Hey y'all, I'm new here and I need some help.

To make a long story short I'm a college student running suse 8.something and I don't really know what I'm doing with it. I downloaded the source. I used the "./configure" command and it worked. Then I typed in "make install" and I got this error message:

make: *** No rule to make target `install'. Stop.

Now, obviously I'm doing something wrong. The problem is that I'm a total noob and I really suck at using the command line interface. Could someone shed some light on what I'm doing wrong, do I need to somehow target the command with a directory, and if I do what is a good format(correct) to do that with. By the way I'm using bash.

Thank you for your help. It is very much appreciated. It is my hope that with just a little help I can get this resolved and stop bothering y'all. Thanks again.

Did you type 'make' first, then 'make install'?

'make' compiles the binary executables from the source, 'make install' then copies them to the appropriate directories in your system so that it can be executed. The latter won't work before the former.

Off topic: You say you're running SUSE 8.x? Upgrade to something newer, it's really worth the effort. I started on SUSE 8.2 three years ago and things have come a long way in terms of usability. I'm now running openSUSE 10.0, which is entirely free (http://www.opensuse.org). Also, you won't need to compile KTorrent, as it is available on the internet repositories for openSUSE.

What KDE version are you running ? You might be running a to old version.

Okay, just tried doing "make" first. Got a different error message.

I just found out I"m using 8.2. Is the update process to opensuse difficult? Am I likely to lose data? Or is it really nice and smooth like the last time I updated from one version of suse to another? Do I have to be a wizard, because thats above me. Basically, if it requires smarts then I don't have the time to do it because I'm in college and I have to concentrate on things like midterms and papers(and my major has nothing to do with computers).

Any more info on this would be greatly appreciated. I"m checking out the opensuse sight now.

Tracer Tong wrote:Okay, just tried doing "make" first. Got a different error message.

You probably need to install a few development packages which aren't usually installed by default. Suse 8.2 uses KDE 3.1.

Tracer Tong wrote:I just found out I"m using 8.2. Is the update process to opensuse difficult? Am I likely to lose data? Or is it really nice and smooth like the last time I updated from one version of suse to another? Do I have to be a wizard, because thats above me. Basically, if it requires smarts then I don't have the time to do it because I'm in college and I have to concentrate on things like midterms and papers(and my major has nothing to do with computers).

Any more info on this would be greatly appreciated. I"m checking out the opensuse sight now.

If I was to upgrade, I'd just do a clean install, that's simplest. Upgrading generally has some issues as things change between releases.

As for your data, if you were clever on your initial install, your /home directory will be on a separate partition and you can just do a new install and add that partition into the new install as the new /home directory. All data and settings will then be available in the new install. Otherwise, just back up your '/home/username' directory onto a CD/DVD depending on size (include the hidden directories if you want to attempt to transfer your personal settings as well). Do the install, then copy the data back to the new /home/username directory and it will be available to you.

Hope that helps.

KDE 3.1 is way to old, so if you have not upgraded KDE, then you will not get it running.

Well, I have different drives for operating files and for my files but I'm supremely paranoid when it comes to back ups before upgrading(its all about the manuscripts that I have from years past).

So here's what I'll do. I'll back my stuff up and move it off the partition thats going to get wacked. One of those double threat backup schemes. It'll be this weekend before I get to do it.

Thanks for all the help. I wasn't even aware that I was using old versions, I mean, I installed it, left the country for a few years, came back, and everything seemed to still work fine.

I'll let you all know how the upgrade goes.