We need to create the /etc/nsswitch.conf file. Although glibc should provide defaults when this file is missing or corrupt, its defaults don't work well with networking. That is dealt with in a later chapter. Also, our timezone 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 The tzselect script has to be run and the questions regarding your timezone have to be answered. When you're done, the script will give the location of the needed timezone file. Create the /etc/localtime symlink by running: ln -sf ../usr/share/zoneinfo/<tzselect's output> /etc/localtime tzselect's output can be something like EST5EDT or Canada/Eastern. The symlink you'd create with that information would be: ln -sf ../usr/share/zoneinfo/EST5EDT /etc/localtime Or: ln -sf ../usr/share/zoneinfo/Canada/Eastern /etc/localtime