Installing Software

[tddlard]

I have Fedora on a VPS, and wanting to install apache, php, mysql etc. I have attempted to use rpms (with and without using apt), but getting problems relating to makedev. Should I use rpms or compile from source? I submitted a ticket on this, but am curious as to what other people say.

Output when trying to install apache with apt

apt-get install httpd 
Reading Package Lists... Done 
Building Dependency Tree... Done 
You might want to run `apt-get -f install' to correct these: 
The following packages have unmet dependencies: 
httpd: Depends: libapr-0.so.0 
Depends: libaprutil-0.so.0 
raidtools: PreDepends: MAKEDEV (>= 3.0) but it is not going to be installed 
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

Output when trying to install makedev via an rpm

rpm -Uvh MAKEDEV-3.3.8-2.i386.rpm 
warning: MAKEDEV-3.3.8-2.i386.rpm: V3 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 4f2a6fd2 
Preparing... ########################################### 
[100%] 
Cannot install the MAKEDEV package: mounted devfs detected. 
error: %pre(MAKEDEV-3.3.8-2) scriptlet failed, exit status 1 
error: install: %pre scriptlet failed (2), skipping MAKEDEV-3.3.8-2

[rob]

I really recommend going from source. The problem you're seeing there is an RPM oddity, it's really not required for it to operate. I recommend compiling from source for another reason too, you're likely to get a much more maintainable system if you understand what components you have installed, also you'll be able to disable the bits that you're not going to need, and hence it's going to be more secure (with components that you don't need you'll probably not look at their configuration and hence might leave holes).

There's a guide to compiling Apache on my site, here

Rob

[tddlard]

Cheers for the very useful information. I will have a go once I get in from work, not something I can do sneekily.

[rob]

No problems, post back if you've got any problems, and I'll do my very best to sort them out for you.

Rob

[simon]

Rob,

I'm trying to install a mail server (Surgemail) by downloading it from the netwin site then uncompressing and installing it, but ftp doesn't seem to be there. I have tried transfering the file first at their suggestion, but can't access the server that way. If I try and do everything in SSH, I get bash: ftp.netwinsite.com: command not found. Could you tell me how I should be doing this with this server set up please?

[rob]

To open a connection to an ftp server, you need to use the following set of commands:

$ ftp
ftp> open <ftp server addr>

The $ shows that this is your shell, it may be a # if you are root. The ftp> prompt appears automagically once you've opened the ftp command line project, Open then tells the client to open the server, and you can then type your auth info.

Alternatively, get the full path to the file and use wget:

wget ftp://ftp.com/pub/path/to/file/tar.tar.gz

Rob

[simon]

When I do this the $ ftp isn't recognised and the # ftp doesn't give the ftp> prompt, just iguana:~#. with wget I get command not found

[iloop]

Is wget installed ?

try which wget - should give something like /usr/bin/wget

if not installed just do an apt-get to install it first, not sure that is installed
by default so might be a solution for you

[rob]

You'll need to make sure wget is installed on the machine. With ftp, make sure you're not typing the prompt, either "#" or "$".

Rob

[simon]

I installed wget and have retrieved and saved the zipped and tarred file. I am now having trouble finding it to uncompress it. which directory would it be in? I have tried whereis and which but just get no such file or directory although it says it is there. many thanks for any help.

Simon

[iloop]

if you just did wget on the file it should be in the directory you were in when you executed the command.

try cd /

du -a | grep "filename" to locate it.

[simon]

thanks a lot. have installed it

[simon]

can anyone recommend a compiler which works and is easy to install please?

[simon]

ok, done this now

gcc with apt-get is easy