rpm install trouble

pasalacqua128 · 03-29-2004, 11:19 AM

Whenever i try to install rpm's from rpmfind.net when i run the rpm command it just gives me a string of lines that say warning x user does not exist. Where x is different for each rpm. I am running the command properly and logged in as root. Can someone tell me what is going on?
thank you

motub · 03-31-2004, 06:41 AM

What distribution? What is the exact command that you are using? Do you mean to say that you are downloading the files from rpmfind.net and then installing them locally, or are you doing something else?

What is this "x"? When you say that it is different for each rpm, do you mean that x is somehow related to the rpm name, or something else? Could we have a couple of examples of this "x"?

Thetargos · 03-31-2004, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by pasalacqua128
Whenever i try to install rpm's from rpmfind.net when i run the rpm command it just gives me a string of lines that say warning x user does not exist. Where x is different for each rpm. I am running the command properly and logged in as root. Can someone tell me what is going on?
thank you

They're usually harmless warning messages that basically mean the user that packaged the rpm does not exist on your system. Usually the user root will be used for the installed files. What that also means is a bad packaging technique.

motub · 03-31-2004, 07:52 AM

Well that explains a couple of things, since I have never seen such a message. Makes you wonder, but I've had my share of problems with rpmfind.net-- enough that I use it mostly for research rather than actual packages.

Point of information: Does this mean that the packages might then not be properly installed, or "proper" in a more fundamental sense that the program in question might not work at all? As soon as you say "bad packaging technique", I start wondering what else might be "bad"-- is that just me?

Thetargos · 03-31-2004, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by motub
Well that explains a couple of things, since I have never seen such a message. Makes you wonder, but I've had my share of problems with rpmfind.net-- enough that I use it mostly for research rather than actual packages.

Point of information: Does this mean that the packages might then not be properly installed, or "proper" in a more fundamental sense that the program in question might not work at all? As soon as you say "bad packaging technique", I start wondering what else might be "bad"-- is that just me?

You're right to be suspicious in regards of package functionality... alas I've never had problems with packages that ask for certain user to be present in the system... most noticeably the 3.7.0 ATi drivers asked for the user mtippet (the programmer) and they still worked

In any case if you encounter such a package try to test it thoroughly just to make sure the provided files will work fine and will behave as expected.

motub · 03-31-2004, 08:06 AM

Point of information 2: How do you test a package? Beyond getting gpg keys and checking md5 sums, I haven't a clue.

Thetargos · 03-31-2004, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by motub
Point of information 2: How do you test a package? Beyond getting gpg keys and checking md5 sums, I haven't a clue.

What do you mean? like to list the contents without installing? or what?

motub · 03-31-2004, 08:16 AM

You're the one who said to try to test the package thoroughly

. I don't know how I would do that if I needed to, other than making sure that the gpg key matched (if applicable) or that the md5 did, if applicable.

But that would only tell me that the package was the same as what had been uploaded... it wouldn't "test" to see if the package itself was badly built. Is there a way to test that (thoroughly) without installing and taking your chances?

AutOPSY · 03-31-2004, 08:25 AM

There is a switch for the rpm tool, to test an install without actually installing them, which I do belive checks for any thing specific to a packaged rpm, dependencies, directories, overwrites, and maybe even the user.

By using test switch you can basically tell if an rpm is going to be troublesome or you need other packages.

And, after installing the package, "test" it to make sure it works.

motub · 03-31-2004, 08:30 AM

OK, that explains it... I don't use the rpm command much, if ever so I'm not that familiar with it's capabilities (I tend to stick to urpmi under Mandrake, or RPMDrake, and when I had RH installed briefly, I used up2date and like that).

Thetargos · 03-31-2004, 01:34 PM

Yes I usually use the switches --test and -qpl to list the contents of a package.