I just got RH 9 and I need to install an RPM file from the prompt cuz it wont load the gui. I'm a complete newbie, need step-by-step instructions pleeze!!!

cd into the directory or mount your cd and use rpm -ivh <filename>

ok, it goes pretty much like this:
locate where rpm file is, say its [dir]
do: (this is optional, if you are not sure) cd [dir]
do: su
do: [admin password], you might not be able to install it otherwise
do: rpm -i [rpm.file]
you are done.

When I say I'm a Linux Newbie, I really mean it :-). I could sorta follow the third post, but I'm still not sure what to do. Please assume I dont even know what a mouse is......I really don't know ANYTHING about Linux. I don't know how the directory's are set up (Are they the same as in Windows where the floppy drive is A:/, the Hard disk is C:/ etc.... or is the file system different) I need step by step instructions on how to install it from either a floppy or CD or Hard drive, whichever is easiest to do. Thanx!!!

the file system is different, yes. you can find your CD-ROM/floppy/windows drives in your /mnt direcry.

The learning curve is a little steep at first. I was lucky in that I read a book before doing Linux. After playing with it and getting "in the groove" you will find many aspects easier and more straightforward than Windows.

Do rpms from the command line.

Become a root user by the su command.
Enter your root password.
navigate to the directory that the rpm is in.

I recommend rpm -Uvh <file name>
The "U" will install just like the "i" will but if there is an older version
will update it. If there is NO version, it will install it.
The "v" will give you some output..it means verbose.
the "h" gives you a little hash bar graph so that you can see the
progress. When it's done you will be back to the # and you can
exit out to the normal user, and then out of the terminal by typing
exit both times. The rpm is installed unless you had any errors or
dependency problems. It's that easy.

Open up a graphical file browser like Konquerer (KDE) or Nautilus (gnome)
and on the left open up the "root" or "file system" icon...you can cruise
the entire file system and see how it is stuctured. It is very straightforward
and easy to follow, but you will want to learn what's in what.

You will not be able to write on any directory except "home" unless you
are a super user...that means logged in as ROOT or su to root. This is
a great protection.

Driver letters are a Windows thing. Unix/Linux mounts FILE systems...
You can define mount points anywhere you want. This is also a function of
the fstab file (found in /etc)....the floppy drive is by default MOUNTED
at /mnt/floppy and you must always MOUNT and UNMOUNT with the "mount"
and "umount" command, respectively. This has advantages too...

I will not bore you with more, but hopefully enticed you to get a basic
Linux book and enjoy not only a whole new world, but a better one
as well.

Happy learning

AUGHHHHH!!!!!!
I am getting extremely frustrated!!!!!!!!
Come on!!! Im a Newbie!!!!
I booted off RH, in single user mode (which i just found out how to do after hours of looking around) and I'm at the command prompt, and I dont know what to type!!!! I tried everything in this forum to the best of my ability, and I still dont get how to install it!!! Can someone please explain like they would to their grandmother? "Type xxxxxxx then press enter" etc...........
I have the file on a floppy disc and I have absolutely no clue how to install it!!!!!!!!! HHHHEEEEELLLLLLPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Insert the floppy disk into the drive
type: mount /mnt/floppy
type: cd /mnt/floppy
type: ls
type: su
a prompt will ask you for your password: type in your root password here
you will be brought back to the prompt
type: rpm -ivh <rpm filename you want to install>.rpm

after it installs,
type: exit
you will be back as your regular user
the rpm file is installed

Hint: It is easier to do this in X. To start X windows,
type: startx

This way all you have to do is click on the rpm file and it will auto install for you.
I suggest you buy the "Linux for dummies" book or "Redhat Linux for Dummies" . These are really good for users just starting out. check out amazon.com for some really good beginner books.

Since you are starting out, I should recommend you start with SuSE Linux. This is a very good desktop OS and the most user friendly. I think it will be more your flavor.

OK, I installed the RPM file, but that still didn't fix my problem, and I'm tired of trying to fix it so I'm gonna take your suggestion and go with SuSE Linux.

SuSE linux is also ...... Linux ^o^

Go into the directory that the rpm file you saved is in, it should be /etc/rpm.
Do an ls command to list all the files...
Better yet fallow this, it's directly from the Red Hat website.

Red Hat Network Client Software

The certificate used by up2date and rhn_register to communicate with Red Hat Network reached its end of life on August 28th, 2003. Users attempting to connect to Red Hat Network will see SSL connection or certificate verification failures.

For each distribution supported by Red Hat, you will find the latest versions of the RHN client software listed below. To install these packages, please follow these steps:

1.

Download the appropriate packages for your distribution, listed below.
2.

Next to the link, you will find the MD5 checksum for the file. An MD5 checksum is designed to verify that the file on your system is identical to the file provided by RHN. After downloading your RPMs, please verify each file from your host system with the following command:

[user@localhost user]$ md5sum 'filename'
3.

Install the RPMs as the root user. You must install both the 'up2date' and 'up2date-gnome' RPMs with the same command, for example:

[user@localhost user]$ su
Password: (enter root password)

[root@localhost user]# rpm -Fvh up2date-*
4.

If you have already registered with up2date, then after installing these (or any other) RPMs from the command line, you should update the package profile on the RHN servers for your system:

[root@localhost user]# up2date -p

The errata associated with the packages below are RHSA-2003-267 and RHSA-2003-268 - "New up2date available with updated SSL certificate authority file." See:

* RHSA-2003-267 for Red Hat Linux.
* RHSA-2003-268 for Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

If your distribution is not listed below, the latest RHN certificate is also available here. If your distribution of Red Hat Linux or Red Hat Enterprise Linux is listed below, we highly recommend that you obtain the certificate by downloading the latest version of up2date following the instructions above instead of installing it manually.

yzrider210,
Try this.....

Reinstall RH from the CD, but choose UPDATE, then select the packages you want to install (i.e. gnome, kde, etc...)

Ginux

P.s. when you installed linux, did it install in a graphical environment? (did you choose the options using the mouse?) if yes then RH should have recognized your graphic card proprly.

No, it would not install in graphical.

I'll try that.

yzrider210:

What graphics card do you have ?

Asus GeForce FX 5200