Trying to recompile the 2.6.0 kernel and got an error at "make menuconfig": gcc: command not found.

I did a pretty basic install of RedHat 9.0 and apparently GCC was not installed on the system, which is pretty strange because I just pretty much kept clicking "Next" through the entire install except when it asked me for specifics, at which point I selected DNS, Mail, and WWW servers.

Typing 'gcc' at the command line gives me a 'command not found' message as opposed to a 'no input file' message if it was installed.

I went to gcc.gnu.org to download and install it, but I guess you need an existing version of GCC to do this.. it also brings up a question: If I need GCC to install GCC, then... how do you even get GCC on there to begin with?

I remember I had this issue before and I spent hours trying to find information on how to install this, but I gave up and just ended up re-installing everything from scratch; I'd kinda like to avoid that this time.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Can't you install it from the redhat CD?

agreed with the above user

u must have elected to do a personal desktop install instead of a workstation install when you were going through the installer (personal desktop is default and leaves out a lot of important packages)

in redhat, use the add/remove programs tool and find the package for gcc; it will ask for a redhat cd and just put it in and all should be well

also, there should be a redhat package out on the web, so try looking for that too

Simple enough! Can't believe I didn't even think of that!

Thanks so much!

While we're on the topic.. what would be a solution for users who don't have RedHat? When I mentioned above that I had this problem in the past, I believe I was using another distro (slackware). Would I have to load an RPM installer and take it off the RedHat CD as well?

Your best bet for gcc install when no gcc exists it a binary install. .deb, .pkg, .rpm, whatever. Then, you can compile the new gcc. Remove the old gcc binary right before the make install.

once again, agreed with the above user

most distros (very close to all) will come with a precompiled version of gcc, even slackware

this precompiled version is usually in a package format built by the makers of that distro, for examples: redhat and rpm packages, mandrake and their special rpm packages, slackware and .tgz packages, debian and .deb packages, and so forth

however, i also do wonder how gcc is installed in the first place when no compiler was around (i kind of have an idea about how it may have begun, but it is too difficult to put in words)

Although I'm not familiar with the history of C, but come to think of it, it has to start with something....gcc is not the first ever C compiler, nor is C the lowest level programming language.