I am a complete noobie and don't know anything about using the console.
I'm using PCLinuxOS MiniMe, which is based on Mandrake.

I have two problems which involve installation of software. First, when I try to intall libdvdcss.rpm (or any other rpms) using KPackage, it says in the window

rpm -i --nodeps '///home/razor/libdvdcss-1.2.9-1.src.rpm';echo RESULT=$?
warning: user sam does not exist - using root
warning: group sam does not exist - using root
warning: user sam does not exist - using root
warning: group sam does not exist - using root
RESULT=0

(My user name is Razor )

So I haven't been able to install any packages. Second, when I download and install software using Synaptic, sometimes they work and sometimes they disappear. If it's something like VLC or OpenOffice, it puts an icon in the menu and I'm fine. But other titles say they're installed but I can't find them anywhere.

Help would be much appreciated.

You are using a wrong file. The file you are trying to install is a source rpm (src.rpm) and not a binary rpm. Download libdvdcss2-1.2.9-1.i386.rpm and install that.

You're right, I was trying to install the source. Thanks for helping a noob out. So I downloaded the binary rpm and tried to install it using the Kpackage. This time, it only lists the initial command and then freezes so that the INSTALL button is greyed out and the cancel is all you can click. Am I doing something wrong?

Use the command line. e.g.

Okay, this time I was able to get it to install. But I'm still stuck because even though it successfully installed, the dvd decryption won't work. And I don't think it's the fault of the individual program since the same thing happened when I installed MPlayer. MPlayer is listed as being installed, but I can't run it.