Checklist for making a home file, print and web server using Ubuntu and an old laptop

A couple years ago I did a detailed set of posts on turning an old laptop into a Ubuntu file, print, and web server. That laptop started having hardware problems so I decided to decommission it and replace it with another recently retired Dell Inspiron 1521 laptop. Here is a checklist of all the steps I did to convert the Windows Dell Inspiron 1521 laptop into a home file, print, and web server. If you are new to Linux you should read my original posts since this checklist assumes you have done stuff like this before.

• Downloaded and burned CD for Ubuntu LTS 10.04 standard desktop
• Installed Ubuntu standard desktop 10.04 on Inspiron 1521. I followed the prompts and used the default options.
• Wrote over existing Windows file system rather than doing dual boot.
• After Ubuntu was installed I started Synaptic and updated packages
• Installed openssh-server and samba using Synaptic
• Opened terminal and ran sudo tasksel to start program that offers a number of options for installing groups of packages for different functions.
• Selected install LAMP server and followed prompts to install.
• Using Firefox on new server I went to truecrypt website, downloaded latest Linux version (7a) to the Desktop, extracted file, double clicked it, and followed the prompts to install Truecrypt.
• Edited /etc/network/interfaces (sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces) to make computer use fixed IP address by adding:

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet static
address 10.10.10.123
netmask 255.255.255.0
gateway 10.10.10.1

• Rebooted new server to put new static IP address in effect
• sudo aptitude install ntp (ntpdate was already installed)
• Set up mount points for encrypted external hard drives:
• sudo mkdir /media/encrypted1
• sudo mkdir /media/encrypted2
• Changed owner of mount points to match what smb.conf will use for them
• sudo chown nobody:nogroup /media/encrypted1
• sudo chown nobody:nogroup /media/encrypted2
• Created directory for my custom scripts for new server: sudo mkdir /home/andy/scripts
• Mounted new server as volume on remote MacBook using MacFusion (SSHFS)
• Copied backup of custom scripts over to new server from MacBook
• Checked ownership and permissions of custom scripts and changed them as needed.
• Ran my custom script to mount truecrypt volumes (/media/encrypted1 etc)
• Made these changes to /etc/samba/smb.conf (sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf)
• workgroup = MYWORKGROUP
• removed semi-colon before interfaces = 127.0.0.0/8 eth0
• removed # before security = user
• Added these under Share Definitions

[public]
comment = Public Share
path = /media/encrypted1
read only = No
force create mode = 777
force directory mode = 777
force user = nobody

[backup]
comment = Public Share
path = /media/encrypted2
read only = No
force create mode = 777
force directory mode = 777
force user = nobody

[pictures]
comment = Public Share
path = "/media/encrypted1/Documents/My Pictures"
read only = Yes
guest only = Yes
guest ok = Yes

• sudo adduser spouse
• sudo smbpasswd -a andy
• sudo smbpasswd -a spouse
• Rebooted new server
• Ran custom script for mounting truecrypt volumes
• Mounted samba share from remote MacBook and opened file to make sure everything was working properly.
• sudo aptitude install phpmyadmin
• From remote MacBook browsed to http://10.10.10.123/phpmyadmin and logged in as user root
• Using phpmyadmin created a new user and gave this user all possible privileges on the MySQL database.
• sudo adduser www
• sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/default
• Changed the DocumentRoot value to /home/www/public and saved the file
• Restarted Apache: sudo services apache2 restart
• From remote MacBook did SSHFS mount as user www using MacFusion
• Copied all html/php files from backup to /home/www
• Used phpMyAdmin to create new user web_app_user with all data (but not structure or database administration) privileges. This is the MySQL user used by the web apps.
• Used phpmyadmin to create new MySQL databases with same names as were used on the old server (including wordpress).
• Used phpmyadmin to go into each database and then import the SQL file backup of that database.
• Edited /etc/php5/apache2/php.ini to change session.gc_maxlifetime = 1440 to 1814400 (this prevents web app users from being logged out of web app shortly after they sign in)
• Edited blank /etc/apache2/httpd.conf to add "ServerName myserversname". This prevents the annoying "Could not reliably determine the server's fully qualified domain name" message when you start apache2.
• Restarted apache: sudo service apache2 restart
• Tested that web applications work.
• Got crontab setups from old server by doing contab -e as all users that had crontabs and writing down what was there.
• Changed permissions on custom scripts that would be run by different users via crontab: chmod a+rwx scriptname.sh
• Created logs directory in /home/andy: chmod -R a+rwx logs
• Tested all backup scripts on new server.
• Setup crontabs on new server using crontab -e
• Configured CUPS for printer (not sure all of this is necessary)
• sudo nano /etc/cups/cupsd.conf
• In , and and
• add:
• Allow all
• Commented out "Require user @OWNER @SYSTEM" where ever it appeared except for administrative tasks.
• Changed:
• Listen localhost:631
• to:
• Listen 631
• Added the line: DefaultEncryption Never
• sudo service cups restart
• Browsed to 10.10.10.120:631 from remote machine
• Add printer
• Select HP LaserJet 1012 (HP LaserJet 1012), not the 1012 printer with USB in the name.
• Name: HP_Shed
• Description: HP LaserJet 1012
• Location: Shed
• Select Model: HP LaserJet 1012 - CUPS+Gutenprint v5.2.5(en)
• Select default default options
• Select modify printer just created
• Click Select Another Make/Manufacturer
• Select Make: Raw