which I used to for mounting ISO or image files on windows system for installing applications and installing games. But what about Linux ?? Are there tools available for the same function ?

Answer is 'Yes' , there are many tools available to do this job. In this post we will discuss few of the ISO mounting tools available for the Linux systems. So here we go..

1. Furius ISO Mount :

Furius ISO mount is having a simple GTK+ interface and having capability of mounting multiple image file formats like ISO,IMG,BIN,MDF and NRG without burning to disk. It can automatically create mount point in your home directory and can save the history of last 10 images mounted. Also this application can burn the ISO files to optical disks for further usage. One special feature this application has is to create a log file of all commands needed to mount and unmount the images manually. You can download it from here ,

However following dependencies needs to be satisfied before installing 'Furius ISO Mount'

python (>= 2.5), python-support (>= 0.90.0), fuseiso, fuseiso9660, python-gtk2, python-glade2, nautilus, gksu

Installation

On 'Ubuntu' :

The user needs to enter the below command (without quotes) in the terminal box to install the most recent version of 'Furius ISO Mount' from its software repositories.

"sudo apt-get install furiusisomount"

On 'OpenSUSE' :

Packaman provides a 1-click Install file to install “Furius ISO Mount”. Click here to download and open with YaST2 package manager to install “Furius ISO Mount” in openSUSE.

2. Mount Manager :

A nice and detailed guide for using 'Mount Manager' application can be found here

3. Gmount ISO :

This is one another application which enables you to mount your ISO image files,it is a small application written in PyGTK and Glade.

Installation

On Ubuntu :

Open the terminal by pressing the key combination of 'Ctrl+Alt+T' and enter the below command;

"sudo apt-get install gmountiso"

4. AcetoneISO :

AcetoneISO is one of the feature rich application available for 'Linux' for your image file mounting needs. It can burn ISO/TOC/CUE to optical discs. It also allows you to blank the re-writable CD or DVD for repeat usage and could also extract the image file to desired folders. By using AcetoneISO you could convert ISO file from any folder in your system and lot many features are there, a detailed list can be found here.

Installation

On Ubuntu:
starting from Ubuntu 10.04 and up ,

"apt-get install acetoneiso"

Packages for previous versions of Ubuntu can be found here

On Debian Sid:

 "apt-get install acetoneiso" or here

On OpenSuse: hereOn Fedora: hereOn Mandriva: urpmi acetoneiso
On Archlinux: here
On Slackware: here
On Gentoo: here
Subversion for developers (SVN): here 

Enjoy !

Read more...