We need to create the /etc/nsswitch.conf file, because, although Glibc provides defaults when this file is missing or corrupt, the Glibc defaults don't work well with networking. Also, our time zone needs to be set up. Create a new file /etc/nsswitch.conf by running the following: cat > /etc/nsswitch.conf << "EOF" # Begin /etc/nsswitch.conf passwd: files group: files shadow: files publickey: files hosts: files dns networks: files protocols: db files services: db files ethers: db files rpc: db files netgroup: db files # End /etc/nsswitch.conf EOF To find out what time zone you're in, run the following script: tzselect When you've answered a few questions about your location, the script will output the name of your time zone, something like EST5EDT or Canada/Eastern. Then create the /etc/localtime file by running: cp --remove-destination /usr/share/zoneinfo/Canada/Eastern /etc/localtime The meaning of the option: --remove-destination: This is needed to force removal of the already existing symbolic link. The reason why we copy instead of symlink is to cover the situation where /usr is on a separate partition. This could matter, for example, when booted into single user mode. Of course, instead of Canada/Eastern, fill in the name of the time zone that the tzselect script gave you.   By default, the dynamic loader (/lib/ld-linux.so.2) searches through /lib and /usr/lib for dynamic libraries that are needed by programs when you run them. However, if there are libraries in directories other than /lib and /usr/lib, you need to add them to the /etc/ld.so.conf file for the dynamic loader to find them. Two directories that are commonly known to contain additional libraries are /usr/local/lib and /opt/lib, so we add those directories to the dynamic loader's search path. Create a new file /etc/ld.so.conf by running the following: cat > /etc/ld.so.conf << "EOF" # Begin /etc/ld.so.conf /usr/local/lib /opt/lib # End /etc/ld.so.conf EOF