How do you install tar/gz files, and rpm files?

Fear58 · 02-14-2004, 03:13 PM

How do you install tar/gz files, and rpm files? I am running mandrake 9.2 on KDE, and am having a problem on it. From other threads I've read, you need to open konsole and type in a special command then the filename. I am SO used to windows, and I am not sure what command to use, or how to get the filename in mandrake...

I am a linux

, and I'm trying to brake out of the clutches of Microsoft's fists! Thanks for the help.

XavierP · 02-14-2004, 03:17 PM

Here you are: a short howto http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...threadid=45094

Fear58 · 02-14-2004, 03:38 PM

I follow the codes through, it just doesn't work for me

I do run Mandrake 9.2, and in that thread it mentioned an easier installer, anyone know where I can find it?

Tyir · 02-14-2004, 03:59 PM

well, you should say what the error was, we have no idea!

if you have an .rpm for mdnrake,y uo should go to konsole

type
su -
enter your root password

then, using cd, mvove the the directory of your file
eg

cd /home/fear

thentype
rpm -Uvh programname.rpm

that should work

Fear58 · 02-14-2004, 04:08 PM

Tyir that sure worked thanks, but.... (lol)
it said the software was already installed, I must have already done it with mandrakes, ato installer deal, but I have no idea where to find the files..any help?

Tyir · 02-14-2004, 04:14 PM

what program?

its usally pretty obvious, just type the title in a konsole

if you are trying to run, for ex, gaim, type gaim in a console

if you are trying to run gimp, type gimp

aclaunch · 02-14-2004, 04:35 PM

There are 2 commands that can help you find files. The first is "whereis"; this will tell the location of the executable, library files and any documentation. The second is "locate". Locate will give you all the matching files of a given name anywhere on the system; you can type in only part of a name and get matches whereas with whereis you need the name of the file. The only problem with "locate" is that it finds things based on a database that usually is updated only daily. So, if you install stuff and then type "locate foo" it won't find it because the database is out of date. The fix for this is to run "updatedb" (as root) and this will rebuild the database (or wait until tomorrow-usually rebuilt at 2AM).

Good Luck
Alan