Description of problem: up2date has apparently scrambled the RPM DB on a live critical system. I believe this might have been the result of a full /boot drive during an up2date procedure. Regardless, up2date will not run. It complains "Could not determine what version of Red Hat Linux you are running. If you get this error, try running rpm --rebuilddb" 'rpm --rebuilddb' does not resolve anything. Further investigation shows: [root@ns1 root]# cat /etc/redhat-release Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES release 3 (Taroon Update 6) but [root@ns1 root]# rpm -q redhat-release package redhat-release is not installed I'm not sure you to resolve this issue at this point. Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): rpm-4.2.3-24_nonptl up2date-4.4.67-3 How reproducible: Always reproducible in current state Steps to Reproduce: 1. 'up2date -l' 2. fail 3. sob? Actual results: Failure to use up2date to maintain updates on Redhat purchased subscription channel. Expected results: Fully utilize paid subscription fee to update critical packages. Additional info: A bug in up2date and/or rpm allowed this system to get in a very troubled state. Any recommendation on how to repair this system without reinstalling a very critical box is appreciated.
up2date logs: [Mon Mar 20 10:50:48 2006] up2date updating login info [Mon Mar 20 10:50:48 2006] up2date logging into up2date server [Mon Mar 20 10:50:49 2006] up2date successfully retrieved authentication token from up2date server [Mon Mar 20 10:50:49 2006] up2date availablePackageList from network [Mon Mar 20 10:50:49 2006] up2date Unable to import repomd support so repomd support will not be available [Mon Mar 20 10:51:37 2006] up2date updating login info [Mon Mar 20 10:51:37 2006] up2date logging into up2date server [Mon Mar 20 10:51:38 2006] up2date successfully retrieved authentication token from up2date server [Mon Mar 20 10:51:38 2006] up2date availablePackageList from network [Mon Mar 20 10:51:38 2006] up2date Unable to import repomd support so repomd support will not be available [Mon Mar 20 10:51:52 2006] up2date installing packages: ['up2date-4.4.67-3'] [Mon Mar 20 10:52:01 2006] up2date Removing packages from package profile: ['up2date-4.4.44-3'] [Mon Mar 20 10:52:03 2006] up2date Adding packages to package profile: ['up2date-4.4.67-3'] [Mon Mar 20 10:52:04 2006] up2date deleting /var/spool/up2date/up2date-4.4.67-3.i386.hdr [Mon Mar 20 10:52:04 2006] up2date deleting /var/spool/up2date/up2date-4.4.67-3.i386.rpm [Mon Mar 20 10:52:05 2006] up2date updating login info [Mon Mar 20 10:52:05 2006] up2date logging into up2date server [Mon Mar 20 10:52:05 2006] up2date successfully retrieved authentication token from up2date server [Mon Mar 20 10:52:05 2006] up2date availablePackageList from network [Mon Mar 20 10:52:05 2006] up2date Unable to import repomd support so repomd support will not be available [Mon Mar 20 10:53:22 2006] up2date A protocol error occurred: Not Found , attempt #1, [Mon Mar 20 10:55:33 2006] up2date installing packages: ['XFree86-Mesa-libGL-4.3.0-98.EL', 'XFree86-Mesa-libGLU-4.3.0-98.EL', 'XFree86-libs-4.3.0-98.EL', 'XFree86-libs-data-4.3.0-98.EL', 'autofs-4.1.3-168', 'bash-2.05b-41.5', 'binutils-2.14.90.0.4-42', 'chkconfig-1.3.13.3-0.3', 'comps-3ES-0.20060306', 'cpp-3.2.3-54', 'findutils-4.1.7-9.1', 'gcc-3.2.3-54', 'gcc-c++-3.2.3-54', 'gdb-6.3.0.0-1.90', 'glibc-2.3.2-95.39', 'glibc-common-2.3.2-95.39', 'glibc-devel-2.3.2-95.39', 'glibc-headers-2.3.2-95.39', 'glibc-profile-2.3.2-95.39', 'gnupg-1.2.1-15', 'hwdata-0.101.22-1', 'initscripts-7.31.30.EL-1', 'iputils-20020927-11.30.4', 'kernel-2.4.21-40.EL', 'kernel-pcmcia-cs-3.1.31-19', 