testpack builds fine for me. In the original .cabal file there are following lines:

>>>
 If flag(splitBase)
   Build-Depends: base >= 3, containers, random
 Else
   Build-Depends: base < 3 
<<<

Now that I think about it you didn't actually said what is your GHC version.
Knowing that you can replace lines above with one line that matches your specific configuration.

GHC 6.8.3 :
   Build-Depends: base >= 4, containers, random
GHC 6.10.1 : 
   Build-Depends: base >= 3, containers, random

Please take care to restore and modify the original file.

I think you should read Cabal user guide. This will save your time in the future: 
http://www.haskell.org/ghc/docs/latest/html/Cabal/index.html

I *hope* those changes will fix your installation. I can't really test it, because testpack build fine with my version of cabal:

C:\Documents and Settings\Metharius>cabal install testpack --reinstall
Resolving dependencies...
'testpack-1.0.0' is cached.
Configuring testpack-1.0.0...
Preprocessing library testpack-1.0.0...
Building testpack-1.0.0...
[1 of 3] Compiling Test.QuickCheck.Instances ( src\Test\QuickCheck\Instances.hs, dist\build\Test\QuickCheck\Instances.o )
[2 of 3] Compiling Test.QuickCheck.Tools ( src\Test\QuickCheck\Tools.hs, dist\build\Test\QuickCheck\Tools.o )
[3 of 3] Compiling Test.HUnit.Tools ( src\Test\HUnit\Tools.hs, dist\build\Test\HUnit\Tools.o )
C:\ghc\ghc-6.10.1\bin\ar.exe: creating dist\build\libHStestpack-1.0.0.a
Installing library in C:\Program Files\Haskell\testpack-1.0.0\ghc-6.10.1
Registering testpack-1.0.0...
Reading package info from "dist\\installed-pkg-config" ... done.
Writing new package config file... done.

C:\Documents and Settings\Metharius>cabal install -w c:\ghc\ghc-6.8.3\bin\ghc testpack --reinstall
Resolving dependencies...
'testpack-1.0.0' is cached.
Configuring testpack-1.0.0...
Preprocessing library testpack-1.0.0...
Building testpack-1.0.0...
[1 of 3] Compiling Test.QuickCheck.Instances ( src/Test/QuickCheck/Instances.hs, dist\build/Test/QuickCheck/Instances.o )
[2 of 3] Compiling Test.QuickCheck.Tools ( src/Test/QuickCheck/Tools.hs, dist\build/Test/QuickCheck/Tools.o )
[3 of 3] Compiling Test.HUnit.Tools ( src/Test/HUnit/Tools.hs, dist\build/Test/HUnit/Tools.o )
C:\ghc\ghc-6.10.1\bin\ar.exe: creating dist\build\libHStestpack-1.0.0.a
Installing library in C:\Program Files\Haskell\testpack-1.0.0\ghc-6.8.3
Registering testpack-1.0.0...
Reading package info from "dist\\installed-pkg-config" ... done.
Saving old package config file... done.
Writing new package config file... done.

Perhaps it may also be the difference of installing with "cabal install" and "runhaskell Setup build".

All best

Christopher Skrzętnicki


2009/2/1 Ezekiel Smithburg <tehgeekmeister@gmail.com>
oddly, when i do that, i'm back to the original error message.  and sorry, i didn't understand what you meant, apparently.


On Sat, Jan 31, 2009 at 7:41 PM, Krzysztof Skrzętnicki <gtener@gmail.com> wrote:

2009/2/1 Ezekiel Smithburg <tehgeekmeister@gmail.com>
solution to that problem:


deleted the lines from "If flag(splitBase)" on and changed base in Build-Depends to base >= 4.

Well, this is exactly what I suggested in the first place:

> This error is due to usage of old base package in version 3.
> In .cabal file add dependency on base-4, in form "base >= 4".

Regarding second qustion:

> random 1.0.0.1 is installed, i've verified that.  what does this error mean?

It means that .cabal file fails to specify dependancy on random package. Add dependancy on "random" package next to "base>=4". This should help.

All best

Christopher Skrzętnicki