Installing Software from .rpm Packages

Table of Contents

Introduction

RPM (Red Hat Package Manager) is a powerful package management system used primarily by Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), CentOS, Fedora, SUSE, and other Linux distributions. RPM packages contain pre-compiled software along with metadata, dependency information, and installation scripts that make software installation and management straightforward and reliable.

The RPM system provides several key benefits: - Dependency Management: Automatically handles software dependencies - Database Tracking: Maintains a comprehensive database of installed packages - Verification: Allows verification of package integrity and installed files - Rollback Capability: Enables package removal and downgrading - Digital Signatures: Supports package signing for security verification

Understanding RPM Package Format

Package Naming Convention

RPM packages follow a standardized naming convention that provides essential information about the package:

` package-name-version-release.architecture.rpm `

| Component | Description | Example | |-----------|-------------|---------| | package-name | The name of the software | firefox | | version | The software version number | 91.0 | | release | The package build number | 1.el8 | | architecture | Target hardware architecture | x86_64, i386, noarch | | extension | Always .rpm | .rpm |

Example Package Names

| Package Name | Breakdown | |--------------|-----------| | firefox-91.0-1.el8.x86_64.rpm | Firefox version 91.0, build 1 for RHEL 8, 64-bit | | vim-8.2.2637-16.el9.x86_64.rpm | Vim editor version 8.2.2637, build 16 for RHEL 9 | | kernel-5.14.0-70.el9.x86_64.rpm | Kernel version 5.14.0, build 70 for RHEL 9 | | python3-requests-2.25.1-1.el8.noarch.rpm | Python requests library, architecture independent |

Package Architecture Types

| Architecture | Description | Usage | |--------------|-------------|-------| | x86_64 | 64-bit Intel/AMD processors | Most modern systems | | i386/i686 | 32-bit Intel processors | Legacy systems | | aarch64 | 64-bit ARM processors | ARM-based systems | | noarch | Architecture independent | Scripts, documentation | | src | Source code packages | Development purposes |

RPM Database

The RPM database is a critical component that tracks all installed packages and their files. Located in /var/lib/rpm/, this database contains:

Database Files

| File | Purpose | |------|---------| | Packages | Main package information database | | Name | Package name index | | Version | Version information index | | Release | Release information index | | Providename | What packages provide | | Requirename | Package dependencies | | Conflictname | Package conflicts | | Obsoletename | Obsoleted packages |

Database Maintenance Commands

`bash

Rebuild the RPM database

Verify database consistency

Initialize a new database

Installation Methods

Method 1: Using rpm Command

The rpm command is the low-level tool for package management. It provides direct control over package installation but does not automatically resolve dependencies.

#### Basic Installation Syntax

`bash rpm [options] package-file.rpm `

#### Common rpm Options

| Option | Description | Example | |--------|-------------|---------| | -i | Install package | rpm -i package.rpm | | -U | Upgrade package (install if not present) | rpm -U package.rpm | | -F | Freshen package (upgrade only if already installed) | rpm -F package.rpm | | -e | Erase (remove) package | rpm -e package-name | | -q | Query package information | rpm -q package-name | | -v | Verbose output | rpm -iv package.rpm | | -h | Show progress with hash marks | rpm -ivh package.rpm | | --force | Force installation | rpm -ivh --force package.rpm | | --nodeps | Ignore dependencies | rpm -ivh --nodeps package.rpm | | --test | Test installation without actually installing | rpm -ivh --test package.rpm |

Method 2: Using yum/dnf

YUM (Yellowdog Updater Modified) and DNF (Dandified YUM) are high-level package managers that automatically handle dependencies and can install packages from repositories or local files.

#### Installing Local RPM with yum

`bash

RHEL/CentOS 7 and earlier

Alternative method

#### Installing Local RPM with dnf

`bash

RHEL/CentOS 8+ and Fedora

Alternative method

Method 3: Using zypper (SUSE)

For SUSE-based distributions, zypper is the preferred package manager:

`bash

Install local RPM package

Install with dependency resolution

Package Management Tools

rpm Command Reference

#### Installation Commands

`bash

Install a new package

Install with verbose output and progress

Install multiple packages

Upgrade existing package or install if not present

Freshen only if package is already installed

Force installation (overwrite files)

Install ignoring dependencies (not recommended)

Test installation without actually installing

#### Query Commands

`bash

List all installed packages

Query specific package

Show package information

List files in package

Show package dependencies

Find which package owns a file

Query package file before installation

List files in package file

#### Verification Commands

`bash

Verify all installed packages

Verify specific package

Verify package file

Check package signatures

#### Removal Commands

`bash

Remove package

Remove with verbose output

Force removal (ignore dependencies)

Test removal without actually removing

Advanced rpm Options

| Option | Description | Use Case | |--------|-------------|----------| | --prefix PATH | Relocate package to different path | Custom installation locations | | --excludedocs | Don't install documentation | Minimal installations | | --noscripts | Don't execute pre/post install scripts | Troubleshooting | | --oldpackage | Allow downgrade to older version | Rollback scenarios | | --replacefiles | Replace files owned by other packages | Conflict resolution | | --replacepkgs | Reinstall already installed package | Package repair |

Installation Commands

Step-by-Step Installation Process

#### 1. Download Package Verification

Before installation, verify the package integrity and authenticity:

`bash

Check package signature

Expected output for valid package:

package.rpm: rsa sha1 (md5) pgp md5 OK

Detailed signature check

#### 2. Dependency Analysis

Check package dependencies before installation:

