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I am running Ubuntu 8.04 (currently I do not have the option to upgrade due to hardware problems). I need to get g++ onto my installation but as this is no longer supported I am unable to use the traditional apt-get approach. What are my options? Are ubuntu packages configured specifically for each version? For example could I manually download a later version of gcc and g++ that do not originally ship with 8.04 (say the 10.04 version for example) and build them from scratch? Do the compilers work in this way in the sense that they have a version PER ubuntu version or are they maintained as separate entities??

I do not know enough about ubuntu internals really and always use apt-get to obtain/update any packages I need. If it is possible to do it this way is there a way to be certain that I have everything I need with regards to utility packages needed by g++ for the installation??

mathematician1975
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  • What happens when you try `sudo apt-get instal g++`? – Linuxios Jun 30 '12 at 14:01
  • I have actually only tried to `sudo apt-get install build-essential` but when I do it i get `E: Couldn't find package build-essential` . It has trouble accessing the sites contained in my /etc/apt/sources.list file (I think that is what the file is called) – mathematician1975 Jun 30 '12 at 14:04
  • What's in `/etc/apt/sources.list`? The default? Changed sources? ANd please tell me what happens when you issue `apt-get install g++`. – Linuxios Jun 30 '12 at 14:05
  • Unfortunately I cant do it right now as I am not currently at work (it is a work problem) I have performed a raw install and have not modified anything at all in the sources.list file. From memory, the the apt-get install g++ complained about a dependency conflict with the gcc (version 4.2.2) I think – mathematician1975 Jun 30 '12 at 14:09
  • Hm. If you'll comment after you try. Why can't you upgrade? Ubuntu isen't like Windows. Old versions die fast, rather than being supported for 10 years. You need to upgrade to the newest LTS version, 12.04. – Linuxios Jun 30 '12 at 14:13
  • I would love to. Unfortunately 10.04 is the highest version that the processor vendor has a support kernel for. And I am unable to install that. It may well be that I have to source alternative hardware or attempt an embedded installation from scratch – mathematician1975 Jun 30 '12 at 14:16
  • What's the processor? Linux supports almost everything. PowerPC: ✓. ARM: ✓. x86: ✓. x86-64: ✓. AMD64: ✓. – Linuxios Jun 30 '12 at 14:20
  • Vortex86DX processor. The vendor claims support for ubuntu up to 10.04 and provides a kernel mod for it. Unfortunately I am unable to install 10.04 and so stuck with 8.04. – mathematician1975 Jun 30 '12 at 14:22
  • It says that it contains an x86 processor. You could shoot into the dark, and hope it works. That's done wonders for me. – Linuxios Jun 30 '12 at 14:25
  • Yeah I already tried the installation with 12.04 and it complained about the processor. Believe me I have tried everything I can think of to get a more up to date version on there but I am no expert. – mathematician1975 Jun 30 '12 at 14:36
  • Can you try another distro? Debian 4.0 they said they supported. – Linuxios Jun 30 '12 at 14:40
  • Tried Debian 4.0 and 5.0. What they say they support and what I am able to install only results in 8.04. I have tried alternative and desktop iso images for 8.04, 9.04, 10.04 and Debian 4.0 and 5.0 - only thing that works is 8.04 – mathematician1975 Jun 30 '12 at 14:42
  • Dang. That is one annoying setup. I think you should just try @user4124 suggests, and if that doesn't work, build a new version of GCC using your current version. – Linuxios Jun 30 '12 at 14:44

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You need an Ubuntu repository that has the hardy packages.

To do so, click on System->Administration->Software sources and select a different mirror.

For example, at http://ubuntu.mirror.ac.za/ubuntu/dists/ you can see that hardy is still listed. Therefore, change to this South African mirror.

user4124
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