How to execute a .run file ?
 

Downloading Virtual box, I saw a link with title All distributions on its home page:

VirtualBox-3.2.8-64453-Linux_x86.run

I have not downloaded it yet, I wanted to know how to execute it ? I've never seen a .run file before !

Does this mean this file is supposed to run on all distributions ?

confirm the same by opening the file(to confirm its bash script)

Hi Anisha,

I just installed the same version/package on my Slackware last week and it works like clockwork. You make the file executable if it is not and the just like any normal script:
Kind regards,

Eric

Thanks to Prayag and Eric.

Does this mean I don't need to download a separate RPM and DEB ?

Hi,

You're welcome and you're correct, this is the only file you need.

Kind regards,

Eric

Ya it will install it

Thanks again, then I wonder why on earth anyone would want to install a deb or some other thing rather than this "Generalized" one !

Thanks anyway to both of you.

There is a HUGE reason not to: it won't be tracked by your package manager.

BTW ".run" just meant that they want you to execute it, it's not some special file format!

Thanks,

I guess you say so because if package manager doesn't detect it, the package will not get automatic updates ?

Is that the only reason, so there is something else too ?

Not just that, but you will have problems when you have dependency trees involving VirtualBox.

Also, you won't be guaranteed to have VirtualBox's dependencies, and if you decide to remove VirtualBox, you might have useless packages hanging you installed as dependencies for it.

Many thanks again, {can't give the Rep points due to the spread system :(}

But in this case, I will just be running the Virtual Box, not installing it. So will I be still haunted by the dependency trees ? Or I am getting it wrong ?

Running the .run file will INSTALL it.

Anyway, It's probably not such a big deal for something like VirtualBox, but it's probably not the best way either.

But if you install an essential library that many apps use without the package manager, you will have problems.

Problem with Virtualbox is that it needs kernel-modules to run properly. So every time your kernel is updated you have to recompile the kernel modules for your new kernel. If you use the packages from your distro this will be done automatically on updates, at least on my Debian machines, I don't know how this is handled on RPM-based distros.

Thanks again to MTK and TobiSGD for the enlightenment !