`bash

Show package requirements

Show what the package provides

Test installation to check for conflicts

#### 3. Installation Execution

`bash

Standard installation with progress

Installation with detailed output

Installation from URL

Installation from multiple sources

Batch Installation Examples

#### Installing Multiple Related Packages

`bash

Install all RPM files in current directory

Install specific pattern of packages

Install from different directories

#### Installation with Logging

`bash

Install with detailed logging

Install with only error logging

Upgrade and Freshen Operations

#### Upgrade vs Install

| Operation | Command | Behavior | |-----------|---------|----------| | Install | rpm -ivh | Installs new package, keeps old versions | | Upgrade | rpm -Uvh | Installs new package, removes old version | | Freshen | rpm -Fvh | Upgrades only if package already installed |

#### Upgrade Examples

`bash

Upgrade single package

Upgrade all packages in directory

Upgrade with backup of replaced files

Upgrade kernel (special case - use install)

Working with Package Groups

`bash

Install development tools group

List available groups

Install specific group with dnf

Verification and Troubleshooting

Package Verification Process

RPM provides comprehensive verification capabilities to ensure package integrity and proper installation.

#### Verification Attributes

When verifying packages, RPM checks these attributes:

| Attribute | Symbol | Description | |-----------|---------|-------------| | Size | S | File size differs | | Mode | M | File permissions differ | | MD5 checksum | 5 | File content differs | | Device | D | Device number differs | | Link | L | Symbolic link differs | | User | U | File owner differs | | Group | G | File group differs | | Time | T | File modification time differs |

#### Verification Commands and Examples

`bash

Verify all installed packages

Verify specific package

Example output:

S.5....T. /usr/bin/ssh

This indicates size, checksum, and time differences

Verify configuration files only

Verify without checking file modification times

Troubleshooting Common Issues

#### Dependency Problems

`bash

Problem: Missing dependencies

Error: Failed dependencies: libssl.so.1.1 is needed by package

Solution 1: Install dependencies manually

Solution 2: Use yum/dnf to handle dependencies

Solution 3: Force installation (not recommended)

#### File Conflicts

`bash

Problem: File conflicts during installation

Error: file /usr/bin/program conflicts between attempted installs

Solution 1: Check which packages provide the file

Solution 2: Force replacement

Solution 3: Remove conflicting package first

#### Database Corruption

`bash

Problem: RPM database corruption

Error: rpmdb: damaged header instance

Solution: Rebuild database

Verify database after rebuild

Package Integrity Checking

#### GPG Key Management

`bash

Import GPG keys

List imported keys

Verify package signature

#### File System Verification

`bash

Check for modified configuration files

Check for missing files

Verify specific file types

Best Practices

Pre-Installation Checklist

1. System Compatibility Check `bash # Check system architecture uname -m # Check OS version cat /etc/redhat-release # Verify package compatibility rpm -qp --requires package.rpm `

2. Backup Critical Data `bash # Backup configuration files tar -czf config-backup.tar.gz /etc/ # Create system snapshot (if using LVM) lvcreate -L1G -s -n backup-snapshot /dev/vg/root `

3. Free Space Verification `bash # Check available disk space df -h # Check package installation size rpm -qp --queryformat '%{SIZE}\n' package.rpm `

Installation Best Practices

#### Security Considerations

| Practice | Command | Rationale | |----------|---------|-----------| | Verify signatures | rpm --checksig package.rpm | Ensures package authenticity | | Check source | Download from official repositories | Prevents malware installation | | Review dependencies | rpm -qpR package.rpm | Understand system changes | | Test installation | rpm -ivh --test package.rpm | Identify issues before installation |

#### System Maintenance

`bash

Regular database maintenance

Clean up old kernel packages

Verify system integrity monthly

Repository Management

#### Adding Third-Party Repositories

`bash

Add EPEL repository

Add custom repository

#### Repository Priority

`bash

Install yum-plugin-priorities

Set repository priorities in .repo files

priority=1 (highest) to priority=99 (lowest)

Common Issues and Solutions

Installation Failures

#### Issue 1: Insufficient Privileges

`bash

Problem: Permission denied errors

Solution: Use sudo or run as root

Or switch to root user

#### Issue 2: Package Already Installed

`bash

Problem: package is already installed

Error: package-1.0-1 is already installed

Solution 1: Upgrade instead

Solution 2: Reinstall

Solution 3: Force installation

#### Issue 3: Conflicting Files

`bash

Problem: File conflicts between packages

Error: file /usr/bin/app from install of new-package conflicts with file from package old-package

Solution 1: Remove conflicting package

Solution 2: Force file replacement

Performance Optimization

#### Database Optimization

`bash

Optimize RPM database

Clean temporary files

Verify database integrity

#### Installation Speed Improvement

`bash

Use local repositories when possible

Enable parallel downloads (dnf)

Use faster mirrors

Rollback and Recovery

#### Package Rollback Strategies

`bash

Downgrade package (if older version available)

Remove problematic package

Restore from backup

#### System Recovery

`bash

Boot from rescue mode if system is unbootable

Mount root filesystem

Chroot into system

Fix RPM database

Verify and fix packages

Monitoring and Logging

#### Installation Logging

`bash

Enable detailed RPM logging

Monitor installation progress

Archive installation logs

#### System Monitoring

`bash

Monitor package changes

Check for security updates

Monitor system resources during installation

This comprehensive guide covers all aspects of installing software from RPM packages, from basic concepts to advanced troubleshooting techniques. The information provided enables both novice and experienced users to effectively manage RPM packages in their Linux environments while following security best practices and maintaining system integrity.