[SOLVED] How to install tar file (firefox9.0.1) on Linux

jshoner · 12-26-2011, 06:48 PM

I have downloaded the firefox-9.0.1.tar.bz2 file. It's on my desktop. Now, what do I do to install it? I'm a newbie.
Thanks

snowday · 12-26-2011, 07:03 PM

Welcome to the forums!

Your best bet is to tell us which distribution you're using (Ubuntu, Fedora, Slackware, etc) and we can help you find the official instructions for installing Firefox in your distro using the package manager.

However if you prefer to use the tar.bz2 method for some reason, all you need to do is open it with your favorite archive manager (tar.bz2 is a type of archive like .zip in Windows; in most distros, you just double-click on it) and extract it to your desktop or home folder.

Then you can browse that folder with your file manager and double-click the firefox-bin file to execute it. This is just like an .exe in Windows.

NightSky · 12-26-2011, 07:11 PM

hi jshoner,
Here is a link to how you do it in slackware for an older version of firefox but version shouldn't matter.
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...12-2-a-755560/
Here is a tip when you begin a "New Post" click on "Click Here to Find Similiar Threads" before clicking on "Post Button", you may find solutions much quicker most questions have been asked before. Happy Holidays

273 · 12-26-2011, 07:22 PM

Am I strange in running my Firefox from /opt/firefox rather than my home directory?
Also, I have it owned by root with only read/execute available to my normal account. I then symlink to /usr/bin/firefox so I can better integrate it into my setup -- just seems easier to use in XFCE like that.
Any thoughts? What should be writeable by an ordinary user and what not -- doesn't it make things safer for me that a link I click can't possibly change and of the Firefox executables? Hope this isn't too much off topic for this thread, if so just ignore me.

snowday · 12-26-2011, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 273

Am I strange in running my Firefox from /opt/firefox rather than my home directory?
Also, I have it owned by root with only read/execute available to my normal account. I then symlink to /usr/bin/firefox so I can better integrate it into my setup -- just seems easier to use in XFCE like that.
Any thoughts? What should be writeable by an ordinary user and what not -- doesn't it make things safer for me that a link I click can't possibly change and of the Firefox executables? Hope this isn't too much off topic for this thread, if so just ignore me.

That is a possible "next step" once jshoner gets Firefox working in his/her home directory. We don't want to ovewhelm a first-time user with too many details.

However it is usually much, much easier to install Firefox using the distro's own package manager. Usually this only requires one or two mouse clicks.

273 · 12-26-2011, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snowpine

That is a possible "next step" once jshoner gets Firefox working in his/her home directory. We don't want to ovewhelm a first-time user with too many details.

However it is usually much, much easier to install Firefox using the distro's own package manager. Usually this only requires one or two mouse clicks.

Good plan, just making sure I wasn't doing something odd myself.
I agree about using the package manager where possible also -- it does mean things are smoother and you get updates in a more consistent fashion.

snowday · 12-26-2011, 07:43 PM

Moving the folder to /opt is a common next step, the main benefit would sharing it with all users on a multi-user system.

GazL · 01-28-2012, 06:45 AM

What's the difference between firefox and firefox-bin in 9.0?

Code:

gazl@slack:/opt/mozilla/firefox$ ls -l firefox*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 62216 Dec 21 03:47 firefox
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 62216 Dec 21 03:47 firefox-bin
gazl@slack:/opt/mozilla/firefox$ file firefox*                                           
firefox:     ELF 64-bit LSB executable, x86-64, version 1 (SYSV), dynamically linked (uses shared libs), stripped
firefox-bin: ELF 64-bit LSB executable, x86-64, version 1 (SYSV), dynamically linked (uses shared libs), stripped

This is from the en_GB x86_64 firefox-9.0.1.tar.bz2 release from mozilla.org

In the past firefox was a script that ran firefox-bin (I haven't paid it much attention for a while so I don't know when this changed) but as you can see above, it seems there are now 2 copies of the executable. Anyone know what's going on here?

vermontgeezer · 01-28-2012, 11:43 AM

"Curiouser and curiouser..." cried Alice...etc.

I merely wished to upgrade my current CentOS 6.2 default Firefox browser from 3.6 to 9.0.1. Downloaded, extracted, old files backed-up accordingly, and since no /opt I created /firefox9. The files sit there, but what to do, what to do? Double-clicking on anything does nothing, and trying to run firefox per se opens it up but it is still 3.6.

And I also note the two files, firefox and firefox-bin here.

Thoughts?

knudfl · 01-30-2012, 04:55 PM

Some considerations

Firefox 9 : 'firefox' and 'firefox-bin' are identical files, 54.4 kB.
? May be both are included for backwards compatibility
with start scripts like "Firefox.desktop" ? ?

Firefox-6.0.2 had these: firefox-bin 50 kB, firefox.sh 4 kB.
Older versions like 3.6.xx always 'firefox-bin' (43 kB)
and a script 'firefox' (3.8 kB)

..

vermontgeezer · 01-30-2012, 05:27 PM

I gave up for now, not important, but this is yet another example of more unnecessary hassle for any user, let alone one new to Linux and just trying it out, for example. I have worked with it since 2000 but when I run into junk like this I walk away now, my time is more valuable. I got the latest Chrome on there in a jiffy and it worked immediately, three times faster than the fox anyway.