How do I Update Firefox?

I went to the mozilla site, it was a tar file, I extracted that, then I tried clicking on the install files, and nothing happened. How do I update Firefox in Mandriva easily?

 

You can use one of two methods. The first of which is to follow our tutorials in the thread Getting the Most from Mandriva entitled 'Adding & Removing Software and Repositories'. Follow the instructions on setting up your urpmi repositories, which is something you should do anyway. Once you've completed that, type the following command in a terminal:

Code:

su - root
urpmi.update -a && urpmi --auto-select --auto

The first line gives you root privileges; you will be prompted for your root password. The second line is actually two commands (joined by the "&&"); the first part of which checks for new updates, the second downloads/installs any available updates. That will update your entire system, not just Firefox. Alternately, once you've completed the 'Getting the Most from Mandriva' tutorial on setting up urpmi, you could launch the graphical updater from the control panel: Star -> System -> Configuration -> Packaging -> Mandriva Linux Update ...and enter the root password when prompted. Either method has the same effect, it's just a matter of what you're more comfortable with.

The other means of updating Firefox would be the manual method, which you have already attempted. This actually results in two different Firefox browsers being installed: the one packaged by Mandriva, and the the one packaged by Mozilla.org. In that case you'd just follow the instructions here, A Tutorial: Howto Install Firefox in Linux.:ff:

Don't worry if it sounds complicated, it really isn't. It's just a matter of getting your computer setup with software repositories and typing a simple command (or using the graphical tools if you prefer). Hope this helps, and feel free to post again should you have any trouble.

All the best,
-AT

 

Okay, thanks. I tried to follow the directions there on how to set up automatic updates, bt I got to the part where you said, "You're going into interactive mode now" or something like that, then I got errors (no line below cursar, or something like that) and my computer started beeping. I really am trying to be a good student, and I have read the Mandriva guide.

On the bright side, I have been doing some major customzing, and my desktop looks great now. Do we have a post your desktop thread?

Another question, I tried to click the icon that looks like building blocks to get to mnt/windows so I can see my windows files, but it says I need to be signed in as root. I tried doing su in the command window to sign in as root, but I still got the error. No prompt for root pass word either.

 

Okay, I'm lost. I tried to do it the first way. It appeared to work, but when I went to Firefox -> Help -> About Firefox, it still said I was using version 1.0.2. So then I tried the second way. I got this error:

Then a screen popped up asking me to select what updates to look for. And then another pop up came up telling me I have all updates. Do I need to restart or something for the updates to take effect?

 

Sorry, but I didn't say anything about "interactive mode" in my tutorial. Could you please be more specific about the part you're having difficulty with? Then I'll be able to help you out much more efficiently.

Good! The more you learn about the basics of the UNIX platform and about Mandriva's excellent tools, the better off you'll be. Mandriva Linux is my favorite operating system because it is fairly simple to use due to the powerful tools included, yet it's one of the most powerful distros out there. Puts Red Hat to shame! ...oh yeah, and I am currently hosting a great book on my home server, "LINUX: Rute User's Tutorial and Exposition". You can access it here: http://anti-trend.homelinux.org

Yes, we have several in "General Chat". Or you could post in the desktop section of the forum galleries.

Hmmm, building blocks... that sounds like the disc free program. Have you tried opening your Home folder and browsing to /mnt/windows in your file browser (Konqueror)? Typically in Mandrake/Mandriva you have R/O access to your Windows partition by default. I can't verify this with more recent versions though, as I don't multiboot.

All the best,
-AT

 

Worked like a charm, thanks.

 

As root, type the following:

Code:

killall urpmi

...then try again.

 

No problem.

 

"Urpmi No process killed" it says.

 

I'm an idiot. I tried again, but didn't minimize the command window as soon as before, low and behold, I closed it too soon.

 

Oh well, didn't work anyways. It said I already installed those things. But the question is why do I still show Firefox 1.0.2

 

Sounds like you're using an older version of Mandriva. Actually, sounds like Mandrake 10.1 (before the Mandrake/Connectiva merger). In any case, Linux distributions standardize on one version of software before release. If there are bugs and/or security flaws that are fixed later, these are added as patches to the existing versions. In other words, you will show an older release of Firefox with all appropriate bug fixes and security patches applied. E.g. Firefox-1.0.2-mdk-105 ... Firefox 1.0.2 with vendor-applied patches. It's a good practice, believe it or not. Keeps the system simple, stable and managable to do it that way. If there is some new feature in a newer version of software that you need/badly want, you can install it manually (hence the "howto install firefox" tutorial). In that case it would be a seperate installation from the vendor supplied software, and therefore wouldn't be automatically updated with the rest of the software in the distro. I hope I'm making sense here. The bottom line is that if you have updated your system to its fullest, you can rest assured that all know bugs and/or vulnerabilities for any software you've installed on your system are patched up nicely, no matter what version of software they may be.

