Hi all,

Despite the hopeless tone of the subject, this is actually a cry for help.

I have spent (wasted?) three weeks now evaluating each distro and trying to get up-to-speed enough to convert my server station to linux.

After all this time. I have not managed to succeed in one single thing. At least without screwing something else up.

Here's what I'm trying to do on Fedora Core 2.

Install Apache 2.0.x
Install PHP 4.0.x
Install MySQL Max 4.0.x
Install Mod_perl 8..something

I finally got Apache up and running, but it came with the Fedora distro. I was waiting to get PHP and MySQL up before attempting the deeper configuration.

But, MySQL is the freakiest dog on the block. I first tried the RPMs of 'server' and 'client'. I swear it completed without any errors. But, I was only able to find three files on the entire system that contained the string 'MySQL' or 'mysql'. Nowhere! Yet, the service was UP even though I couldn't find the darn file to start the console!

I then tried to install the manual way as described on the MySQL web site, and even following the step-by-step instructions verbatim, I get errors like 'no such file or directory' and 'no such group/user exists'. BTW, I look in the group and users area, and the group and user 'mysql' certainly do exist. And, I am in the root account doing all of this.

Next I tried to figure out how to 'uninstall' whatever it had done. And, the documentation obviously assumes that you know a great deal about GNU-linux becase it doesn't explain any of the variations, reasons or escapes that you need when something goes wrong. How do you reverse an RPM?

So, if anyone has read this far... Can you tell me where I can find VERY BASIC information on how to install these packages? Step-by-step would be nice as long as it tells me what I'm doing and what to do if it goes wrong.

I want to dump windows. I really do. But, I am unable to find a reference out there that doesn't go over my head within two sentences. I have been an avid computer user and programmer for over twenty years, (obviously not on UNIX-like systems eh?) and this is giving me the ride of my life.

A Linux Newbie getting ready to run home to the evil-stepfather (Bill)

SteedVLX

Health Warning : I am a *complete* newbie....

I know nothing about Apache, PHP or MySQL - but one thing I have learned (the hard way) is that once you have installed something the files will not show up in the "search for files" utility or even using terminal commands such as "locate" until you have run "updatedb" (as root).

I can help you no more - but try running updatedb (it takes a while to complete) and then search again for the relevant executable files...

All the best.

Mark

Oh -- My -- God! You must be joking! I wonder why don't they tell you that before you pull your hair out looking for a file when they write 'locate the mysql_safe file in the /user/local/ directory and ....' It must be one of those lessons best learned the hard way.

Thanks for the tip. I guess I'll know 'next time' since I just tried to restart that box. Due to my newbie efforts, it's doing a convincing impression of a windows box... i.e. Blank screen freeze.

NUB2NUB

SteedVLX

I don't know diddly about MySQL or PHP, but this is a link I've bookmarked ->
http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/...tutorial4.html

And to give you a little empathy - I've been using comps run by Windoze for about as
long as you. In 1999 I tried RedHat Linux 6, and gave up in a couple of months. Last
June one of the guys who runs my email service suggested I try Linux, and once again
I tried RedHat - this time version 9.0. After about two months I began looking for a distro
that would let me install what I wanted, and not a lot of other stuff. I started using
Debian. And then in November I switched to Slackware. That's where I'm at today, and
I gotta tell you I really like Linux. Wish I'd stuck it out in 1999. LQ wasn't started then,
or maybe it would have been easier.

Today I've been using Linux on a daily basis for just over 12 months. I've wanted to quit
many times, but every time I boot into Windoze my stomach turns. It's not because my
W2K system doesn't run well, for it does. But I abhor the business practices of Micro$loth,
and will not lie in that sewer any more.

Don't give up! There are resources which will help you "learn Linux." There are many distros,
each with a different set of packages, and different ways of "doing things."

Stick it out - don't give up - you'll never regret it. Read that top link in my sig, and then look
deeper for more stuff. Keep searching LQ, and www.google.com/linux and soon you'll begin
to see the light at the end of the tunnel. On the end of the tunnel you are looking back towards,
there's a Micro$loth train which would just as soon run you over as look at you. The light at the
other end of the tunnel is a bright light of freedom you'll experience from GNU/Linux. ;-)

Chinaman,

Thanks for the link and the encouraging words. I am reading the installation information now. And, I realize that I need to figure out how to remove things so I can start over.

Anybody know how to safely remove a botched MySQL installation?

I've been diving in with the ole' college try mentality. But, it's details that most techie writers don't think about that get you every time. Like the aforementioned 'updatedb' directive.

Well, I gotta go read that link you gave me..

Thanks

You said you followed the install instructions from the MySQL website. Do you mean these install instructions?

http://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/Linux-RPM.html

If so you should be able to uninstall MySQL with rpm (see rpm manpages for details)

Removing an RPM is easy, just type
rpm -e packagename

The command to run MySQL client is 'mysql'.

In case you get errors installing/configuring them next time, post the commands with error messages. Someone will know what's wrong and how to fix it.

'SheldonPlankton'

Yeah, that's the one

I used this >> rpm -i MySQL-server-VERSION.i386.rpm

Everything seems to go well. I just couldn't locate the files. Since I didn't know about updatedb, I did a lot of stupid things trying to 'make it right' which it probably was to start with.

Thanks
SteedVLX

Thanks I needed that.

Unfortunately, I have a new problem. Nothing to do with Linux. I just fried my mainboard last night.

This box is one of those microATX barebones thingies. It's my first time with one of them. Evidently the floppy cable moved around and contacted the CPU fan (stopping it).

Either the power feedback from that damaged the power supply, or the CPU heat fried the main bus. Thank God my new P4 processor is still ok. But, It's definately replacement time on a brand new system. I hope ASUS is in a charitable mood today.

I'll be back at it in a few days though.

SteedVLX

if your still having problems getting all this installed.. i found a step by step guide on mialug..

http://www.mialug.org/modules.php?na...article&sid=92

should help you out if your still stuck.

That's a GREAT link. Thanks. I have a few HW problems to iron out right now (Trashed MB)

As soon as all gets fixed, will be retrying it that way.

Definately one for the bookmarks.

SteedVLX