when trying to compile and install diffutils here is what i get:

make: Nothing to be done for `all'.
/bin/sh ./mkinstalldirs /mnt/lfs/usr/bin /mnt/lfs/usr/info
for p in cmp diff diff3 sdiff; do \
hB-prefix=/mnt/lfs/usr835/usr/bin/install -c $p /mnt/lfs/usr/bin/`echo $p | sed 's,x,x,'`; \
done
/bin/sh: hB-prefix=/mnt/lfs/usr835/usr/bin/install: No such file or directory
/bin/sh: hB-prefix=/mnt/lfs/usr835/usr/bin/install: No such file or directory
/bin/sh: hB-prefix=/mnt/lfs/usr835/usr/bin/install: No such file or directory
/bin/sh: hB-prefix=/mnt/lfs/usr835/usr/bin/install: No such file or directory
make: *** [install] Error 127


anyone know what to make of it?

for p in cmp diff diff3 sdiff; do \
46/usr/bin/install -c $p /mnt/lfs/usr/bin/'echo $p | sed 's,x,x,'`; \
done
/bin/sh: 46/usr/bin/install: No such file or directory
/bin/sh: 46/usr/bin/install: No such file or directory
/bin/sh: 46/usr/bin/install: No such file or directory
/bin/sh: 46/usr/bin/install: No such file or directory
make: *** [install] Error 127

I'm working from a Mandrake 8.1 distribution...
any directions are appreciated

Couldn't help but notice theres a dir before usr that doesn't exist (or shouldn't) , do you know if its being defined anywhere.

I've never seen this kind of error before, but perhaps it just slipped my mind and it might have occured before. Try using the LFS search engine at http://search.linuxfromscratch.org

If you can't find anything, post a message to the lfs-support@linuxfromscratch.org

i fixed this problem by finding out later that i forgot to install gawk for a second time... doubt if thats the real issue but i didnt have a problem on the second time around