How to Install Things in Mandriva

Hey all, Like my title says, i am a complete linux noob. I had done a little research and decided to install Mandriva, and it is working pretty well. I downloaded the iso file, burnt it to a disc and now im typing this on my new OS. But, i do have some questions. Although there is nothing exactly wrong, (internet works, IM works, sound works, video works) for some reason it just doesnt feel right. This is probably just me being used to windows, but I dont feel like I have the freedom to install things and play games like I did on windows. So i guess what I am asking is, how the **** do you install stuff? :). Particularly games. Will the programs that I used with Windows not work at all on Linux or does it just take some working around with to get it to work. And alot of the guides I have seen on how to install certain programs are a little too advanced for me and I cant understand them. Also, I read techiMOE's post on installing stuff in linux and I understood it, but there was one problem I had with it. He says to use the /usr/local/src/ folder to save file into, and when i try to do this it says that I am not allowed to change this file. And, when i try and change the preferences for 'Filesystem' to remedy this, it says " Sorry, couldn't change the permissions of "Filesystem".

So, if anyone would be kind enough to explain to me in a bit of detail the basic structure of linux and how it works. Specifically, how to install things on linux, I would greatly appreciate it.

Welcome to the forums! :)

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So i guess what I am asking is, how the **** do you install stuff? :). Particularly games.

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Of course, there's the Software Installation HowTo that you said you've already read, but the easiest way to install applications in Mandriva might be with URPMI:

Easy Urpmi

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Will the programs that I used with Windows not work at all on Linux or does it just take some working around with to get it to work.

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You might be able to use WINE or Cedega for some of your Windows programs, or you can dual-boot between Linux and Windows.

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Also, I read techiMOE's post on installing stuff in linux and I understood it, but there was one problem I had with it. He says to use the /usr/local/src/ folder to save file into, and when i try to do this it says that I am not allowed to change this file.

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That's for installing software from source (tarballs). It works to install software that way, but it might not be the best way for someone new to Linux to install software. You have to use root permissions to access the directory you refer to above. You can access it by going to a terminal and su'ing to root, or by using kdesu:

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su

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...enter root password when requested.

or...

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kdesu application-name

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... substitute any application you wish to use with root permissions.

Thanks for the reply. What exactly does Urpmi do? I downloaded it with "su" then i copied the text that the website asked me to, and it went through a bunch of downloading in the console, but then it just stopped and nothing happened. Is it done and I am finished or did it fail?

It sounds like it must have setup successfully. You can check this HowTo for instructions on using URPMI:

Mandriva Linux Rpmdrake and URPMI HOWTO (unreleased 0.3 test revision)

Okay, so I have some rpm files for various things that need installing and i read some of that link you gave me and i think i basically figured out how to do it. So i do "su", then my password, then type urpmi "Whatever the program is" and it should install, am i right? Because when i do this it says 'rpm database locked'. Do you know what its talking about? :) Thanks for the continued help.

It's been a few years since I last used it but that sounds right. As for the locks, I think if you'll reboot, the locks will go away and you can use URPMI. Let us know if that doesn't work.

Yeah that fixed that. But, im still having a little confusion around the urpmi. Say I have downloaded ventrilo and it is sitting as an icon on my desktop labeled "ventriloscript-v2.1.0_02.tar.gz" and i want to install this. What i would do is go into console, do "su" my password and then create a directory named ventrilo for organization purposes. I would switch to this directory and then do "urpmi ventriloscript-v2.1.0_02.tar.gz" and this isnt working :). What am i doing wrong?

I might be wrong about this, but I think URPMI will only install RPM format packages. If you can't find your file in the RPM format, you will probably have to use the tarball method of installation as shown here:

http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/lin...tml#post344054

Maybe one of the regular Mandriva users will step in here with some additional information about adding software to the Mandriva system.

Hello - Ozar is right ... You can't use urpmi to install from source. Basically urpm will only handle pre-compiled software and all its dependent packages. If you install complex packages from source code this may or may not go smoothly (more often than not it doesn't, but don't let that put you off!)

Most urpmi installs are a case of doing:

su
<password>
urpmi <package_name>
exit

And that's it! :-D

Okay so i get that now. :). But what still is confusing me is the other file forms like tar.gz. How do you install these? The post by techieMoe is a bit confusing for me so would anyone like to give me a step by step for the ventrilo file that i talked about in my previous post?

Thanks