Description of problem: updating filesystem via yum fails if /mnt is used as a readonly mount Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): filesystem.x86_64 0:2.4.0-3.el5 How reproducible: everytime Steps to Reproduce: 1. mount -o ro somefs /mnt 2. yum update filesystem 3. Actual results: Downloading Packages: filesystem-2.4.0-3.el5.x86_64.rpm | 1.0 MB 00:00 Running rpm_check_debug Running Transaction Test Finished Transaction Test Transaction Test Succeeded Running Transaction Updating : filesystem 1/2 Error unpacking rpm package filesystem-2.4.0-3.el5.x86_64 error: unpacking of archive failed on file /mnt: cpio: lsetfilecon Failed: filesystem.x86_64 0:2.4.0-3.el5 Expected results: Downloading Packages: filesystem-2.4.0-3.el5.x86_64.rpm | 1.0 MB 00:00 Running rpm_check_debug Running Transaction Test Finished Transaction Test Transaction Test Succeeded Running Transaction Updating : filesystem 1/2 Cleanup : filesystem 2/2 Updated: filesystem.x86_64 0:2.4.0-3.el5 Additional info:
Thanks for report, but "/mnt" is directory for mounts and not the directory, where you should directly mount. I already had discussion with rpm guy - Jindrich Novy - about similar issue - see https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=526368 for details. It is expected that rpm update should fail when one or more of the package files/dirs are not installed due to read only target filesystem. Any other behaviour could lead to incomplete package update, imagine package update on filesystem with read only /usr. Maybe error from rpm could be more comprehensive to allow user better address the issue. But this could be only suggested as RFE for rpm. Feel free to make a suggestion there. Closing NOTABUG.