Installing Programs

TheRiddler

I'm new to Linux and having problems installing programs. I can do it fine from the software manager but but not with .bin/.run files. Basically I downloaded Virtual Box for Linux from their website and it's a .run file.

I right clicked it, went to properties and clicked to run as executable. I went to run it and it said I needed administrator permission, but I am the admin already?

So I went to the Terminal and typed "su" to be admin and it still wouldn't open. So I tried "sh VirtualBox-4.0.2-69518-Linux_x86.run" to open the file but it said it couldn't be found. I have the file saved in Desktop. Any advice?

Knasher

When you run su you are running as root in new session so you are in the roots home directory, /root. So either cd back to the right directory or run sudo VirtualBox-4.0.2-69518-Linux_x86.run as your current user. Personally I prefer sudo to su as there is less of a chance I'll leave it logged in as root.

Also there is a ppa for virtualbox, see http://www.unixmen.com/linux-tutorials/1460-virtualbox-402-is-released-ppa-ubuntu-a-debian, if I were you I'd use that instead.

backboiler

Reading the manual suggests that you may have to specify an "install" action on the command line.
e.g.

sudo ./VirtualBox-4.0.2-69518-Linux_x86.run install

and enter your normal user password if you have sudo set up.

or

su -c './VirtualBox-4.0.2-69518-Linux_x86.run install'

and enter the root password.

niallb

People are assuming you're running ubuntu although you don't mention it.
If you are, the ppa is the easiest option. It currently has the latest version.
Follow Knasher's link from three posts back, and Virtualbox 4.0.2 will appear in your software manager.

Whatever distro it is, if you're a beginner, install virtualbox from the software manager.
Take a closer look on oracle's site, and find a package to suit your distro.
There's a long list at virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads

If your distro is listed there, download the appropriate package and install that.
It it isn't there, think seriously about installing a distro that is, and make it the most up to date one that you can. What are you currently running?

To get virtualbox running to its best potential requires kernel modules to be built
and updated, and several group membership changes to be made.
Using the system's package manager will make sure that those items are dealt
with correctly, and additionally will make it much easier for you when it comes to applying any updates in future.

Sorry @backboiler, but while your recommendation is absolutely the right way to install the downloaded archive, for a newcomer to linux, it's probably the wrong download to start with.

backboiler

ah yeah, you're right niallb, and if he hadn't mentioned command line himself I wouldn't have suggested it at all. If there's a graphical tool to do the job, that's probably the way to go.