n00b fail: compiling from source...

[cliverodeo]

Hi,
I'm trying to compile a driver for a MSI motherboard - G41M4, model #MS-7592. I followed the instructions in the linux tutorials: 64958-how-install-software-linux

...down to the point where it says that things could look different from here on. Below is what I did and the error messages...

[well I would post my gedit stuff, but I keep getting a "You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites after you have made 15 posts or more." message.

Any help? What info should I post?

Cheers...

[cliverodeo]

Specs:
MSI motherboard: G41M4-F, pentium E2XXX core 2 dual, 1333MHz, 2 gig DDR2 800, 250gig HD. Better than good enough hardware for my needs, but you can't have too much speed.

Anyway, after unpacking, the next instruction is to "./configure". I get the error - "bash: ./CONFIGURE: no such file or directory"

[devils casper]

Linux is case and space sensitive. Are you executing commands in CAPS? Make sure to navigate in Terminal to the folder having configure file.

cd <folder_path_having_configure_file>
./configure

[cliverodeo]

Hi, to be a little more specific as to my problem (which will no doubt help you help me),
Specs:
MSI motherboard: G41M4-F, pentium E2XXX core 2 dual, 1333MHz, 2 gig DDR2 800, 250gig HD. Better than good enough hardware for my needs, but you can't have too much speed.

The problem I have is the OS (8.10) isn't picking up the internet ports. I've downloaded the appropriate driver, but I've run into a problem half way through compiling.

After following the instructions in the help forum, I get to this nice little piece...

Generally, the final 3 stages are as follows:
- Configure the installation
- Compile the software
- Install the binaries

The pre-installation configuration is done by executing ./configure:
Code:

./configure

This will perform some requirements testing on your system, and create a "Makefile" which will explain to the "make" utility how the software should be compiled. If you receive any error messages during this stage, you may wish to search the forums to see if they have been found and resolved by someone else already, if not, feel free to post a question on the forums - Please include all of the output including any error messages, and some details about your system - what distro you are using, what are you trying to install etc etc

Which is like saying to a n00b like me "Off to explore the world are we? Here's a map. Please be sure to fill in the blanks. There's a good chap!"

When I try to execute said command, I get a "WTF are you talking about? Ain't no such thing as configure! Dumbass..." error.

So, there it is. Any and all help much appreciated.

Clive...

[cliverodeo]

Thanks for the reply I'll try that, but how do I find the configure file? After unpacking, there's a makefile and a readme along with the src folder.

[scutiform]

I think these are the instructions you are following.

This is where things will differ. Some packages will have an INSTALL or README file which will contain installation instructions. use "ls" (lower case L) to see if the software has an install or readme file. If it does have one, you can use the "more" command to read it, like so:
Code:
more INSTALL
Generally, the final 3 stages are as follows:
- Configure the installation
- Compile the software
- Install the binaries
It helps to preface the commands with sudo to give yourself root privileges

The pre-installation configuration is done by executing ./configure:
Code:
sudo ./configure
This will perform some requirements testing on your system, and create a "Makefile" which will explain to the "make" utility how the software should be compiled. If you receive any error messages during this stage, you may wish to search the forums to see if they have been found and resolved by someone else already, if not, feel free to post a question on the forums - Please include all of the output including any error messages, and some details about your system - what distro you are using, what are you trying to install etc etc


The next stage is to compile the software, this is done using "make". When you run "make" it will read the instructions in the Makefile and build the application binaries.
Code:
sudo make

The final stage is to install these binaries, ie, copy them to a more perminent location. Typically only the "root" user can do this, so you will need to swich to the root user with the "su" command:
Code:
su
Once you are root, install the binaries using the "make" command, followed by "install", like so:
Code:
make install
That is it!. Check the user documentation of the software you installed for details of how to run the applications

In 95% of cases this will work. Some programmers seem to seem to use a compiling system that is not standard, and you have to work your way through the installation instructions to find the extra programs needed.

[cliverodeo]

Yep, those are the ones. But when I do sudo ./configure it gives me command not found.

Should I be in the same directory as the makefile? (I am...)

[cliverodeo]

Is the command:

sudo configure <filename>?

[cliverodeo]

Here is my output so far:

darrell@magic3-desktop:~$ cd /home/darrell/src
darrell@magic3-desktop:~/src$ ls
darrell@magic3-desktop:~/src$ ls
r8101-1.009.00.tar.bz2
darrell@magic3-desktop:~/src$ tar -jxvf r8101-1.009.00.tar.bz2
r8101-1.009.00/
r8101-1.009.00/readme
r8101-1.009.00/Makefile
r8101-1.009.00/src/
r8101-1.009.00/src/Makefile_linux24x
r8101-1.009.00/src/rtl_eeprom.c
r8101-1.009.00/src/r8101_n.c
r8101-1.009.00/src/rtl_ethtool.h
r8101-1.009.00/src/rtl_eeprom.h
r8101-1.009.00/src/Makefile
r8101-1.009.00/src/r8101.h
darrell@magic3-desktop:~/src$ ls
r8101-1.009.00 r8101-1.009.00.tar.bz2
darrell@magic3-desktop:~/src$ cd r8101-1.009.00
darrell@magic3-desktop:~/src/r8101-1.009.00$ ls
Makefile readme src

[cliverodeo]

Ok, I just executed:

sudo more Makefile

and it did something. Right now there is a blacked out prompt "-More--(62%)".

Do I just wait?