Using Yum to install packages for my user only

Question

I would like to be able to install packages by using a package manager (Yum is available on my server), but I don't have root access. I don't technically need root access, I just want the packages to be installed in my home directory.

Is there any way I can do this?

Answer 1

As Ignacio points out, you can use yumdownloader.

But for the second step

rpm -ivh --relocate /usr=/home/username/usr --relocate /etc=/home/username/etc

or

rpm -ivh --relocate /=/home/username/progname

is probably easier.

If the RPM has any scripts that assume they are running as root, you might also need to add the --noscripts option.

Plus you can add the --aid option to resolve dependencies.

Answer 2

Not using yum. You can use yumdownloader though, and then put the packages through rpm2cpio ... | cpio -id in order to extract their contents, and then place the files in the appropriate locations.