Cannot Install Software!Some errors,Help!

**lanmanck** · 07-10-2005, 03:52 AM

I have installed knoppix into HDD.
while i try to install realplayer,some error occur:
1:install *.rpm
<home /knoppix/soft/realplayer.rpm';echo RESULT=$,
rpm:To install rpm packages on debian systems ,use alien,See readme.debian
error :cannot open packages index using db3-can't find such file or directory
error:cannot open packages database in /var/lib/rpm
result=1

other softwares have the same problem:
2:intall tar.gz
installpkg//home/knoppix/soft/kylix3.tar.gz;echo result=$?
sh:installpkg:command not found
result=127

how to deal with it?please help me.thanks.

**tdjokic** · 07-10-2005, 04:18 AM

Go here http://www.real.com/ , than read Installation Instructions, than click on Download RealPlayer , NOT ON Download RPM Package! Knoppix don't use RPM package. I tried this just now and it works.

I think you need a bit more time and experience with Knoppix before you start kylix. Usualy, file with tar.gz at the end should be extract, than read file README or something like that, there are some Installation Instructions, like for RealPlayer..... ....... this is not click, click, finish story any way

**lanmanck** · 07-10-2005, 05:25 AM

really?Knoppix does not support rpm?

**Cuddles** · 07-10-2005, 05:51 AM

Originally Posted by lanmanck

really?Knoppix does not support rpm?

Techicallity, actually... Debian Systems, which Knoppix is based off of, run apt packages, or files that end with .deb -=- .rpm files are for SuSE ??? not sure...

Even though Knoppix, and Debian, dont use RPM files, a utility DOES exist that can work with them, within Debian... its called alien

as your original posted error message states:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
while i try to install realplayer,some error occur:
1:install *.rpm
<home /knoppix/soft/realplayer.rpm';echo RESULT=$,
rpm:To install rpm packages on debian systems ,use alien,See readme.debian
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three ways exist to getting packages, programs, into your hard drive install:
1 ) usual apt-get install -=- this is the prefered way...
2 ) using alien and a RPM file -=- not as good as #1, but, better, sometimes, than #3
3 ) get the source, and compile your own -=- not the greatest way, but, sometimes, the only way.

If you are going for anything to install, not being a apt-get package, or a .deb file, i.e. source compile, then your usual file will be a tarball of some kind... it will end with either .tar or .tar.bz2 or .tar.gz -=- etc... the ¨tarball¨ must be un-tar -ed, like a ZIP file in Windows, to get to all the compressed files within the tarball...

Once you have the tarball un-compressed, look for the INSTALL or README text files, sometimes they dont have them, but, a lot of source programmers realize that not everybody compiles all the time, so, they give you install and compile help... most of the time... it is simple... three usual steps are involved:

1 ) make the config file -=- usually you run something like ./configure -=- some installs dont require this step, so dont be surprised if you dont need to do this step
2 ) run the make file -=- usually you run something like make
3 ) run the installer file, from doing the make step above -=- usually you run something like make install

and thats it... Compiling isnt that hard, but, it should be the LAST attempt at installing something, your first, should be to find it through the Debian repositories, and with apt-get

Hopefully, this has helped, even if, just a little,
Ms. Cuddles

**lanmanck** · 07-10-2005, 02:33 PM

yes ,I have installed realplayer and wine ,thanks a lot!

another one,How should I create a configuration file.
I have downloaded a 802.1x client software,but it does not give me the config file to install.
I must write it by myself...........