tracking system changes after package installation

rohitchauhan · 07-29-2013, 06:32 AM

Hi,
My question is just for learning purpose only.

I want to know and understand that when a package is installed in the system (RHEL 6), what happens in the background ?

Means, installing the package results in creation of some file in the system at some certain locations (depending on the package) and the edition/changes in some system (configuration) files.

I want to know that how to find out the changes which have been done in the system after the package installation i.e. which file have been created and/or edited and if possible in what sequence ?

Linux MR · 07-29-2013, 05:04 PM

example package name foobar

Viewing packages from installed rpm (2 ways to do the same thing)

Quote:

# rpm ql foobar
# repoquery -ql foobar

If you can get the source rpm (for example foobar-1.2-el6.x86_64.src.rpm) then you should install that package and look at the .spec file
Installing the source rpm will create the rpmbuild directory with sub-folder with SPEC, RPM, SOURCE, etc.
That will give you more information about how things are installed with regards to order

Hope that helps