RPM dependencies are going in a circle

[geokor]

I am fairly new to Linux, running SuSE 7.1, and am trying to install the proftpd server. It told me I needed a new glibc so I got that. When I tried to install that rpm it told me I couldn't because a whole list of other packages depend on the old version of so.6 or whatever and this is trying to put in so.6.x.

How do I upgrade an rpm if it depends on some other rpm that the system won't allow me to install/upgrade?

Thanks a 1,000,000!

GeorgeK

 

[LarryTheCucumber]

If this is a play machine and you don't worry about blowing it up!
Use
rpm -ivh --nodeps packagename

this doesn't check dependencies.

But use it only for the proftpd and add on software not libraries!

- OR -

Find an older veresion of proftpd

 

[geokor]

Thanks Larry but I already knew how to ignore dependencies. Let me rephrase my question: what if this is NOT a play machine? How would you get around this problem? Does it often happen that you can't upgrade a package because of dependencies?

Thanks.

GeorgeK

 

[LarryTheCucumber]

Sorry, Brain dead Friday's, I just love them.
There is a How-To about updating, I will have to find it again. It's buried on my desk some place.

 

[geokor]

Would that How To be on a linux site somewhere?

George K

 

[LarryTheCucumber]

i got if off the web. Where I don't remenber.
It might have been RPMFIND.

 

[geokor]

Thank you!

GeorgeK