Lab 3
Installing RPM Packages
In this activity, the student will learn how to install RPM
packages. All packages on the installation CDROM's are RPM
packages. When one conducts an install or upgrade, the
selected packages are properly integrated into the operating system
using these RPM packages. The activities in this laboratory
exercise require the student to install RPM packages outside of
this streamlined process. This lab will introduce three methods
for installing RPM packages;
- Inserting CDROM into the CD drive and mounting it, select Main
Menu (Red Hat) --> System Settings --> Add/Remove Software.
From this tool one can add and delete application packages from
your installation with ease.
- Using the rpm command install/upgrade an application after
meeting all the required dependencies.
- Installing an application with the applications such as, 'apt' or
'yum'.
Add/Remove Applications
This is the easiest method of the three and is very similar to the
process of adding/deleting software from a Windows installation.
- Start the application by selecting Main Menu (Red Hat) -->
System Settings --> Add/Remove Applications.
- Select KDE Desktop Environment and click OK.
- When the CDROM resources are needed you'll be prompted.
- Insert the requested CDROM and click OK.
- The installation of the selected package group will begin.
Just as a hint, CDROM #2 and #3 are required for this install.
- When the installation is completed, click Quite. The
application will close.
- Notice you didn't need to reboot the system.
Let's test our new desktop.
- Select Main Menu (Red Hat) --> System Tools --> More System
Tools --> Desktop Switching Tool.
- In the dialog box that opens select KDE and click OK.
- Now logout of the desktop, but don't select reboot or halt the
system.
- You'll be requested to login with the graphical interface.
- Login. You'll now be operating in the KDE Desktop.
- Play a little but don't forget you have more lab exercises to
complete.
- Select Main Menu (Red Hat) --> System Tools --> More System
Tools --> Desktop Switching Tool.
- Select GNOME and click OK.
- Logout again.
- Login again and you'll have returned to the GNOME desktop.
Using the RPM command
We now will use the RPM command which is explained you Chapter 5 of
your textbook.
- Insert the Docs CDROM into the CD drive.
- The CDROM may automount and ask if you wish to autorun.
Don't autorun the CDROM? We are going to install all of the
documentation packages using command line in a shell.
- If the CDROM didn't automount, mount it at this time by right
clicking the mouse, select Disks --> CDROM.
- Open a shell by right clicking the mouse and selecting New
Terminal.
- Change to the root account in the shell.
- Change to the directory containing the rpm documentations.
- Using the rpm command, install all of the documentation packages.
- Verify that the doumentation is installed with the query option
of the rpm package.
Updating with apt-get
- As outlined in Lesson 3, apt-get can be obtained from apt.freshrpms.net.
- If apt utility isn't installled, download it and install it now.
- Update the apt database with the command, "apt-get update"
- Install the "sndconfig" utility using "apt-get install sndconfig"
- Verify that sndconfig is installed with the query option of the
rpm command.