This is a message when I'm trying to install software to my suse 9.1 from a tar.gz:
configure:1562: checking build system type
configure:1580: result: i686-pc-linux-gnu
configure:1588: checking host system type
configure:1602: result: i686-pc-linux-gnu
configure:1610: checking target system type
configure:1624: result: i686-pc-linux-gnu
configure:1671: checking for a BSD-compatible install
configure:1726: result: /usr/bin/install -c
configure:1741: checking for -p flag to install
configure:1754: result: yes
configure:1765: checking whether build environment is sane
configure:1808: result: yes
configure:1852: checking for gawk
configure:1868: found /usr/bin/gawk
configure:1878: result: gawk
configure:1888: checking whether make sets $(MAKE)
configure:1912: result: no
configure:2121: checking for style of include used by make
configure:2149: result: none
configure:2296: checking for gcc
configure:2325: result: no
configure:2376: checking for cc
configure:2405: result: no
configure:2418: checking for cc
configure:2464: result: no
configure:2517: checking for cl
configure:2546: result: no
configure:2560: error: no acceptable C compiler found in $PATH

what can I do?

What you should try to do is check by using the cd's (unless there is an easier way) to see if you have the gcc compiler installed. When installing linux the graphical way and choosing "desktop pc" as the installed package choice is fails to put in the gcc compiler (red hat and fadora anyways are like this) Just make sure you go to the "add software" system tool or whatever it's called and check the gcc compiler

install a c compiler.

It should be on the CD. look for something like development tools to install from the CD.

not sure how the SUSE cd is set up though as I use Fedora.

The suse 9.1 personal doesn't have developement tools but I downloaded all the files I needed from the ftp.suse. I'm happy now :-)

What packages did you download exactly?

binutils, gcc, glibc, glibc-devel from the ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/i386/9.1/suse/i586/. Some applications need more.