[root@wyc13eds-1 src]# rpm -iv j2re-1_4_1_01-fcs-linux-i586.rpm
Preparing packages for installation...
package j2re-1.4.1_01-fcs is already installed
[root@wyc13eds-1 src]# rpm -e j2re-1_4_1_01-fcs-linux-i586.rpm
error: package j2re-1_4_1_01-fcs-linux-i586.rpm is not installed
[root@wyc13eds-1 src]# man rpm
[root@wyc13eds-1 src]# rpm -iv -replace j2re-1_4_1_01-fcs-linux-i586.rpm
rpm: arguments to --root (-r) must begin with a /
[root@wyc13eds-1 src]# man rpm
[root@wyc13eds-1 src]# rpm -iv --replacefiles j2re-1_4_1_01-fcs-linux-i586.rpm
Preparing packages for installation...
package j2re-1.4.1_01-fcs is already installed

thats what i keep getting when i try to install java 2.0 vm. i messed up my first try at installing, and now it screws me over and one minute says its already there, the next, when i try to remove it, saying its gone.

i'm only root to install, not always you know.

on a plus note, i'm getting better than when i started a few days ago. i know what things mean now!

rpm -e j2re-1_4_1_01-fcs-linux-i586.rpm

this isn't how you remove an rpm. I found tis out the hard way as well.

rpm -e j2re-1_4_1_01-fcs-linux-i586

that is how you remove one.

[root@wyc13eds-1 src]# rpm -e j2re-1_4_1_01-fcs-linux-i586
error: package j2re-1_4_1_01-fcs-linux-i586 is not installed
[root@wyc13eds-1 src]# rpm -e j2re-1_4_1_01-fcs-linux-i586
error: package j2re-1_4_1_01-fcs-linux-i586 is not installed

try uninstalling it and see what happends

#rpm -uv j2re-1_4_1_01-fcs-linux-i586

and then installling it again.

#rpm -ivh j2re-1_4_1_01-fcs-linux-i586

-uv comes up as an unknown option, or the u part anyways.

the -e tells me the package isn't installed, while -i tell me it is already installed.

well, what does
rpm -qa|grep j2re
report?

what is the -e for? I think that -u was for uninstall, that is in mandrake at least. Ok, then try rpm -V to check if it is installed.

Or even better, if rpm -qa|grep j2re tells you that it is already installed then you can use rpm -Uvh j2reblahblahblah (this should update your rpm) and you can use --force (or --replacepkgs)

rpm -qa|grep j2re
j2re-1.4.1_01-fcs

then do the
and tell us what happend

Sounds like you need to update your RPM database. Try rebuilding it:
man rpm OR
rpm --rebuilddb

Also, the force option always did the trick for me when I'd run into the redundant issue like that. I figure, so what, if it's already installed, I won't "double install" it.

Cool

i dont know what else to say... none of this has worked (or changed anything) and seeing as the java vm is sort of important to run things i can't just stop, but no matter what i say the gosh darn machine keeps playing its tricks on me.

just run

leave off the "linux-586" part

P.S. Where is the baby seal clubbing sight? I guess I could search for it.

Maybe
rpm -U j2re-1_4_1_01-fcs-linux-i586

did you tried rpm -ivh --force <filename>