Linux distros to use for exam

Spiegel

Plan on taking this exam sometime early next year so I wanted to immerse myself in the OS and get comfortable with the environment. I have Ubuntu installed on a secondary HDD to practice using the terminal but I feel like that won't be enough. What would be another distro you guys that have taken the exam recommend for studying?

ReonBalisty

I just did these certs in Feb 2018 and I ran my two distros in a VM through virtual box, I would recommend steering clear of using ubuntu. Use Debian and CentOS. Only use the CentOS for the package management aspects because that is all they want you to know for the Red Hat Enterprise side. Most of your Command line interface stuff should be done in Debian, and I would learn all the commands back to front, including flags/operators. Read the 'man' pages of each command, get very comfortable with them.

Spiegel

What makes you choose Debian over Ubuntu? Just curious.

Pseudonym

ReonBalisty wrote: »

I just did these certs in Feb 2018 and I ran my two distros in a VM through virtual box, I would recommend steering clear of using ubuntu. Use Debian and CentOS. Only use the CentOS for the package management aspects because that is all they want you to know for the Red Hat Enterprise side. Most of your Command line interface stuff should be done in Debian, and I would learn all the commands back to front, including flags/operators. Read the 'man' pages of each command, get very comfortable with them.

Hi,

I'd also like to know why to steer clear of ubuntu? I currently have a lab setup with Ubuntu, CentOS & Fedora. I've tried installing Debian about 4 times, but not one of the isos i've downloaded will boot in vbox. I've checked the hashes and everything, but they just will not boot.

ReonBalisty

Debian works better with the CLI in regards to the LPIC-1/Linux+ exam objectives/syntaxs. Lots of threads here on the Linux+/LPIC-1 forum regarding sticking with Debian over Ubuntu.

Pseudonym

Thanks. Managed to get Debian installed now.

duta74

You need Centos 6 too, for SysVinit objectives.

Pseudonym

Instead of 7?

duta74

Pseudonym wrote: »

Instead of 7?

No, in addition.

I used when I prepared for exam:
Ubuntu 14 - for apt/dpkg/upstart and etc Debian stuff
Centos 6 - for SysVinit
Centos 7 - for all other stuff

Pseudonym

Cool. Thanks for that. I'll get it now.

si20

I'm going to chime in here - I absolutely recommend using Ubuntu. I think it's dumb not to. Ubuntu is not only one of the best Linux distros out there, but it's perfect for the Linux+. I used Ubuntu and CentOS exclusively to pass my Linux+. I can't remember the score for the first exam but in the second I was only 3-4 points away from 100%. At the end of the day, Linux is linux, your cron jobs, CLI etc will all work on Ubuntu. The only difference is the package management systems, and that's why you have CentOS or Fedora for example so you can get used to the differences between them.

Pseudonym

Interesting. Ubuntu is installed as my host OS anyway, so i'll see how it goes and if there's any problems I'll just use the Debian VM I have installed. How did you find Linux+ as an exam(s)? Straightforward or?

si20

Pseudonym wrote: »

Interesting. Ubuntu is installed as my host OS anyway, so i'll see how it goes and if there's any problems I'll just use the Debian VM I have installed. How did you find Linux+ as an exam(s)? Straightforward or?

It's hard but if you've studied the book inside and out and done all the practical work you should pass it no trouble. I literally just pulled out my Linux+ sheets I got given after I passed:

Exam 1: 540 (needed 500 to pass) out of 800
Exam 2: 800 (needed 500 to pass) out of 800

So it looks like I actually hit 100% on the second exam. I remember revising extra hard for the 2nd exam. I went a bit above and beyond because I didn't want to risk failing the 2nd exam and not having the Linux+.

My advice is just simply: read the book inside and out, make sure you fully understand everything it's telling you. And then....practice exams over and over and over.... rinse and repeat. Even when you get bored and tired of it, keep doing them. But READ why you got answers wrong. This is the learning process. You learn nothing by just getting the right answers. You know this anyway, you've got some nice certs there. But for everyone else, you only learn when you're getting stuff wrong. If you get it all right, you're sitting the wrong exam.

Spiegel

Thanks for the excellent insight.

So what was your experience between the two exams given the drastic difference in scores?

johndabomb44

The "fork" in Linux for this cert is between RHEL-based distros and Debian-based distros.

CentOS is RHEL-based and free. Best recommendation.

Debian is the most Debian-based distro. Best recommendation.

