I just did a build/install of openssl-0.9.6d on a 486 75mhz 16mb ram. The whole config + make + install process took 1h 43m 38s.
Ofcourse the machine wasn't doing a lot besides the build. Just serving a few web pages and doing NAT for a few computers.
It does have an LFS install on it and I've only got the minimal stuff running, that might make quite a difference.
Are you running XWindows on that machine? It's probably really low on resources and swapping memory a lot if it takes that long.

I downloaded to files for Openssl....the program and the engine.
What is the difference and which one should I compile/install first?

No...Its running telnet and samba..but without alot of use...on runlevel 3 (the only thing I like about the GUI is the neat screen saver!)

From openssl FAQ:
Most people are using the second version, I mean "non-engine".

You don't need the engine. Just get openssl-0.9.6e.tar.gz , since 0.9.7 is still beta.

You really should look into speeding up your system if it isn't running anything and still going that slow. You should be able to get a lot more out of it.

Done...Ive configured and installed openssl and openssh
I also made my server key

Now,,, In RH 7.2, I go into /etc/xinet.d and enable the service.

How do I check if it is installed (its not through rpm).

Do I have to add a line for the service in /etc/inetd.conf?

I cant find my sshd! (its supposed to be in /etc/rc.d/init.d !)

Did i FooBarr my install somehow?
(Nothing noted in logs)

How do I "turn on" openssh in RH 6.2?

Well you have several options on how to run it. You said you added it to xinetd. In that case all you would need to do is restart xinetd. Usually something like '/etc/init.d/xinetd restart' should work. You can check if it's listening on the right port by running the command 'netstat -lt'.

You don't need the file /etc/init.d/sshd because you are starting it through xinetd. You don't need to add any lines to /etc/inetd.conf either. If you are using xinetd then you shouldn't even need that file because xinetd replaces the older inetd. But since you are using redhat 6.2 it might be possible that you are still using inetd instead. In that case you should be adding the entry in inetd.conf and not in the xinet.d directory.

I understand that .. (Im running 6.2) ... but I cant find sshd (it should be in the /etc/rc.d/init.d directory (shouldnt it?)

Could It be that I installed it in the wrong place (/tmp) ?

I found the *#% rpm for ssh...for 6.2 here:
http://mirrors.sunsite.dk/cryptoarch...dhat-6.2-i386/

it installed like a dream...very easy.
I see sshd in my /etc/rc.d/init.d ! whoo hoo!

And....it works!

blanket statements are not always a good thing:

acidkewpie wrote:

just get a newer version. always a good idea anyway

unfortunately in the annals of linux history, programs do not ALWAYS improve in terms of stability or security

Glad you got it working. But just to complete the answer on why sshd is not there.

Normally if you install from source this is a step you would do yourself. Not every distribution uses the SysV method of starting up services. So it's up to the distribution how the program gets started, not up to the creator of the program. Usually in the /etc/init.d directory there should be a skeleton file which you can copy and then modify a few lines so you can easily add a new service.
When you install an rpm it usually has been built for a specific distro so it includes all the right files for that distro that's why the sshd file was present after installing the rpm.

The only disadvantage of that rpm is that it is probably really old. There have been several important updates to openssh, which might make it worth it to still try to install the newer version.

That sounds right. Installing from the RPM does alot of the heavy lifting for you. Im now a little gun shy about compiling and installing from the source....because it took so long, and even after that I couldnt locate or configure the files the way Im used to doing in RH.

When you compile and install, what directory do you usually compile in, and what directory do you install into?

Your sshd is probably in /usr/local/sbin (or /usr/local/bin, I don't remember exactly).

How to compile openssl client and engines?
is it the same:
./configure
make
make install.
??

Yes, the standard way.
./configure
make
make install