First Update
It used to be that the first thing that you needed to do with your new system was update it to the latest package versions. You do this mainly to ensure that you have the latest security updates available.
Update Ubuntu via the GUI (Software Updater)
Step 1 : In the menu, look for “Software Updater”
Step 2 : When you run it, Software Updater automatically downloads the list of updates available and checks them all in the list it shows.
Step 3 : If you want a little more information about the updates, click “Details of updates” to see what has changed in the update.
Step 4 : Click on “Install Now.”. Once you enter your password
Step 5 : You can choose to restart now
Update Ubuntu via the Command Line
Step 1 : Try running this command:
sudo apt-get update
Step 2: Upgrade your software by entering the following:
sudo apt-get upgrade
Shutting Down
You can use the power icon located in the upper-right corner of your screen and its drop-down menu, select Switch Off.
If you are working at the command line, you can immediately shut down your system by using the shutdown command like this:
sudo shutdown -h now
You can also use the shutdown command to restart your computer, as follows:
sudo shutdown -r now
The sudo Command
Ubuntu relies on the sudo command while you work at the command line. This command is used in front of other commands to tell Ubuntu that you want to run the specified command with super user powers.
When you work using the sudo command, you can make wide-ranging changes to your system that affect the way it runs. Be extra careful when running any command prefixed with sudo; however, a wrong option or incorrect command can have devastating consequences.
For example, the following command opens your ssh_config file in nano and enables you to make any changes as the super user before being able to save it
sudo nano /etc/ssh/ssh_config
Whenever you execute a command using sudo, you are prompted for your password. This is the same password that you use to log in to Ubuntu
System Settings
To configure system settings, In the menu, look for “Settings”
Setting the Time and Date
Ubuntu’s graphical tool is the simplest way to set your system date and time and the most obvious for a desktop user. The client is called Time & Date in the Settings menu.
Configuring Wireless Networks
Click on the start menu and search for Settings. From the Settings window, click on the Network tab.