gcc with AIX 4.3

UNIX AIX
1

hi,

i need to install a source code from an open source on AIX 4.3. but first i need to install gcc.

is gcc going to screw up AIX 4.3? the box is doing heavy legacy stuff with engine and db2 on it. and over 200 users.

any comment would be appreciated.

thanks

2

I have installed gcc on many systems and never encountered a problem outside. Having the right compiler may or may not solve your problem, but it won't affect anything that has already run on that box.

For the very unlikely case that you do have problems: install gcc in the form of the lpp-file (from bullfreeware.com) and do not "commit" the software when installing. Until you "commit" in in installp a copy of every overwritten file is saved, committing it will remove that copy. So if you encounter problems you can uninstall the software and have the machine restored to the exact state it was in before the installation.

bakunin

3

can you please give some instructions on restoring the system when installation fails?

how should can make sure the initial installation is not commited?

thanks

4

Download the .bff-file from the mentioned Bull-website. Put it into a directory. Create a .toc-file by making this directory your current directory and issuing the command

inutoc .

call SMITty then:

smitty install_latest

and use "." as your "input directory". Do NOT select "commit software". If you issue an "lslpp -l" you should now see the package in the status of "APPLIED" and not in "COMMITTED".

On how to uninstall a package in an applied state consult your either man ("man installp") or the info-system. Basically it is "installp -u ...". You can do it using SMIT too using the fastpath "smitty install".

Be sure to commit the software in a second step after sufficient testing as this will free up some diskspace. Take your time though, the usability of the software is the same in applied and committed state, so users won't notice.

5

do i need to reboot the system, it can't find the path.

6

after installing the gcc with smitty install.

i run gcc and it say it can't find the path.

do i need to reboot the system or can i just update the path.

7

Or just specify it explicitly, eg

CC=/usr/local/bin/gcc make

or whatever the path is....

8

A Unix system needs a reboot only when a new kernel image needs to be loaded. Reasons for wanting to load a new kernel image would be:

  • loading a new version of the kernel itself (after patching)

  • clearing up some NFS-troubles which can't be resolved

  • clearing the process table to get rid of zombies and the like

and some other reasons. You do NOT need to reboot to change your environment, create a new network interface, add a user and some similar reasons why a certain popular graphical PC-virus needs to be rebooted.

In other words the answer is "no".

bakunin

9

What's the difference with "APPLIED" and "COMMITED" when I lslpp the software?

Thanks

10

See the man-page of installp.

Basically the difference is that in APPLIED state save copies of the files overwritten during install are stored whereas during the transition from APPLIED to COMMIT these save copies are being deleted. Hence, after COMMITting the software it is still possible to deinstall it, but not possible to get the last state before the install back.

bakunin