Hi,

I recently downloaded the trial version of the Nortel Network Conitivity Multi-OS client so that I can connect to my university's vpn. (My school offers their own extranet access client but it's only for windows.) I download the rpm. I tried using GnoRPM that was packaged with my Red Hat 7.3 but when I clicked on the install button, nothing happened. I followed the instructions from Nortel and tried the manual rpm --rebuild command in a terminal window. After a lot of text passed by it finally ended with an error message:

RPM build errors:
Bad exit status from /var/tmp/rpm-tmp.6671 (%build)

Now...

I literally installed Linux for the very first time days ago so I know absolutely nothing so... I am aware of the infamous RTFM responses in the linux world and I do want to be able to solve problems on my own but with the a screen full of text and only one error message I don't have a clue where to begin for resolution.

Thanks for any help. I appreciate it.

run "rpm -ivh <package name>.rpm" in a console

As I can see you are trying to compile it from source rpm. First thing first, what is the file extension (you can omit the file name and version, just include everything that follows), second, how did you attempted to install it?

I knew I forgot to mention something. Yes, the first step in the instruction step was to rebuild the source from the rpm at the host you intended to install on...

rpm --rebuild (filename)-(version).src.rpm

Then I actually had to install the new rpm that was generated...

rpm -ivh (redhat directory)/(filename)-(version).i386.rpm

I am getting the problem with the first step.

Do all rpm's come as src.rpm or ix86.rpm?

As I can see from their readme.txt it requires kernel source installed, see if it is installed
rpm -qa|grep kernel
if it lists kernel-source then there are some other dependencies that are not met.

I'm seeing the 2.4 kernel listed.

So now I have to check if those other packages they list in the readme file are installed?

Yep, but don't confuse kernel-2.4.x with kernel-source-2.4.x, the latest is one of the requirements, you should install kernel-source as well. Don't touch the kernel-2.4.x though - it is the core of your operating system.