I've had this same problem in Windows and in Linux. I've installed Quake 3 with the latest point release and every time I go to a punkbuster enabled server I get "spectator mode forced until punkbuster updates." Then I wait and wait (up to an hour) and it doesn't seem that it ever updates. If I go out of the server and come back in I get the same thing.

I spent hours reading ever doc, searching every forum, I've tried running the update program at the pb site, I've tried manually downloading the files and to the required directories per instructions and all I get is the same thing!

Also, what is the best way to uninstall Quake 3 so I can reinstall as a rpm?

Thanks!

You have to run pb manually. For linux, you need to download pbweb.x86 into your /home/username/.q3a/pb dir and then chmod +x pbweb.x86 and then ./pbweb.x86 to run it. This should update it. I have no problems.