'kernel-utils-2.4-8.37.14', 'krb5-devel-1.2.7-52', 'krb5-libs-1.2.7-52', 'krb5-workstation-1.2.7-52', 'libaio-0.3.96-6', 'libaio-devel-0.3.96-6', 'libgcc-3.2.3-54', 'libgcj-3.2.3-54', 'libobjc-3.2.3-54', 'libstdc++-3.2.3-54', 'libstdc++-devel-3.2.3-54', 'man-1.5k-13.rhel3', 'nedit-5.3-4.1', 'netdump-0.7.14-3', 'nfs-utils-1.0.6-43EL', 'nptl-devel-2.3.2-95.39', 'nscd-2.3.2-95.39', 'ntsysv-1.3.13.3-0.3', 'openldap-2.0.27-22', 'openldap-devel-2.0.27-22', 'pam-0.75-67', 'pam-devel-0.75-67', 'psacct-6.3.2-35.rhel3', 'redhat-release-3ES-13.7.3', 'rhnlib-1.8.2-1.p22.1', 'rpmdb-redhat-3-0.20060306', 'shadow-utils-4.0.3-26.RHEL3', 'sysreport-1.3.7.2-13', 'tzdata-2006a-1.EL3', 'vixie-cron-4.1-10.EL3', 'ypbind-1.12-5.21.9'] [Mon Mar 20 12:14:45 2006] up2date updating login info [Mon Mar 20 12:14:45 2006] up2date RPM error. The message was: Could not determine what version of Red Hat Linux you are running. If you get this error, try running rpm --rebuilddb [Mon Mar 20 12:15:57 2006] up2date updating login info [Mon Mar 20 12:15:57 2006] up2date RPM error. The message was: Could not determine what version of Red Hat Linux you are running. If you get this error, try running rpm --rebuilddb [Mon Mar 20 14:16:26 2006] up2date RPM error. The message was: Could not determine what version of Red Hat Linux you are running. If you get this error, try running rpm --rebuilddb
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I'm already submitting that to support. It just seemed that the bug that caused this issue needed to be reported as well. Thanks for the quick response.
Reinstall redhat-release manually using rpm should "unofficially" fix yer problem.
Christopher, if you ensure support know this bz number they can link the issue.
Thanks. Forcing an rpm install from the /var/spool/up2date directory resolved the redhat-release package problem. I was able to up2date from there. A new full up2date blew up lots of config files that were similarly unresolved when the problem occured. I'll have to wade through those for errors, but it looks like it'll be OK. Support has this BZ number for reference. Thanks again.
Reassign to up2date - there should be some way to recover with redhat-release missing. Also I think we shouldn't recommend rebuilddb in this instance but maybe contacting support.
up2date depends upon the version flag of the redhat-release pkg from the rpm db... we don't munge the contents of the /etc/redhat-release file. redhat-release is the primary mechanism by which we understand what content a user should be pointed at server-side. You have the ability to override this using the' versionOverride' config directive, but reviewing the code, I don't believe this will help Chrisopher, as it still requires one match against the rpmdb. I could alter the logic to allowe 'versionOverride' to work w/out any redhat-release package, but it sure seems like we're focusing on the tail end of the problem, instead of understanding why the rpmdb got corrupted in the first place. Christopher, can you provide any information around that event?
User bnackash's account has been closed
This bug is filed against RHEL 3, which is in maintenance phase. During the maintenance phase, only security errata and select mission critical bug fixes will be released for enterprise products. Since this bug does not meet that criteria, it is now being closed. For more information of the RHEL errata support policy, please visit: http://www.redhat.com/security/updates/errata/ If you feel this bug is indeed mission critical, please contact your support representative. You may be asked to provide detailed information on how this bug is affecting you.