Running 32-bit installer on 64-bit CentOS

Question

I am trying to run the installer for a particular piece of software (I probably shouldn't name the application in case the software vendor gets upset over what I am about to say) on a fresh installation of CentOS 6.3 64-bit. The software vendor only supports 64-bit operating systems, and the application itself requires JDK 1.6. However, the problem is that the installer they provide won't work with JDK 1.6 - it will only work with JDK 1.4.2. The approach recommended by the vendor is to install the application on a 32-bit instance of CentOS, and then copy it over to the 64-bit server. Genius. That aside, I have managed to install JDK 1.4.2 (32-bit) on the 64-bit server.

However, now when I run the installer I get the following error message:

The installer is unable to run in graphical mode. Try running the installer with the -console or -silent flag.

Unfortunately there is no console mode. Awesome.

The vendor requires a number of X11 libraries to be installed. I have managed to find RPMs for most of them, but one of them is giving me grief:

xorg-x11-libs-6.8.2-1.EL.13.25.1.i686.rpm

I couldn't find a 64-bit version, but according to the vendor, the 32-bit version is OK and that is all I could find:

xorg-x11-libs-6.8.2-1.EL.13.25.1.i386.rpm

But when I try to install it, I get the following error:

Can't install /home/phobbs/Downloads/X11-libraries/xorg-x11-libs-6.8.2-1.EL.13.25.1.i386.rpm as no transaction

I have no idea what that means. After several hours of Googling, I am still no wiser as to how to install that particular library. Even if I can get installed I don't know if that will allow the installer to run so I may have no choice but to run the installer on 32-bit CentOS as they suggested.

Any suggestions welcome.

Solution

All you should need in order to work with 32-bit packages on your EL6.3 system is glibc.i686. On my 64-bit systems, I typically end up with a 64-bit and 32-bit version of glibc installed. Just run yum -y install glibc.i686.

[root@fo-shizzle ~]# yum list installed | grep glibc
glibc.i686              2.12-1.80.el6_3.6
glibc.x86_64            2.12-1.80.el6_3.6

and

[root@fo-shizzle ~]# rpm -qi glibc
Name        : glibc                        Relocations: (not relocatable)
Version     : 2.12                              Vendor: CentOS
Release     : 1.80.el6_3.6                  Build Date: Thu Nov  1 04:17:46 2012
Install Date: Fri Nov 30 13:45:52 2012         Build Host: c6b9.bsys.dev.centos.org
Group       : System Environment/Libraries   Source RPM: glibc-2.12-1.80.el6_3.6.src.rpm
Size        : 12941158                         License: LGPLv2+ and LGPLv2+ with exceptions and GPLv2+
Signature   : RSA/SHA1, Thu Nov  1 05:23:46 2012, Key ID 0946fca2c105b9de
Packager    : CentOS BuildSystem <http://bugs.centos.org>
URL         : http://sources.redhat.com/glibc/
Summary     : The GNU libc libraries
Description :
.
.
.
Name        : glibc                        Relocations: (not relocatable)
Version     : 2.12                              Vendor: CentOS
Release     : 1.80.el6_3.6                  Build Date: Thu Nov  1 03:53:47 2012
Install Date: Fri Nov 30 13:46:48 2012         Build Host: c6b9.bsys.dev.centos.org
Group       : System Environment/Libraries   Source RPM: glibc-2.12-1.80.el6_3.6.src.rpm
Size        : 13769290                         License: LGPLv2+ and LGPLv2+ with exceptions and GPLv2+
Signature   : RSA/SHA1, Thu Nov  1 05:23:42 2012, Key ID 0946fca2c105b9de
Packager    : CentOS BuildSystem <http://bugs.centos.org>
URL         : http://sources.redhat.com/glibc/
Summary     : The GNU libc libraries

As for your Xorg libs issue, there's no package for EL6.3. Where did you find the RPM that you're having problems installing? This sounds like a mess... The packages needed for X11 forwarding on a CentOS 6.3 system are:

xorg-x11-font-utils.x86_64
xorg-x11-fonts-Type1.noarch
xorg-x11-server-Xorg.x86_64
xorg-x11-server-common.x86_64
xorg-x11-server-utils.x86_64
xorg-x11-utils.x86_64        
xorg-x11-xauth.x86_64   
xorg-x11-xinit.x86_64  
xorg-x11-xkb-utils.x86_64

If you're connecting via SSH from another Linux or *nix system, you'll want to run "ssh -Y servername" or "ssh -X servername" to enable X11 forwarding.

Comments

[Michael Hampton]

You probably should name the application, if only so that somebody who is familiar with it might know how to resolve your problem in a more sane way.

[MrGordonz]

Much as I would like to reveal the name of the software vendor, the terms of our partner agreement make it unwise for me to do so. As frustrating as this is, I still need to be a good corporate citizen.

[Michael Hampton]

You're a partner with this company, too? In that case, all we can tell you is, tell them in the strongest possible terms that this installer - and their ridiculous workaround - are completely unacceptable. And that's putting it nicely.

[Scott Pack]

That advice had best be a workaround while they fix the problem. If those instructions are the fix, then please do disclose the company name.

[Skaperen]

"good corporate citizen"? THEY clearly are not.

[ewwhite]

Did this work for you?

[MrGordonz]

Unfortunately no. The vendor (Saba) has since released a new version of the application which has rendered the whole issue somewhat moot. The new version doesn't use a GUI 32-bit installer, so I guess I should be grateful for small mercies.