Hey,

I am using redhat 9 and I want to know how to uninstall programs that were installed from source. I know how to uninstall programs install through rpm but not source. Also, if I have a program called program-v1 and then they release a new version, say program-v2. Do I just install the new version and it will override the old version? Or do I have to uninstall the old version before I install the new? Which brings me to my first question.....how do you uninstall programs installed from source?



Thanks

In general, the "make install" element of a package just dumps a bunch of files in their appropriate places. Most packages featuring "make install" also feature "make uninstall". If you have the Makefile that you created (using ./configure?) originally, then there's that, or otherwise you find the source tarball and run ./configure with the same options (or lack of) that you did last time and do a "make uninstall" with that.

If the package /doesn't/ feature a "make uninstall", then your only recourse is to have a look in the Makefile to see where it installed everything and rip it out manually. After this, be sure to complain to the maintainer!

All this ain't pretty. That's why it's so good to use packages ;-)

Usually it will override the old version of your program, but it is better for you to uninstall the old version first.

You can uninstall the program ( source not rpm ) by going to their directory and type make uninstall, usually it came with make uninstall, So if doesn't came with make uninstall, you will need to do it manually and after that do a complaint to maintener

"I want to know how to uninstall programs that were installed from source."

I bypass the whole problem by converting source tarballs to rpms and then install the rpm. It make keeping track of your packages and uninstalling them easier.

The program that I use to convert tarballs to rpms is checkinstall:

http://asic-linux.com.mx/~izto/checkinstall/index.php

With checkinstall the install procedure becomes:
./configure
make
checkinstall

Then install the resulting rpm using the rpm command.


___________________________________
Be prepared. Create a LifeBoat CD.
http://users.rcn.com/srstites/LifeBo...home.page.html

Steve Stites

I belong to a listserver for xfce4 and I just, and I mean seconds ago, finished readding an email from this server where people were talking about checkinstall! This sounds like a great function and I am definately going to use it for now on! Thanks for your help.

Later