[SOLVED] New to linux. cannot install files???

[X8ballX]

hi i am new to linux and have installed debian 5.0 after trying ubuntu 9.1 and not being able to get a higher resolution than 800x600. i am now unable to figure out how to install .deb and .tar.gz packages in debian5.0. i have been surfing this forum and google for days now with no luck and am starting to wish i had just stayed with windows. if anyone could explain the basics to me it would be greatly appriceated.

i have tired this

dan:/home/dan# apt-get install atunes_1.13.6-1_all.deb
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Couldn't find package atunes_1.13.6-1_all.deb
dan:/home/dan#


and this


dan:/home/dan# apt-get install atunes_1.13.6-1_all.deb
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Couldn't find package atunes_1.13.6-1_all.deb
dan:/home/dan#

the file atunes_1.13.6-1_all.deb is located on my desktop and the file name is correct

[zombykillah]

apt-get is a tool to install different packages with their relaitionship to other programms ... it will change configurations acording to other packages that are allready installed.
Theres much more information needed for apt as for dpkg ... because of that ...

dpkg -i atunes_1.13.6-1_all.deb
seems to be the command you are looking for ...

apt (advanced package) something
dpkd (debian package) something

apt-get needs to be configured, configuration files are in /etc/apt/
You can set web-sources or local sources as a DVD ...
It also has an "key" for the official update server so that no 3rd party updates from hacker will be installed ...

Hope I helped you ...

[loopback]

hi i am new to linux and have installed debian 5.0 after trying ubuntu 9.1 and not being able to get a higher resolution than 800x600. i am now unable to figure out how to install .deb and .tar.gz packages in debian5.0. i have been surfing this forum and google for days now with no luck and am starting to wish i had just stayed with windows. if anyone could explain the basics to me it would be greatly appriceated.

i have tired this

dan:/home/dan# apt-get install atunes_1.13.6-1_all.deb
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Couldn't find package atunes_1.13.6-1_all.deb
dan:/home/dan#


and this


dan:/home/dan# apt-get install atunes_1.13.6-1_all.deb
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Couldn't find package atunes_1.13.6-1_all.deb
dan:/home/dan#

the file atunes_1.13.6-1_all.deb is located on my desktop and the file name is correct

Being new to Linux, be aware that the major distros have their own package managers that will enable you to install the apps you want. You should use Debian's manager to do this. I won't get into the others but Debian has 'Apt-Get' to do the dirty work of installing and removing apps and programs. 'Apt-Get' is the command line way of installing. There is also a GUI front end of doing the same thing. It's called 'Synaptic' (At the task bar: System > Administration > Synaptic). You'll have to do this as the Administrator (Root). Try that. It's much easier to manage your OS with it. The method your using will not work.

So, you want to add/install something. First keep in mind that Debian (and other distros) don't have any apps and programs in their repositories that are not free. It has to do with licensing. Still, one can install non-free things like Java and Flash and many others. You just have to have the correct repositories in your /etc/apt/sources.list file to do so. Repositories? Places when the programs are kept.

So where do you get the repos that have what you want? Many Linux forums have them listed acorrding to your Debian branch - Stable (Lenny), Testing (Squeeze) or Unstable (Sid). DO NOT mix these repositories. Once you find the repos you need you'll have to add them to your /etc/apt/sources.list file. And how to do that? As root: su at a terminal, key in your root password, using the nano editor - you have it, most distros do - type nano /etc/apt/sources.list. Once in that file add the new sources you found. Save and exit. Next is updating, still as root, the new additions to your sources file with apt-get update and apt-get upgrade.

From this point you can start searching for what you need/want. Once again you can do all this using the GUI Synaptic. Much easier.

But start with searching for the repos you need first. And forget for the time being .deb or tarballs files. Don't do this just yet. Use Debian's package manager to search for apps and tweak your system.

Come back and we'll give you more info. Good luck and give it hell! Don't quit.

[devils casper]

Ubuntu is Debian based only. Just open Synaptic Package Manager in Debian and type atunes in search box.
If you have downloaded .deb package manually, install it through dpkg -i instead of apt-get. Both work differently. apt-get fetch packages from sources and dpkg handle packages downloaded already.

Synaptic is a Graphical Interface of apt-get and if you are not familiar with apt-get, use Synaptic.

[X8ballX]

thanks everyone i got back into my ubuntu 9.1 partition and was able to install atunes through dpkg.

[devils casper]

Glad to help you !