Description of problem: When I try to use Add/Remove Programs or the yum install
command I get an 'Exception Occurred' message that reads as follows:

Component: Software Manager
Summary: TBc3704fb6 config.py:656:_getsysver:TypeError: rpmdb open failed

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/sbin/pirut", line 453, in ?
    main()
  File "/usr/sbin/pirut", line 446, in main
    pm = PackageManager(options.config)
  File "/usr/sbin/pirut", line 60, in __init__
    GraphicalYumBase.__init__(self, False, config)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/pirut/__init__.py", line 124, in __init__
    plugin_types=(yum.plugins.TYPE_CORE,))
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/yum/__init__.py", line 125, in
doConfigSetup
    self.conf = config.readMainConfig(startupconf)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/yum/config.py", line 597, in readMainConfig
    yumvars['releasever'] = _getsysver(startupconf.installroot,
startupconf.distroverpkg)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/yum/config.py", line 656, in _getsysver
    idx = ts.dbMatch('provides', distroverpkg)
TypeError: rpmdb open failed

Local variables in innermost frame:
installroot: /
ts: <rpmUtils.transaction.TransactionWrapper instance at 0x93487ac>
distroverpkg: redhat-release




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