You can use the command 'alien' - either to convert the rpm to a .deb package or to install directly:-

alien -i package.rpm


When remastering, you are logged into the unpacked files on your hard drive. That's what the chroot command does.

http://www.knoppix.net/docs/index.ph...masteringHowto

^ This doc is excellent, and it also has some dpkg commands that can show you what is already installed.