How to find if my system is auto updating and that the firewall is working?

[unni]

Hi,
This is my first post on the internet from Linux. I have been dreaming about accessing internet from Linux for two years, and today it became true. Before going deeper with Linux, I have the following queries.
1. How do I know if the firewall is running? I don't see any icon related to firewall near the clock (taskbar?).
2. How do I know if auto update of the OS is enabled? I am on DataOne bandwidth limited plan.

I am using Mandriva 2006.

[Pathik]

OFFTOPIC : @unni r u using normal dialup or broadband....

[unni]

OFFTOPIC : @unni r u using normal dialup or broadband....

Broadband. BSNL DataOne Home 500 Plan.

[JGuru]

@Unni, First visit the website easyurpmi
1) Open the Terminal Window (Console) & login as root.
$ su -
(Enter password)
# urpmi.removemedia -a
2) Start FireFox, visit the site http://easyurpmi.zarb.org/
Select 'Mandriva Release', 'CPU architecture', 'urpmi'
Click on 'Proceed to Step 2'
3) Select all the sources and a mirror close to where you live, then 'Proceed to Step 3'
4) Copy & paste one line at a time given in the code box into the Console Window.
A line always ends with '.cz'. You can also count how many lines you have.
5) Your updated package lists are downloaded to your machine, and you are ready
to update. Once the last download is complete. Logout & close the Console Window.

Update Procedure:

1)Open the 'Control Center' , find 'Software Management' , select updates. Press
'Yes' both times when prompted.
2) Select both 'Security Updates', & 'Bug fixes update' .Normal updates are not
so important, you can download them later. All the updates are listed below,
select 'All' at the top of the list.Some additional packages are required , click on
'OK' to accept.
3) Click on 'install' to start the download & install process. This may take some time
depending on your Net connection. When the updated process is finished, you'll
get a prompt saying 'Update list is empty if all updates are installed'.
You don't need to update everyday like in WIndows!! Keep the 'Security Level' as
'Higher' in the 'Control Center' You are more safe now.

Installing Firewall Firestarter:

Open the Console (Terminal Window) & login as root:
$ su -
(Enter password)
# urpmi firestarter

This will install the firewall Firestarter.
After the download & installation is complete logout as root.
To start the firewall 'Firestarter'
$ firestarter

Once you start Firestarter firewall . it will show you the inbound
& outbound Network traffic. Also to configure it. From the menu
'Edit' -> "Preferences' . This will bring the 'Preferences' dialog.
Configure it as per your needs.

Screenshot:

[unni]

Thanks for the help. I did exactly as you said. The firewall is great, although initially I thought that it was not good.

For newbies like me who have data transfer limit on their internet connection:
Initially, you have to go to the http://easyurpmi.zarb.org/ website and download 5 packages (I am not sure if they are callled by that name). The 5 packages are the following:
PLF Free-around 1 MB
PLF Non free-around 1 MB
Main-around 14 MB
Updates-around 30 MB
Contrib-around 40 MB

I downloaded all these and went to the update manager. But the security and bug fix updates alone is about 900 MB. Is it possible to download these to my hard disk so that I can share it with my friends also?
I selected some packages for updating (about 140 MB) and the system is currently downloading them. Where are those packages stored in my hard disk? I want to copy them too.

[mehulved]

Those aren't packages but repositories, they contain information about packages.
Yes, it is possible to share these with others who are using the same version of the distro as you. It will be stored in /var/cache/apt/archives.

[unni]

There is no apt directory in /var/cache. Only the following were present:
gstreamer-0.8
man
urpmi
In urpmi-headers,partial,rpms
Nothing else. Some of these directories contained one or two files. Thats all. My distro is Mandriva 2006.

[mehulved]

Oops sorry I posted that for ubuntu. It should be /var/cache/rpms

[unni]

Originally Posted by tech_your_future

Oops sorry I posted that for ubuntu. It should be /var/cache/rpms

There is no /var/cache/rpms either. There is a /var/cache/urpmi/rpms. But it is empty. May be the contents were deleted once the updates were installed.

[mehulved]

Originally Posted by unni

There is no /var/cache/rpms either. There is a /var/cache/urpmi/rpms. But it is empty. May be the contents were deleted once the updates were installed.

It would be better to ask some user of Mandriva, I haven't used it extensively so can't really say.
Well here you go for more info. http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/URPMI. Read 'TIPS' for your answer.