Backtrack 5 R1

Finished installing Backtrack 5 R1 on the laptop on the SSD drive.  Just to note, I tried.  I tried to use KDE once more and I just cannot do it.  Basket note pads is enough to make anyone who has used it switch but it just wasn't enough.  The GUI just seems cleaner and less of a headache to use.  I am the first person to try to do something the hard way.  Trust me, ask anyone, but it just did not make any sense to me.  It should be more intuitive to use KDE and it just isn't.  I am not in the GUI all the time but when I am, it should be an easy experience.  Why else even use the GUI in the first place.

Anyway, enough of that.  It was great that they did an update to Backtrack 5 since the DNS plugin bug was a bit of a problem.  I found out later that it was only for the x64 bit versions.  That is what I get for rushing to x64 bit.  Also, it is the reason that I simply did not do the "apt-get update && apt-get upgrade && apt-get dist-upgrade".  I installed R1 pretty quickly since they have made the grub installation seamless.  It always finds my Windows installation and configures the dual-boot perfectly.  Definitely a big plus.  On to the Nvidia drivers which was easy enough once you can get the nouveau drivers from loading.  I use the site: "https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Troubleshooting/Nouveau".  I was able to CTRL+ALT+BACKSPACE and run the executable.  Sidenote, I love how easy that it to configure in Gnome: System -> Preferences -> Keyboard -> Layouts -> Options -> Key Sequence to kill the X server.  Wonderful. Shot-out to Muts.  I like to add compiz, what can I say.  I cannot help it.  It adds a even bigger cool factor.

Next, I added the usual addons for Firefox after I upgraded it.  Added Chrome and tsclient.  I updated wireshark to 1.7.0 and updated metasploit 4.0 (the usual command svn up).  However, wireshark was a little more complicated.  I found the page "samiux.blogspot.com/2011_07_01_archive.html".  It was very helpful in the install.  Next, I installed VMware Workstation 7 on R1.  Of course, it did not work with the updated kernel on R1.  Luckily, I found the site: "weltall.heliohost.org/wordpress/2011/05/14/running-vmware-workstation-player-on-linux-2-6-39-updated/".  I was able to get VMware running in 2 seconds.  Sweet.  I know I will need that during the OSCE course.  Next, test it with the Alfa wireless adapter.  No problem there.  Next, remove the splash screen during boot-up.   Sometimes, you do not want everyone seeing a big red screen saying Backtrack 5.  Open up VIM and editing grub.cfg took care of that.

It has been a great install on the laptop.  I am sure I will add more to this post later but I just had to say how good Backtrack 5 R1 has been.  Every Linux install has its hiccups but the finished product is what counts.  This is a pretty good end product when you think of what it is suppose to be used for.  It is not OS X or Windows so you will not hear me complain.  Just saying.