Upgrading existing software with `make install'

propz · 03-02-2006, 02:38 AM

I'm trying to upgrade some existing software on a Linux box, such as GNU tar and GNU m4 with the old-fashioned

Code:

./configure && make && make install

However, I notice that after these commands have finished, the old versions are still installed and I can't seem to access the new ones. For example, after attempting to install tar 1.15.1:

Code:

> tar --version

tar (GNU tar) 1.13.25
Copyright © 2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This program comes with NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
You may redistribute it under the terms of the GNU General Public License;
see the file named COPYING for details.
Written by John Gilmore and Jay Fenlason.

Is there some sort of "make upgrade" or other step I have to do in order to forcibly overwrite the old version?

Hivemind · 03-02-2006, 02:54 AM

So update your $PATH so that it finds the new tar before the old one. Or remove the old one completely (and make sure the bin-directory of the new tar is in your $PATH).

acidzebra · 03-02-2006, 02:57 AM

do a 'which tar', this will tell you the location of the program that is being executed, I suspect /bin/tar or /usr/bin/tar.

now when you compile some software in the way you describe, the default install location will usually be /usr/local/bin or somesuch. Look to see if your binary's there.

Try
./configure --prefix=/usr
make
make install

instead, the --prefix switch should tell it to install in /usr
you could also try ./configure --help and see what the options/switches are.