Since there is another "fork" between systemd and SysVinit, you should look into using RHEL 6 for SysVinit and RHEL 7 for systemd.

si20

Spiegel wrote: »

Thanks for the excellent insight.

So what was your experience between the two exams given the drastic difference in scores?

The drastic difference in scores was down to one exam being a bit more focused on CLI commands. I had that nailed. All of the switches were fresh in my mind. I also took the exams around 3 months apart, so I had 3 months of studying for 5 hours per day for my 2nd exam. That said - I unfortunately never found a Linux job role and it has just became a cert I earned and can say "I did that!". I've lost most of the knowledge because I use a Windows/Mac daily for my job and don't get to touch Linux. I took it hoping to get into a Linux role but they're few and far between and tend to be shift-roles these days.

Pseudonym

si20 wrote: »

It's hard but if you've studied the book inside and out and done all the practical work you should pass it no trouble. I literally just pulled out my Linux+ sheets I got given after I passed:

Exam 1: 540 (needed 500 to pass) out of 800
Exam 2: 800 (needed 500 to pass) out of 800

So it looks like I actually hit 100% on the second exam. I remember revising extra hard for the 2nd exam. I went a bit above and beyond because I didn't want to risk failing the 2nd exam and not having the Linux+.

My advice is just simply: read the book inside and out, make sure you fully understand everything it's telling you. And then....practice exams over and over and over.... rinse and repeat. Even when you get bored and tired of it, keep doing them. But READ why you got answers wrong. This is the learning process. You learn nothing by just getting the right answers. You know this anyway, you've got some nice certs there. But for everyone else, you only learn when you're getting stuff wrong. If you get it all right, you're sitting the wrong exam.

Thanks, this is pretty close to how I prep anyway. Although, I don't really find practice exams as useful as I used to. A lot of the time, they throw in a lot of questions that don't map to the objectives, so they're of questionable value to me now. Although I still always use them out of habit.

Pseudonym

si20 wrote: »

The drastic difference in scores was down to one exam being a bit more focused on CLI commands. I had that nailed. All of the switches were fresh in my mind. I also took the exams around 3 months apart, so I had 3 months of studying for 5 hours per day for my 2nd exam. That said - I unfortunately never found a Linux job role and it has just became a cert I earned and can say "I did that!". I've lost most of the knowledge because I use a Windows/Mac daily for my job and don't get to touch Linux. I took it hoping to get into a Linux role but they're few and far between and tend to be shift-roles these days.

Whereabouts d'you live if you don't mind me asking? I'm in the north west and see a lot of linux jobs in Manchester. Seen a few popping up in Liverpool recently too. I'm in the same boat. I want to do this + RHCSA/E to hopefully pivot to linux (eventually)

Pseudonym

duta74 wrote: »

No, in addition.

I used when I prepared for exam:
Ubuntu 14 - for apt/dpkg/upstart and etc Debian stuff
Centos 6 - for SysVinit
Centos 7 - for all other stuff

I'm planning on doing RHCSA immediately after Linux+. Are there any objectives that you're aware of on LX0-104 that can't be done on CentOS 7? I was thinking of getting KVM set up for RHCSA, and financial constraints might mean I might have to wait a few weeks to take LX0-104. So it might make sense to get it set up and have a little practice while I'm waiting, but also have something to finalise my prep for LX0-104.

duta74

Pseudonym wrote: »

I'm planning on doing RHCSA immediately after Linux+. Are there any objectives that you're aware of on LX0-104 that can't be done on CentOS 7? I was thinking of getting KVM set up for RHCSA, and financial constraints might mean I might have to wait a few weeks to take LX0-104. So it might make sense to get it set up and have a little practice while I'm waiting, but also have something to finalise my prep for LX0-104.

Here:

https://certification.comptia.org/docs/default-source/exam-objectives/comptia-linux-powered-by-lpi-(lx0-104).pdf

only for Domain 106: User Interfaces and Desktops - you need Ubuntu

Pseudonym

Thanks!

One other thing. How much do these exams require an internet connection? I know it's required for packages, but how much of there is that? Reason I'm asking is my lab isn't (really) internet connected. I can get it on the guest network occasionally, but I'd prefer to keep it offline as much as possible.

[Deleted User]

i say download Debian and CentOS. Those 2 should be all you need to pass Linux+ if you want hands on. Linux+ you technically don't "need" labs with the OS to pass. Is it nice yeah but if you are in a time crunch, read the book and take practice tests. Flashcards tend to work good for me for concepts.