diff -ruN hdf-4.2.8.orig/configure.ac hdf-4.2.8/configure.ac
--- hdf-4.2.8.orig/configure.ac	2012-08-07 06:11:45.000000000 +0200
+++ hdf-4.2.8/configure.ac	2018-04-09 02:03:34.086987570 +0200
@@ -570,6 +570,11 @@
       AC_MSG_ERROR([couldn't find rpc library])
     fi
     ;;
+	*-pc-linux*)
+    HAVE_RPC="yes"
+		LIBS="$LIBS -ltirpc"
+		CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I/usr/include/tirpc"
+		;;
 esac
 
 AC_HEADER_STDC