No AP-GET What do I do

[NeoGeo]

Hi,

I am working on an embedded system. I have Debian installed (2.6) but for some reason I cannot run the commands apt-get or dpkg. I really need these because I have to install libsysfs2. I managed to download the .deb file for this on my host machine (over the web) but I can't install it without dpkg. Can anyone tell me how to get apt-get and dpkg?

Thanks.

[techieMoe]

You're saying these applications simply don't exist? Not even in /sbin/?

[NeoGeo]

You're saying these applications simply don't exist? Not even in /sbin/?

Hi,

I know it's crazy but yep they don't exist. What if I just take the original source, dump it on my board and then run .configure and make ... shouldn't that also work?

For example, does the file sysfsutils_2.0.0.orig.tar.gzip have the source code for all the target processors?

[Thinker]

Hi NeoGeo,
Which is the processor that you are using in the embedded system?

With Regards,
Thinker

[NeoGeo]

Hi NeoGeo,
Which is the processor that you are using in the embedded system?

With Regards,
Thinker

Hi Thinker,

I'm using a mips 4kec.... by the way the ./configure script for the libsysfs fails on my target. How do I manually specify the build to ./configure?

Thanks agian.

[techieMoe]

Hi,

I know it's crazy but yep they don't exist. What if I just take the original source, dump it on my board and then run .configure and make ... shouldn't that also work?

In theory, yes. I can't tell you it's guaranteed, but it certainly can't hurt to try.

[NeoGeo]

In theory, yes. I can't tell you it's guaranteed, but it certainly can't hurt to try.

So I can run ./configure --host=mips, however I can't run make install because my board doesn't even have that in /usr/bin.

Is there anyway to get apt-get and dpkg?

Thanks.

[burnit]

The .deb files are AR file archives (so you can use ar to extract its contents).

There, there is a tar.gz containing the precompiled libraries/binaries but, using them without a dpkg check, it's not garanteed they can run, due the libraries/system dependencies (however, if the .deb file is compiled for the specific distribution you're using, probably it will run correctly).

Compiling from sources is the best solution, but reading the thread I understood you don't have make, right? An alternative solution is to compile sources from another machine, using cross compiling, but I've never tried it.

Now my question: why this Debian distro come without dpkg/apt? (note that without this tools, your distro is not a true Debian system, but simply a particoular GNU/Linux system)

[NeoGeo]

Hi,

First of all, thank you for your reply. I tried the cross comilation thing, but how does the make install part work. ./configure works, as does make... but I don't know what to expect when I run make install.

Doesn't make install actually install the .so file in the /lib directory. I don't think I can run make for the host as opposed to the target board.

As for the question on why I don't have all the utilities... I don't know, I have to talk to my board vendor about that one.

Thanks agian.