Help with a Dedicated Server

[jonty1]

Hi.

Ive "inherited" a linux dedicated server. Ive been teaching myself php for the past 2 months but Im pretty much a total newbie to the IT scene. My site is now on the dedicated server uploaded using dreamweaver.

I have plesk installed on the server which I can use the basic features of but I understand that I need to be able to access the server to change various settings, install virus software etc.

Ive been reading about opening command shells / terminals etc but I think I need to take a few steps back - if thats possible!!

If Im sitting in front of my laptop ..... where do I go from there?!

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks very much.

Jonty

[davidanand]

what is the version of your plesk control panel.
if u have access to shell ...cat/etc/psa/.psashadow
will give you the access to password of admin login

you can add the modules in plesk ...normally plesk works on
RPM .. Let me know what software you are trying to install ?

[jonty1]

Hi

Thank you very much for replying.

Since last night Ive worked out how to access the shell - I'm using PuTTY which seems quite good. Would you agree?

Ive been trying to find my way around the server a little but I dont understand most of what I see. For example I went into /var/spool/mail because Im having a problem with delayed arrival of mail and there were 5 names in there that I recognise but Ive no idea where they have come from!

Also, (and apologies if this is a really stupid question) where is the file with all the stuff I can view through plesk - my domain names in and their associated php files etc.

Are you able to point me in the direction of something I can do or read to learn about all this stuff?

In the short term I would like to be able to install some virus software on the server and sort out my delayed mail problem!! I have plesk 8.3.0

Thanks again for getting back to me.

Jonty

[davidanand]

Hey jonty,

Plesk uses qmail not send mail... Use the control panel if you are not familiar
with directory location's

Some useful locations...are
cat /etc/psa/.psa.shadow -- this will have your admin password.
From the password you see login to your server as
https://serverip:8443/
username: admin
password ( which is in the file /etc/psa/.psa.shadow)

Domain's location

cd /var/www/vhosts/ ( here you can find domain's you have created)

Mail directory

cd /var/qmail/mailnames/ ( here you can find domain's corosponding email accounts you have created)

Few logs location so that you can troubleshoot the issue ..

/usr/local/psa/var/log/maillog ---where the mail logs can be found

/var/log/httpd/access_log -- acess logs of apache

/var/log/httpd/error_log --error logs of apache



Few qmail commads

/usr/local/psa/admin/bin/mailqueuemng -l list the mails
/usr/local/psa/admin/bin/mailqueuemng -s status of the queue
/usr/local/psa/admin/bin/mailqueuemng -Stext ( text for deleting mails having contents)
/usr/local/psa/admin/bin/mailqueuemng -a ( force mail queue to deliver mails )
/var/qmail/bin/qmail-qstat
/var/qmail/bin/qmail-qread

[jonty1]

Thats really kind. Thank you very much for your help. Ill have a play with those today.
Jonty