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I thought I'd try the rhn_register client for the first time. I tried this on a machine with a somewhat mixed collection of RPMs, from 5.1 (Manhattan) up to 7.0.90 (Fisher). I've had the policy to upgrade redhat-release as the last package, so that is still redhat-release-5.1-2. I used rhn_register-gnome (1.1-1) to register. It asked me about all info, collected from the RPMs, and finished with a vague message about an error. Looking at the web site showed my system as registered, claimed to run 5.1. Trying to use up2date gave an error message about incorrect architecture/release. To come around this I registered my system "by hand" at the web site (claiming version 7.0). And removed the old registration. After that things worked as expected. For the benefit of a user more prone to blaim himself for the error (not me that is :-), I'd suggest you do some more verification of the input in rhn_register or in the registration process. I was in a state where it wasn't obviouis what was wrong. Version 5.1 on an i386 isn't an inconsistent combination as the error message said. And machine entry which was registered appeared correct; it was in a sense.
This defect is considered MUST-FIX for Florence Release-Candidate #2
fisher wasn't supported by rhn_register; this was made clear in the release notes.
We really don't have means of passing a better message back for invalid release and/or arch than what we are passing.
About not being supported: The release notes said "rhn_register, the registration client for Red Hat Network, is included, but registrations for the beta will not be accepted." I interpreted that as meaning it would not be possible to register a machine as running release Fisher/7.0.90. Not that it wouldn't be possible to use the rhn_register enclosed to register older, supported, releases. Sorry if I misunderstood things. About the message: I wanted to suggest some way to stop this registration in an earlier stage. Either that rhn_register knew which releases are possible to register, or that the server side should refuse to accept registrations for unsupported/too old versions. Is this also infeasible? (Or maybe undesirable?)