Fink...Whats the deal with the sw directory?

[SasyBabe]

I didnt know bout the new update prob with Vitrex and installing Fink.... so i installed Vitrex and updated it. I have DLed Fink but cannot install it because of the sw directory/folder... the error message i recieve when trying to install Fink is that sw directory exist... HOW do i delete this thing???

 

[homeshire]

i hate to advise you on how to get rid of the sw folder. i'm sure others will step into the breech and cover that. but i can tell you i had the same problem and had to delete the sw folder installed by virex in order to install fink. fink will not install until you get rid of the virex folder. the easiest way is from the command line -- sudo rm sw. but that is not exact, please don't do it until someone else confirms the exact command line instruction.

 

[peterjhill]

WARNING, NOT DOING THIS CORRECTLY WILL ERASE YOUR HARD DRIVE COMPLETELY WITH NO QUESTIONS ASKED!!!

THe /sw directory is where fink installs all of its files. This makes uninstall trivial. There are two ways to delete it, one fast but "risky" one slower, but less risky.

fast way:

sudo rm -rf /sw
Make sure there is NO space between / and sw, because if there is, then you just removed all files from / which is your entire hard drive

slow way:
open a finder window and browse to the root of your hard disk, it will have
System, Developer, Users, Applications, Library, sw and maybe some other folders. Open a get info window on the folder, authenticate so that you can change the permissions and set them all to you for all files and folders. Then trash the sw folder.

The "sudo -rf /sw" is the best method, since you won't have to change permissions on a zillion files, only to delete them.

 

[SasyBabe]

I put the sw file in the trash can... i then installed Fink using the installer... it said it successfully installed... i then went to the terminal and i entered pico.tcshrc and pressed return...and command not found. my interminal looks weird too... it has my name on every line saying its my computer. PLEASE help...

 

[pdham]

Originally posted by peterjhill
WARNING, NOT DOING THIS CORRECTLY WILL ERASE YOUR HARD DRIVE COMPLETELY WITH NO QUESTIONS ASKED!!!

THe /sw directory is where fink installs all of its files. This makes uninstall trivial. There are two ways to delete it, one fast but "risky" one slower, but less risky.

fast way:

sudo rm -rf /sw
Make sure there is NO space between / and sw, because if there is, then you just removed all files from / which is your entire hard drive

slow way:
open a finder window and browse to the root of your hard disk, it will have
System, Developer, Users, Applications, Library, sw and maybe some other folders. Open a get info window on the folder, authenticate so that you can change the permissions and set them all to you for all files and folders. Then trash the sw folder.

The "sudo -rf /sw" is the best method, since you won't have to change permissions on a zillion files, only to delete them.

Thank you soo much... I wanted to do the same thing and would of never attempted that by myself.... this is why this place rocks

 

[shadowfax]

Originally posted by SasyBabe
I put the sw file in the trash can... i then installed Fink using the installer... it said it successfully installed... i then went to the terminal and i entered pico.tcshrc and pressed return...and command not found. my interminal looks weird too... it has my name on every line saying its my computer. PLEASE help...

i assume that's pico .tcshrc, with the space?

ultimately, i would remove fink using sudo rm -rf /sw, then replace the virex thing into /sw (if you didn't get it totally trashed, which i assume it wouldn't let you since you don't have permissions?), and run sudo rm -rf /sw again to get rid of that completely. then you should be able to install fink again and get it all working.

also, i guess you guys have 7.2.1 of virex now, as it has resolved the fink issues?