Sorry if I didnt make myself clear...
when i say filesystem I (maybe im misusing the term) mean the directories / /usr /home /var etc and how they are structured. For example usr, home, bin and a few others branch off of the root (/) directory.
Anyway when you want to use for example
rpm
the file that you will rpm has to be in the directory that you are currently in.
So first type
ls (hit enter)
If the file that you want to rpm is in that list then you can
rpm -stuff filename (sorry I dont remember how to use rpm)
this is the same for tar.
Now if the file you want to install is NOT listed when you type ls then type
cd /path/to/file
You need to go to the directory where your file is located. Do you see what I am saying?
For example when you typed ls here:
[root@66-231-198-136 root]# ls
anaconda-ks.cfg install.log.syslog upgrade.log.syslog
install.log upgrade.log
you can see that you have these files in front of you. if you try to use rpm or tar by typing
rpm -stuff #filename# or tar -stuff #filename#
where #filename# (hash marks just for emphasis) is not one of the anaconda-ks.cfg, install.log.syslog, upgrade.log.syslog, install.log, or upgrade.log files then it wont work. (Well it also wont even if you use one of these filenames because these are not rpm or tar files)
Therefore you have to go to the location where you can see the filename that you want to tar or rpm in the list from ls.
so if your stuff is locate in /home/your_user_name then you need to cd to that place first and then try using tar or rpm.
Sorry if I am condesending. I dont mean to.