nix noob needs help

Never used Linux before

I'm trying to set up a test server using fedora 5 so I can install moodle for the science department to try out.

I've installed Fedora ok (text mode) and am now trying to install MySQL, Apache & PHP but have become stuck at the first hurdle.

I'm using the CD from SAMs Teach yourself PHP,Apache & MySQL as the SQL version is newer and the instructions are usually easy to follow.

Everything is fine until I get to the part of finishing the installation and starting the MySQL server.

The book tells me to type in

scripts/mysql_install_db --user=mysql

but all I get is 'No such file or directory' even though I can see it in the scripts directory.

I've tried running it directly from the scripts folder but get 'command not found'

Obviously the book is out of sync with fedora 5, so can anyone throw some light on this and what I should try?

I would recommend not following the directions in the book for setting up MySQL on Fedora as they are probably out of date and don't tie in with the subtle differences that Fedora has from other *generic* Linux distros.

Instead, have a look at the guide I found here. I remember using this guide a while back when I was experimenting with Fedora.

http://www.stanton-finley.net/fedora...ion_notes.html

I eventually found Fedora to be too much like redhat and a bit of a pain to configure with minimal configuration tools.

Ubuntu on the other hand has bridged this gap nicely. I would really recommend that you dump fedora for ubuntu if you are a Noob to Linux as its far far easier to setup and is better supported by a mamoth amount of guides and info on the net. Either way it's your choice. Let us know how you get on!

Thanks for the link - looks useful.

I've tried Mandriva but had the same problem as above so using fedora as that is what the book refers to. We will probably use ubuntu eventually but I thought it may be easier getting to grips with everthing if the book & OS spoke the same language :)

Get the Ubuntu Server ISO. On the opening menu it gives you the choice of a lamp install. Easy peasy.

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Originally Posted by ChrisH

Get the Ubuntu Server ISO. On the opening menu it gives you the choice of a lamp install. Easy peasy.

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I know but as I'm learning everything from scratch I wanted to do it all manually. I could have installed MySQL the same way with fedora. At this rate I may give in and do it that way :) or as suggested and use Ubuntu.

I've already used XAMPP to install moodle on a Win XP laptop which works well but we are trying to keep costs down by using Linux. :)

If you eventually switch over to Ubuntu (and you will eventually as Fedora will annoy the pants off you!) :) Check out this guide for Ubuntu (current version Dapper) as it has extensive instructions on doing just about everything with it in the manual configuration sense:

It's worth checking out this link:
http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Dapper

I have used this to manually set up a LAMP server with all the trimmings, takes a bit of effort but is fairly straightforward with the guide.

alan, if by "manually" you mean ./configure;make;make install typ installing, you're asking for trouble. I personally have grave reservations about installing anything that's not covered by my chosen distro's package manager - as it's a serious security flaw. You want to be able to easily keep everything up-to-date, so installing mysql should be as easy as:
yum install mysql
or
apt-get install mysql
or
urpmi mysql
(depending on your particular poison)

Also, ChrisH has a point - ubuntu is good. You can learn about package management later, right now, I am figuring you have enough on your plate!

Good luck!

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Originally Posted by tom_newton

Also, ChrisH has a point - ubuntu is good. You can learn about package management later, right now, I am figuring you have enough on your plate!

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Tis good advice similar to how I learned. and only after I was comfortable with packages and really needed a new version of something I moved onto installing from source. The biggest thing you will come accross is the path differences different distros like Fedora and Debian based ones.

Thats a good point you raised there tom, compiling is best avoided if you can get a pre-made binary from a trusted repository. It also saves a lot of hassle trying to resolve dependencies. (i.e attempting to locate and install mass load of libraries and binaries needed for compilation).

You should only compile if there's a specific feature you want in a program that doesnt exist in any premade binary anywhere or the software you want to install only exists in source.

Although it looks like our friend Alan does have his heart set on FedoraCore5 we will however do our best to convert him to Ubuntu! wmuhahahaha :)

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The book tells me to type in

scripts/mysql_install_db --user=mysql

but all I get is 'No such file or directory' even though I can see it in the scripts directory.

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make sure you are in the scripts directory

Code:

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cd /path/to/scripts/

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make the mysql_install_db file executable

Code:

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chmod u+x ./mysql_install_db

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run the command

Code:

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mysql_install_db --user=mysql

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Conventional wisdom with production systems is that you compile and install application XYZ yourself. Chances are you'll need some compile time options that your package maintainer didn't choose or you'll need a newer version of the software. This is exactly what I have to do with Dansguardian on my Squid boxes.

But by all means, let your package manager keep the underlying system up to date.

@Geoff, depends on the conventinal wisdom, and, to some extent, the server. If it's a server for a *very* particular job, then maybe. If its just a LAMP stack to run www based application X then:
1. You are highly, highly unlikely to find anything compiled out by default that you need. Bear in mind that apache is very modular.
2. Performance gains by compiling for SSE2 or whatever are negligible, and make even less difference to End User Experience
3. Managed packages are far easier to keep up to date
4. A compiler is a great thing to have on somebody else's server (that you're trying to root!) not your own

I take your point that sometimes you need a newer version, but this is mainly a debian thing as their pkgs tend to be a bit behind the curve. With Dansguardian, yeah, mostly you'll end up rolling your own, the intrinsic problems involved are why most people using dansguardian eventually go for the SmoothWall variant, just as most people using linux use a distro rather than LFS.

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Originally Posted by CyberNerd

make the mysql_install_db file executable

Code:

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chmod u+x ./mysql_install_db

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run the command

Code:

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mysql_install_db --user=mysql

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chmod seemed to work (after including the .sh ext) but the following just said 'command not found'

Going to start from scratch in the morning with a fresh head - if that still fails I'll load the apps with the distro. (Whichever that one will be ;) )

Did you do:

Code:

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mysql_install_db --user=mysql

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or

Code:

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./mysql_install_db --user=mysql

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If its a script you will probably need ./

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1. You are highly, highly unlikely to find anything compiled out by default that you need. Bear in mind that apache is very modular.

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Most distribution installs of apache2 have no apxs command for example :(

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Performance gains by compiling for SSE2 or whatever are negligible, and make even less difference to End User Experience

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Compare the speed of SSL with and without SSE2.

Quote:

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Managed packages are far easier to keep up to date

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When I compile something I need thats not in the standard distro package archive I pack it into a deb. I then run my own package archive locally (really, it's not as scary as it sounds). That way I get the benifit of apt-get without sacrificing the ability to run my own versions of the software I need.

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A compiler is a great thing to have on somebody else's server (that you're trying to root!) not your own

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Obviously having compile tools on your server is a bad idea. Thats why you should have a Linux desktop box for doing all your 'development' work. :)