All the best,
-AT

 

I thought I was using 10.2, but I could be wrong. Is there a way to check that? I want Firefox 1.0.7 because I'm trying to install the registry user switcher program extension so I can use the MSN site, and it tells me I need a newer version of firefox.

 

In that case you'd just follow the instructions here, A Tutorial: Howto Install Firefox in Linux.

 

I can't even install firefox following those directions. I downloaded firefox 1.0.7 from their site, and then typed "tar xzvf firefox-1.0.7-installer.tar.gz" into the command line. This is the message I got:

I was able to unzip the files graphically in Ark, but then when I typed "mkdir /usr/local/apps" in (after getting root access) I get this:

Fair enough, so I moved onto the next step. You say to type "cd firefox-installer." That seems to work. Then I move onto typing "sh firefox-installer." That gets me this:

I might just be a helpless case, but I'm trying to follow these directions step by step, and it's not working.

 

Here's a hint. When you're typing paths or filenames, instead of trying to type the whole thing perfectly (tedious, frustrating), try the autocomplete feature. Just start typing and hit Tab, the system will fill out the rest for you. If there are several files with similar names, it will list them for you so you can continue typing and Tab again. It might sound a little complicated the way I explain it, but try it out and you'll see what I'm talking about. Tab is your friend.

You might not have the necessary file for the installer. I've never had that problem personally, but I'm pretty sure you can fix it by typing:

Code:

su - root
[COLOR="Gray"]#get us root privileges[/COLOR]
urpmi libstdc++5
[COLOR="Gray"]#use urpmi to install the file you're missing[/COLOR]

No, you're not a helpless case. You're a beginner. This is the initial grind where it's the hardest and most frustrating. Once you get over the initial hump and learn some of the very basics, everything else pretty much falls into place. For example, our new moderator, Fred, is new to Linux and fairly new to computers too. But he took the time to learn, and now he runs Linux full-time. You can do it.

All the best,
-AT

 

So after that do I just start over following the guide to install firefox, minus the downloading bit, of course. And is the faded font meant to tell me what each step does (in other words, I don't actually type this bit in)?

Also, I keep hearing Linux is suppose to be just as easy as, though different from, winows. Now in my opinion, installing software is much easier in windows. Am I just missing something, or is that aspect considered more difficult by some?

 

Yes, the # is for comments -- I wanted to explain what we were doing rather than just saying "type this" and you not learn anything from it. The system will ignore lines that begin with #, so even if you typed it nothing would happen.

Software is as easy or easier to install in Linux, depending on the circumstance. Well packaged software for Windows will have a nice installer that will walk you through the installation (e.g. you click "Next" a few times). In Linux, the exact same thing is true... unless your distro has that software in its repositories. In that case, it's even easier -- you'd just type urpmi $PROGRAM in Mandriva, yum install $PROGRAM in Red Hat, or apt-get install $PROGRAM in Debian (where $PROGRAM = the software you want to install). Or, you could use an equivilent graphical tool to select the software from a list. Either way, that's easier than Windows. If a program is badly packaged in Windows, you may have to create directories, extract files, change config files, make shortcuts, etc. The same thing is true in Linux. And if you want to install a program from source in Windows, you have to download the compilers/libraries/dependancies necessary, edit the Makefile, compile your program, and finally install it. This too is true for Linux. (Actually, it's easier to track and satisfy dependancies in Linux, but that's not the point.) The bottom line is that 90%+ of the time you can download/install/setup software by simply typing one command -- Windows can't do that. Also, if you install software by that method, it will receive regular updates/patches/bug-fixes along with the rest of your system. Windows can't do that, either. I think the extent of your frustration is not knowing the Linux equivilent of things you've been doing in Windows all along. I can relate, everybody must go through the learning curve to break into new technology. But once you learn the basics, it's really, surprisingly easy. And by doing these type of excercises, you are actively learning the basics in a way that you won't easily forget.

All the best,
-AT

 

Agreed some software can be much easier than windows when you use the urpmi method, but at the same time you can software which you have to compile yourself and make the shortcuts aswell. Not too bad when you get the hang of it though.

 

Okay, it seems to have worked this time, but when I go to Firefox and Help, About Firefox, it still shows version 1.0.2 and I can't get any extensions until I have 1.0.5 or later, so I still get that error message when trying to add extensions.