YUM cannot access RPM database for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, Update 2 on Network File System - IBM BladeCenter

Resolving The Problem

Source

RETAIN tip: H193949

Issue

The RPM database returns an error when using YUM to install update, or erase packages on a Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.2 system that has been installed on a Network File System (NFS).

Affected configurations

The system may be any of the following IBM servers:

• BladeCenter QS21, type 0792, any model
• BladeCenter QS22, type 0793, any model

This tip is not option specific.

The system is configured with at least one of the following:

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, Update 2

Note: This does not imply that the network operating system will work under all combinations of hardware and software.

Please see the compatibility page for more information:

• http://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/serverproven/compat/us/

Workaround

The user can restore access to the RPM database by removing all temporary database files. Enter the following commands to clean up the RPM database:

• yum clean all
  
• rm /var/lib/rpm/__db.0*

If this does not solve the issue or if the user cannot clean up the RPM database because of a timeout in the NFS connection, reboot the IBM BladeCenter QS22 or QS21 blade server.