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Aim / Objective

To understand the Linux Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS), contrast it with Windows drive letters, and study, execute, and master fundamental command-line shell utilities: `mkdir`, `pwd`, `ls`, `cp`, `cd`, `mv`, `rm`, `rmdir`, `touch`, `free`, and system diagnostic commands in Linux and Windows.

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Hardware & Software Requirements

Hardware Components

✓ PC running Ubuntu/Debian Linux (native installation, dual-boot, or VirtualBox VM), or Windows 10/11 with WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux)
✓ Keyboard and Display

Software, OS & Tools

✓ Linux Bash Shell (`/bin/bash`) or Zsh
✓ Windows Command Prompt (`cmd.exe`) and PowerShell 7

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Teacher's Lab Delivery Guide

Essential briefing notes, pedagogy, and setup tips for lab instructors

Faculty Exclusive

⏱ 5-Minute Pre-Lab Lecture Briefing:

Contrast the Windows world (`C:\`, `D:\`, drive letters, backslashes, case-insensitive) with the Linux world (single unified inverted tree starting at root `/`, forward slashes, strictly case-sensitive, everything is a file). Explain that in Linux, terminal skills are not an optional extra—they are the primary superpower of system administrators and cloud engineers.

📝 Key Concepts to Write on Whiteboard:

Linux Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS): `/` (root), `/bin` (user binaries), `/etc` (system configuration), `/home` (user home directories), `/var` (variable logs/spools), `/dev` (device files), `/proc` (kernel virtual filesystem)
Absolute paths (starts with `/`) vs Relative paths (starts with current directory, `./` or `../`)
The "Everything is a File" philosophy (hardware devices, processes, sockets are treated as file streams)
Standard directory commands: `pwd`, `cd`, `mkdir -p`, `rmdir`, `ls -la`
File manipulation commands: `touch`, `cp -r`, `mv`, `rm -rf`, `cat`, `head`, `tail`
System diagnostic commands: `free -m` (memory), `df -h` (disk usage), `uname -a` (kernel), `top`/`htop` (processes), `uptime`

⚙ Pre-Class Lab Setup:

Provide students with standard non-root user accounts. Warn them about the perils of `rm -rf /` and running as `root` indiscriminately.

⚠ Common Student Pitfalls & Fixes:

Students confuse relative paths and absolute paths, or put spaces inside filenames without quotes (`mkdir my folder` creates two folders "my" and "folder" instead of "my folder").

🛡 Lab Safety & ESD Precautions:

Never run `rm -rf *` without first double-checking your current location with `pwd`!

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Step-by-Step Practical Procedure

1

Inspect Linux Filesystem Hierarchy & Current Working Directory

Launch terminal. Print the current working directory. List the top-level root directory contents with permissions and hidden files.

Command / Action:

pwd && ls -la /

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Teacher Note / Pro-Tip: Notice `/bin`, `/etc`, `/home`, `/root`, `/sys`, `/proc`, and `/var`.

2

Create Directory Trees with `mkdir` & Navigate with `cd`

Create a nested directory structure in one command using the `-p` (parents) flag. Navigate into the directory and then return to home using relative and absolute paths.

Command / Action:

mkdir -p ~/cse_lab/module1/practical10 && cd ~/cse_lab/module1/practical10

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Teacher Note / Pro-Tip: `cd ..` navigates one level up; `cd ~` or just `cd` returns to user home directory.

3

Create Empty Files with `touch` and Write Content

Create new empty files using `touch`. Write sample text to a file using redirection (`>`) and append (`>>`). Display contents using `cat`.

Command / Action:

touch notes.txt config.cfg && echo "Hardware Lab 2026" > notes.txt && cat notes.txt

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Teacher Note / Pro-Tip: `>` overwrites existing file content; `>>` appends to the end without erasing.

4

Copy (`cp`) and Move / Rename (`mv`) Files & Directories

Copy `notes.txt` to a backup file. Rename `config.cfg` to `settings.conf` using `mv`. Copy the entire directory recursively with `cp -r`.

Command / Action:

cp notes.txt notes_backup.txt && mv config.cfg settings.conf

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Teacher Note / Pro-Tip: In Linux, renaming and moving are the identical command (`mv`).

5

Delete Files (`rm`) and Directories (`rmdir` / `rm -r`)

Remove the backup file. Use `rmdir` on an empty folder. Attempt `rmdir` on a non-empty folder (it fails), then use `rm -r` for recursive removal.

Command / Action:

rm notes_backup.txt && rm -r ~/cse_lab/module1

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Teacher Note / Pro-Tip: Linux has no Recycle Bin for terminal commands; files removed with `rm` are unlinked permanently.

6

Execute System Diagnostic Commands (`free`, `df`, `uname`, `top`)

Check physical and swap memory in megabytes using `free -m`. Check disk filesystem utilization in human-readable gigabytes (`df -h`). Display kernel and OS details (`uname -a`).

Command / Action:

free -m && df -h && uname -a

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Teacher Note / Pro-Tip: In Windows PowerShell, equivalent system commands are `systeminfo`, `Get-PSDrive`, and `Get-Process`.

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Interactive Hands-On Lab Simulator

Practice and test concepts virtually before or after performing on physical lab equipment

Live Interactive

Loading simulator...

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Observations & Student Lab Record

Students are required to record the following measured parameters, hardware specifications, and output status into their physical lab journals:

Linux Command	Function / Purpose	Key Options / Switches	Windows Equivalent Command
`pwd`	Print Working Directory (shows absolute path)	None	`cd` (without arguments) / `Get-Location`
`ls`	List directory contents	`-l` (long format), `-a` (all/hidden), `-h` (human sizes)	`dir` / `Get-ChildItem`
`cd`	Change directory	`..` (parent), `~` (home), `-` (previous directory)	`cd` / `chdir`
`mkdir`	Make directory	`-p` (create parent directories without error)	`mkdir` / `md`
`touch`	Create empty file or update timestamp	`-a` (access time only)	`type nul > file.txt` / `New-Item`
`cp`	Copy files and directories	`-r` (recursive), `-v` (verbose), `-i` (interactive prompt)	`copy` / `xcopy` / `robocopy`
`mv`	Move or rename files and directories	`-f` (force), `-n` (do not overwrite)	`move` / `ren`
`rm`	Remove files or directories	`-r` (recursive), `-f` (force without prompt)	`del` / `rmdir /s` / `Remove-Item`
`rmdir`	Remove empty directory	`-p` (remove empty parents)	`rd` / `rmdir`
`free`	Display total, used, and free RAM and Swap	`-m` (Megabytes), `-g` (Gigabytes), `-h` (Human)	`systeminfo \| findstr Memory`
`uname`	Display OS and kernel release information	`-a` (all details), `-r` (kernel release)	`winver` / `systeminfo`

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Conclusions & Learning Outcome

The Linux Filesystem Hierarchy Standard was thoroughly analyzed. Hands-on execution of directory management (`pwd`, `cd`, `mkdir`, `rmdir`), file operations (`touch`, `cp`, `mv`, `rm`), and system telemetry commands (`free -m`, `df -h`, `uname -a`) demonstrated proficiency in command-line administration, reinforcing parity with Windows equivalents.

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Oral Exam & Viva Questions with Answers

Essential questions asked by external examiners and lab evaluators (Accordion UI)

Answer:

In Linux, all files, directories, mounted storage partitions, and devices branch under a single unified root directory symbolized by `/`. In contrast, Windows assigns independent drive letters (`C:`, `D:`, `E:`) to separate storage partitions.