Totally new to VPS (and linux) could need some help

[Guest]

...from some patient samaritans

 

I just bought 6 months with a cheap, lowend VPS, simply for trying it out and hopefully learning something.

 

I got putty and filezilla and I have a lot of questions. I am googling every step of the way but some things I just can't figure out.

 

Never used linux before. If anyone is patient enough, i got some questions

 

I'm trying to install some programs (any really), just to try out. 

 

Downloaded chrome for linux and uploaded it to the VPS. 

 

I logged in using putty and changed directory to the one containing the install files (.deb files)

 

I wrote this: sudo dpkg -i google-chrome-stable_current_i386.deb

It seems like something is happening, like it's installing but I get these messages: "dependency problems prevent configuration of google-chrome-stable:

 google-chrome-stable depends on gconf-service; however:

  Package gconf-service is not installed.

 google-chrome-stable depends on libasound2 (>= 1.0.23); however:

  Package libasound2 is not installed.

 google-chrome-stable depends on libcairo2 (>= 1.6.0); however:

  Package libcairo2 is not installed.

 google-chrome-stable depends on libgconf-2-4 (>= 2.31.1); however:

  Package libgconf-2-4 is not installed.

 google-chrome-stable depends on libgdk-pixbuf2.0-0 (>= 2.22.0); however:

  Package libgdk-pixbuf2.0-0 is not installed.

 google-chrome-stable depends on libgtk2.0-0 (>= 2.24.0); however:

  Package libgtk2.0-0 is not installed.

 google-chrome-stable depends on libnspr4 (>= 1.8.0.10); however:

  Package libnspr4 is not installed.

 google-chrome-stable depends on libnss3 (>= 3.14.3); however:

  Package libnss3 is not installed.

 google-chrome-stable depends on libpango1.0-0 (>= 1.22.0); however:

  Package libpango1.0-0 is not installed.

 

dpkg: error processing package google-chrome-stable (--install):

 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured

Processing triggers for man-db (2.6.7.1-1) ...                                 Processing triggers for mime-support (3.54ubuntu1) ...

Errors were encountered while processing:

 google-chrome-stable

"

 

So I'm missing some files? Do I need to download them and upload them to the VPS and install them?

 

Is there any essential files i should download?

 

What are "dependancies"? 

 

Tried to install another program and got similar "errors"

 

And- is putty the best program to do these things?

 

help apreciated

 

ZPKZ

[urbanconcrete 14]

So...why are you trying to install a web browser on the server?? You only have the terminal...

[Guest]

So...why are you trying to install a web browser on the server?? You only have the terminal...

 

Lol. Basicly I have no idea where to start. 

 

What is the first step If I wanted to have something more ... uhm.. visual than the terminal?

I don't get how to get a "desktop" like I have seen people have with ubuntu. 

[lsat 23]

Do you have Ubuntu?

Why didn't you go to Ubuntu software center to install Chromium (Google)-adapted specially for Ubuntu?

[zhang888 1066]

If you bought a lowend VPS, probably it wont be powerful enough to run X server.

 

The question is - why would you need a remote desktop on a remote VPS?

 

P.S.

You can simply install an openvpn daemon there, then install any choice of OS locally, in a VM, and then run an openvpn client to route traffic via the VPS.

 

That is a more practical solution, in my opinion...

[Guest]

Thanks for the answers. I really don't NEED anything. I want to. 

Never messed with anything else than windows. Want to see if i can make it work.

 

Found this:

 

https://panel.cinfu.com/knowledgebase/20/Grpahical-Desktop-LXDE-installation-in-VPS-with-Ubuntu-OS-for-a-low-RAM-VPS-plans.html

 

Everything looked like it was working until I got to this part; "Choose console country from the list, for example.: English (US)"

I don't see any list :/

 

@Zhang888

Which OS would you recommend for that purpose?

[rickjames 106]

I'm willing to help but I'm not 100% sure what you're trying to accomplish here.
​
​The desktops that you've seen or heard of running ubuntu, debian and other distros are just that, desktops. Many of us run linux or bsd on our main home computers as the operating system. So the pic's of linux desktops you've seen are most likely of peoples home pc's.
​
​Servers mm well serve things. You could run a file server or a web server / site on it ect. There's many things you can do with a server but its all done remotely and generally none of it requires a 'desktop'.
​
​The link you posted 'below' is completely unneeded.
​https://panel.cinfu.com/knowledgebase/20/Grpahical-Desktop-LXDE-installation-in-VPS-with-Ubuntu-OS-for-a-low-RAM-VPS-plans.html
​
​In fact I would never ever install a desktop environment on a server.
-Reason 1 is resource usage. On a vps especially you have limited ram and core usage or cpu time is limited in most cases.
-Reason 2 is security concerns. The more packages installed = a larger attack surface. Servers should really be as minimal as humanly possible. And even a minimal server install requires tuning and setup to even approach being secure. 
 
 
I would figure out what you want to do with the server and take it from there. If you only want to try linux then download virtualbox and install it on your windows machine. Then install linux inside a virtual machine and play around with it. Learn it locally before doing it remotely. And if possible take the vps server offline in the meantime. Leaving a server running that's not properly setup will result in a quickly compromised system.

[Guest]

Thank you very much, rickjames.

 

I'll update when I know what I want to do

[Guest]

Thanks for the help. A lot of reading after the last post here.

I have successfully installed  and learned a lot of programs including a x2go client/server (which i havent really had that much use for)

 

I have set up a simple firewall and shut down the server each down I am done using it.

 

Many thanks for the "positive" post from rickjames. The negative ones earlier was doing no good. I had no idea what I was doing.

 

thanks

[rickjames 106]

Glad it helped m8.

 

There's tons of things you could do with it. If you're a gamer you could toss a teamspeak server on it. Or even just use it for remote backups ect. A buddy of mine uses one for torrenting then just downloads the stuff directly from the server when its done.

 

Something else you may want to look into is changing the port the ssh server runs on. Then setting up a firewall rule only allowing access to the new ssh port from your ip or ip subnet.

 

Anyway pub time. Gl.

[george493 2]

I'll assume you have some kind of terminal program, 'konsole', or 'xterm'.

Open a terminal execute:

sudo apt-get install chromium(you'll be prompt to enter your password to become root)then apt-get will prompt you to install chromium, and dependencies, answer 'Y'. Everything will install, Chromium will end up under your menus somewhere~internet.

Before leaving terminal run sudo apt-get update. This will update your package program 'cache'. Close terminal, you will return to normal 'user'.