RPM, TAR, and WTF????

[kabifff]

I'm so used to Windows and Mac OS walking me through installing files that I have no idea how to install things like VMware and Thunderbird because I don't know how to use an RPM or TAR file. I can get them downloaded and that's about it. I double click an RPM and YAST comes up and asks me what to do and it acts like it gets installed, but then I have no idea how to use the program afterward. I only have a small hard drive to run linux on (14 gigs) and all the unpacked files end up somewhere, eating up my precious hard drive space, but I have no idea where they all get to! Any ideas?

[anyweb]

kabifff Posted Today, 09:33 AM I'm so used to Windows and Mac OS walking me through installing files that I have no idea how to install things like VMware and Thunderbird because I don't know how to use an RPM or TAR file. I can get them downloaded and that's about it. I double click an RPM and YAST comes up and asks me what to do and it acts like it gets installed, but then I have no idea how to use the program afterward. I only have a small hard drive to run linux on (14 gigs) and all the unpacked files end up somewhere, eating up my precious hard drive space, but I have no idea where they all get to! Any ideas?

here's some helpful hints, linux isn't windows, and does take a lot of getting used to, but once you've mastered it, you'll love it ! 

RPM's are easy to install, and i'd recommend you get one thing out of your head and that is

 

the concept of double-clicking to install things

 

there are lots of reasons why, which you will probably only appreciate after you start to understand linux,

 

lets say you download an rpm called

 

file.rpm

 

well, you can install that by doing as follows in a console (terminal) after logging in as root (su -)

 

Code:

rpm -ivh file.rpm

 

the i means install

the v means verbose (show me errors etc)

the h means hash (show me the progress with # signs)

 

 

what RPM are you trying to install, and bearing in mind that you are new to linux, try and take one step at a time, and not expect everything to be like windows.

 

cheers and welcome to the forums

anyweb

[kabifff]

Thanks for the walkthrough, but once I got thunderbird and VMware decompressed, nothing happens! the files either disappear or I can't run anything out of the 2000 available files within the now decompressed archive. Any thoughts?

[znx]

Thanks for the walkthrough, but once I got thunderbird and VMware decompressed, nothing happens! the files either disappear or I can't run anything out of the 2000 available files within the now decompressed archive. Any thoughts?

 

tar - this is simply an archive.. like zip for instance. These packages are normally used to contain source code (that is the raw code used to make the programs). For someone running a RPM based system (which SuSE is) these are normally not useful.

 

rpm - this is another form of archive - however it differs from the tarball in the fact that this normally contains the prebuilt programs for the distros.

 

When Yast is poping up and asking what you want to do, it will be installing it. If it fails to show up on your menu it could be that you need to run some sort of menu updater to have it refresh. Unfortunately with all the various desktops it is possible that the install doesn't show up. For instance KDE has its "Menu Updater", I believe Gnome has a similar tool.

 

For Thunderbird you can confirm that it is installed by opening a terminal and typing:

Code:

thunderbird

 

It should open, if it complains its probably not installed correctly.

[kabifff]

Ok, I typed in "VMware" in the x-terminal super user. Now it wants me to accept the EULA, but it just gives me the EULA and no option to accept or decline. It just lets me read it. I've tried typing "Accept" etc.... but it just won't go. Any thoughts?

[hybrid]

Ok, I typed in "VMware" in the x-terminal super user. Now it wants me to accept the EULA, but it just gives me the EULA and no option to accept or decline. It just lets me read it. I've tried typing "Accept" etc.... but it just won't go. Any thoughts?

 

I think you need to press q after reading the EULA and then it will ask you.

 

Hope this helps. :)

[kabifff]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentcommentid="7963" data-ipsquote-username="kabifff" data-cite="kabifff" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="2167" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div> Ok, I typed in "VMware" in the x-terminal super user. Now it wants me to accept the EULA, but it just gives me the EULA and no option to accept or decline. It just lets me read it. I've tried typing "Accept" etc.... but it just won't go. Any thoughts?

 

I think you need to press q after reading the EULA and then it will ask you.

 

Hope this helps. :)



</div></blockquote>
 

 

You guys freakin' rock here. Most forums are like "Stfu n00b." Thanks for not being jerks and for actually helping.

[hybrid]

You guys freakin' rock here. Most forums are like "Stfu n00b." Thanks for not being jerks and for actually helping.

 

If everyone in the community had that attitude about noobs, why would new people want to switch to Linux? :)

 

That's what Linux-noob is here for :)

[kabifff]

All right, one more question. How did you get VMware to run on Suse? It won't work for me, and the workarounds just lose me since I have no idea what I'm doing. I need some form of windows for my major, but I want a linux based system, and VMware works great on my windows partition. Any tips?

[hybrid]

All right, one more question. How did you get VMware to run on Suse? It won't work for me, and the workarounds just lose me since I have no idea what I'm doing. I need some form of windows for my major, but I want a linux based system, and VMware works great on my windows partition. Any tips?

 

Here's basically how I did it.

 

I downloaded the RPM version of the file from the VMware site. Then, open up a terminal, and type this (presuming the RPM you downloaded is on your desktop):

 

Code:

su
## then enter your root password as requested
cd /home/[[yourusername]]/Desktop
rpm -ivh ./VMware-server*.i386.rpm

 

(Make sure you delete any old copies of the VMware install file from your desktop first.)

 

Once I installed the RPM, you then have to run vmware-config.pl as root (in your terminal window). This should set up everything for VMware. Have you already gone through this step?

 

If yes:


 

If you want to run VMware as a normal user (probably a good idea) then run:

 

Code:

chown -R [[yourusername]] '/var/lib/vmware/Virtual Machines'

 

as root. Now just make a launcher on your desktop with the command vmware and you can use that to start the program.

 

If no:


 

You need to run vmware-config.pl as root, so type it and press enter. You need to answer the questions etc. and it should install.

 

If it says something about kernel headers and fails to install, do this.

 

You need to run YaST Software Management to install what VMware needs. So type yast2 sw_single & into your terminal window. Type kernel-source in the Search box and click Search. Tick the kernel-source package and choose Accept to install it off your SUSE CDs. Then, make sure you have all the latest updates from YaST Online updates (right-click the green SUSE thing in your notification area and choose check for updates. If it doesn't change colour after a while, you are up-to-date.

 

OK, now try running vmware-config.pl again and see what the results are.

 

If that finishes, follow the steps under 'If yes'.

 

***

 

Hope this isn't too confusing :)If it is, I'll do a more comprehensive guide with screenshots (which I might do anyway).