Error Messages During Installation of RPMs
How do I install an RPM from a CD or the Internet? I keep getting
an error message when I use rpm.
If you are getting an error message similar to
failed to open
/var/lib/rpm/packages.rpm, it is because you do not
have proper permission to install RPM files.
When you install software, you are often required to make
system-wide changes which only root can make, such as creating new
directories outside of your user home directory or making changes to
your system configuration. If you are using your normal user account,
you will not have permission to make such changes by default.
You need to be the root user in order to install RPM files. At a
shell prompt, switch to root user by running the
following command:
You should then be able to install the RPM file without further
errors. For more information about using RPM and Package Management Tool, refer to
the Official Red Hat Linux Customization Guide on the Red Hat Linux Documentation CD or
online at http://www.redhat.com/docs/.
