# Simple Install Question

**URL:** <https://community.freefem.org/t/simple-install-question/652>\
**Category:** FreeFEM installation\
**Created:** [November 13, 2020, 5:20am UTC](https://community.freefem.org/t/simple-install-question/652 "2020-11-13T05:20:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dajopez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@dajopez](https://community.freefem.org/u/dajopez)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 5:20am UTC](https://community.freefem.org/t/simple-install-question/652/1 "2020-11-13T05:20:08Z")

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Hello, I am this part of the full installation guide (pt 6). What should a valid expression for the --prefix=/where/you/want/to/have/files/installed part look like? I have tried file locations and it doesnt like it. Also does it matter where I install it?

Thank you for the help.

‘’’  
git clone [https://github.com/FreeFem/FreeFem-sources](https://github.com/FreeFem/FreeFem-sources)  
cd FreeFem-sources  
autoreconf -i  
./configure --enable-generic --enable-optim   
–enable-download --enable-maintainer-mode   
CXXFLAGS=-mtune=generic CFLAGS=-mtune=generic   
FFLAGS=-mtune=generic --enable-download --disable-hips  
–prefix=/where/you/want/to/have/files/installed  
‘’’

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**Author:** ![Lily](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/97f17d/32.png) [@Lily](https://community.freefem.org/u/Lily)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 6:04am UTC](https://community.freefem.org/t/simple-install-question/652/2 "2020-11-13T06:04:57Z")

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Hello,  
personally I only run “./configure” without options. It’s enough if you want a default installation for a standard use.  
Lily

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dajopez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@dajopez](https://community.freefem.org/u/dajopez)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 6:13am UTC](https://community.freefem.org/t/simple-install-question/652/3 "2020-11-13T06:13:28Z")

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So I should run:

git clone [https://github.com/FreeFem/FreeFem-sources](https://github.com/FreeFem/FreeFem-sources)  
cd FreeFem-sources  
autoreconf -i  
./configure --enable-generic --enable-optim  
–enable-download --enable-maintainer-mode

?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dajopez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@dajopez](https://community.freefem.org/u/dajopez)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 6:28am UTC](https://community.freefem.org/t/simple-install-question/652/4 "2020-11-13T06:28:30Z")

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Also when I run this it throws this error

Sorry missing unzip,m4,bison,flex,patch command

Is that normal?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![prj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecae2f/32.png) [@prj](https://community.freefem.org/u/prj)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 8:03am UTC](https://community.freefem.org/t/simple-install-question/652/5 "2020-11-13T08:03:50Z")

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> <https://askubuntu.com/questions/891835/what-does-prefix-do-exactly-when-used-in-configure>