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I need to install an unknown number of apps/libs in my home area, but don't want to descend into dependency hell, or even have to do the 'configure/make/make install' dance. We've got some aging RHEL VNC session servers that are missing all sorts of stuff I need. The sysadmins won't install said stuff without a note from a VP for each app/lib. I'm looking for a way to put what I need, plus all their dependencies, in my $HOME space without having to track down stuff. In fact, much of what I need will not work with the underlying RHEL rev.

So I was hoping there was a way to install just some of the apps/libs from an Ubuntu disk, or use apt-get or MacPorts or something like that to get and maintain these things as I find I need them but they aren't available.

Any suggestions?

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Just to be clear...you're trying to install applications to $home because it's against policy for your apps to be installed without permission and you're looking for a shortcut? And much of what you're trying to use won't work with the version of Linux the servers are running? If so, you're looking for help from sysadmins to subvert your sysadmin, while asking for a technology miracle...? – Bart Silverstrim Aug 9 '10 at 16:45
If not, I'm confused. Could you clarify? – Bart Silverstrim Aug 9 '10 at 16:46
So, you're asking us to help you do what your admins have already refused to do because neither your nor they have appropriate permission? – John Gardeniers Aug 9 '10 at 18:04
You forgot the part where it sounded like he was saying that the programs don't work on that version of RH. – Bart Silverstrim Aug 10 '10 at 11:31
OK, i obviously need to clear some things up. We are allowed to do whatever we want in our $HOME. We can put whatever apps and libs we want in there. No quotas even. Since some of the stuff i need won't build w/the installed RHEL rev, i'll need to build a bunch of libs, perhaps all the way down to glibc. Our admins have 'refused' do do this simply because they don't have the bandwidth. We have fewer than 10 of them for a 2000+ man company. I know how to build everything i need, tracking down depencencies, etc. I'm just looking for an automated way to avoid all the grunt work involved. – subopt Aug 10 '10 at 15:00
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closed as off topic by Iain♦, Scott Pack, Zoredache, John Gardeniers, MDMarra Dec 13 '11 at 15:11

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1 Answer

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If you have a working setup, you can create a disk image of the root filesystem and copy the image to the host server. The idea is chroot to that filesystem on the destination server.

You'd need to ask your admin to setuid a script to mount the disk image and chroot to the partition.

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