These pages will show you how to use the Software Manager to install and/or upgrade software on your SGI workstation. The Software Manager, which must be run as the root user, keeps track of which software packages have been installed on the system, plus the version of each package.  This makes the management of an SGI workstation.

Using the Proper Operating System Version

Most software packages are specific to a certain version of the IRIX operating system. The Software Manager will detect if the software packages you are attempting to install are not for the proper version of the operating system, so it is worth your while to obtain the proper versions before you start. To determine the version of your current Operating System, type the following command in a UNIX shell:

uname -r

If you need to upgrade your operating system before installing the software, click here for more information.

The Installation Media

The Software Manager can only install software packages that have been specifically packaged for the Software Manager. All of the Varisty software will come packaged in this form. Other commercial products may or may not come packaged in a format readable by the Software Manager.  If not, you will have to follow the directions that came with that product.

Once you have obtained the installation media, you may begin installing the software. Insert the software CD into the local CDROM drive. (We are assuming that you are installing the software from a local CDROM. If you are not, contact ECSS for more information.)

Using the Software Manager

Once the installation medium is in place, start up the Software Manager by executing the command

swmgr

as root in a UNIX shell. An image of the Software Manager is provided below for reference.

After starting the Software Manager, the first step is to specify the location of the medium you will be installing the software from. In this case, the medium is under the dist/ directory of the CD in the local CDROM drive, so to select that source, enter

/CDROM/dist

in the text window near the top of the Software Manager's window. After entering that directory, you can either hit the "Enter" key or click the "Lookup" button to the right of the text window. The Software Manager will then start to read the software distribution on that medium and check for dependencies.

Choosing a Method of Installation

After this is done, the Software Manager is ready to install the software on the CD. At this point, you need to decide whether to install the default software or customize your selection of software to upgrade.

Default Installation

If you want to simply install all the default software packages on the installation meda, and your machine is a stand-alone machine that is not connected to a file server, then you maywant to use the default installation option. This is the easiest way to upgrade software. If you wish to install new software, it is recommended that you use the custom installation option, which is described next.

Click here for instructions on installing the default installation

after reaching this point.

After this is done, the Software Manager is ready to install the software on the CD. At this point, you need to decide whether to install the default software or customize your selection of software to upgrade.

Custom Installation

If you wish to install new software, upgrade only selected software from the installation medium, or if your system depends on a file server for software, you will need to use the custom installation. This method allows you to select which software packages will be installed or upgraded on your system. You may add additional packages that are not selected by the default installtion; you may also elect not to install optional packages that would ordinarily be installed by the default installation.

Click here for instructions on installing software using the custom installation after reaching this point.