Hello I have my own server and I terribly need to update php to 4.3.9, or even 4.3.8. I currently have 4.3.1. I tried to update it by download the official tar.gz but I got a messed up error when I did the ./configure. Anyways, I downloaded an rpm from rpmfind.net, downloaded it for mandrake and it was called something something 4.3.8.src.rpm not just .rpm does it really matter? Anyways I did some info checks and it was a genunine rpm. So I did a rpm -i {filename} and it sat there, then it went back to root prompt. So I guess it installed , so I rebooted. But it doesn't show that its updated.

Now what I think is the problem is im using an "apache filter" version, do I need to disable that and set the daemon to load php from the new installation directory(seperate from the apache filter}. If so, how? Can anyone give me some pointers? Thanks...

I think that the .src.rpm is the source code rpm. It likely installed all the source code you need to compile and/or modify how PHP works on your box.

Any instructions on how to proceed? And disable apache filter php and enable php alone if required?

I am not sure, but can't you use urpmi on Mandrake to install this without the hassle? Or maybe updating your whole system will include the newer version automagically.