Managing repositories: where can I find a list of repositories?

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How can I add repositories? Where can I find locations? Why is the only installed repository 'rhel-debuginfo' ?

I installed RHEL because it was one of the supported OS for Microsemi Libero. But it doesn't work because some software is missing (a.o. motif). I tried to install openmotif from source but it needs xdevel. But I can't install xdevel because yum cannot find the package.

Why is it so difficult to find packages and names of packages? This is the most user unfriendly linux distribution I have ever used so far.

If I cannot install openmotif, I will give up and remove RHEL completely.

Any suggestions?

TIA

Stefaan

Responses

Stefaan,

If you have not registered your system, go to this link and verify all steps: https://access.redhat.com/site/solutions/253273 (if your system can "see" the public internet from the system you wrote about)

The openmotif rpm is available(here is a link to all openmotif versions, ) I do not know which one you use or what version of RHEL you are on... but this seems to be the most current version for rhel 6 as I type this right now, but you should use yum to bring it in in case there are dependencies (you obviously know of yum repositories)

A few questions:

(remember to run the yum commands from root)
1) Which version of RHEL are you using? 6.5? Are you using RHEL workstation/client or server?
2) Are you using a Red Hat Satellite server (ask your satellite server admin if so), or did you connect the system to Red Hat's public network server with a subscription?
-- I ask this because if you are using Red Hat Satellite server, you can add additional software channels there through the web GUI
3) I do not know if you can see the Red Hat Inc. "network" (usually done through a subscription), but if you can reach the public internet and register your system, the yum repository through your subscription will be availabe you can register with instructions at this Red Hat link.
4) If you have registered your system and verified all steps, try (as root)

yum clean all
yum repolist

If that returns nothing, try James' tip below, or contact Red Hat Support.

If you just loaded a brand new system, you can make a local yum repository and install openmotif.
(NOTE: it would be better to register your system with red hat or a satellite server before resorting to a local yum. I'd only make a local yum if you had no access to Red Hat through the public internet or a satellite server)

You can certainly get openmotif once you either 1)register your system (if possible) to Red Hat (instruction link above), or 2) connect to an existing satellite server, or last resort, 3) create a local yum repo with the installation disk/iso you used to load the system if you can not reach any network.

Good luck and remember, the help people give here in the discussion area --is voluntary-- :)
If needed, and this impacts production, call Red Hat Support and place a priority case with them.

Kind regards,
Remmele

Hey Stefan,
Just adding a bit of detail to Remmele's helpful response.

Red Hat is slightly different than other distros because of the subscription aspect. You can auto-subscribe the system during installation, provided you have a Red Hat login and/or subscription number to apply. (It has been a while since I have installed Fedora and/or CentOS - but they are similar... they will ask if you would like to register the host, which then adds the "base channel" repos)

The other Red Hat repos will be available once you register (or subscribe) your system to Red Hat.

If you do not have an active subscription, but wish to have the ability to still use yum - you can add the installation media as a repo as in this example:
http://fritshoogland.wordpress.com/2012/05/26/using-your-dvd-as-a-yum-repository-on-a-rpm-based-linux/

Thanks James - I typically join systems to one of my satellite servers - I've not had experience with registering to Red Hat's system in a quite a while... Fedora's & centos's repos are just available after install.

Stefaan,

One other possibility, (this may seem obvious, but we never know one's background) make sure you have a network connection, and the network is configured on your system, and it is functioning (see if you can at least go to google.com or ping something) or it will not be able to register or see yum repositories that are not on your system.

Stefaan,

Just adding to the merits of the other posts here, but you can find a "Package Manifest" for your version of RHEL within some of the online documentation, e.g., Package Manifest for RHEL6. I had been looking/asking for similar myself with RH Subscription Managers but received no answer, finding this on my own within random searches.

As a "Subscriber" you should also be able to find the Package information hyperlinked within the "Downloads" Tab after selecting a given RHEL version (it would be nice if we could post screenshots in this Discussion forum to help other users or clarify our own posts, but...).

I have to admit I've found my initial entre into RHEL cumbersome as well - the "product" itself (RHEL) is absolutely phenomenal, but finding relevant information is another story (the website and related documentation/support literature is ambiguous, constantly contradicts itself or is simply outdated/wrong. To Red Hat's credit this is improving, hopefully sooner than later, with the revamped/redesigned Customer Portal etc. but I've found you just have to keep bringing it to their attention as to gaps, inconsistencies, glaring absences - each time I get the same stock answer, they are "already aware" of the points being made and are already scheduling proper changes to occur "in the next few weeks" - interesting, since the points I've made show up in the documentation from now going back sometimes a year or more. At this point I would say us as the "User Community" will provide as much help on issues as anything or anywhere else - it will improve with time, Red Hat is growing extremely fast I think the documentation aspect is just trying to catch up). Anyway, hope this helps.

Stefaan,

On Monday you submitted your post that seemed a tad urgent. A number of us have replied yet have not seen a response from you, did you get this installed?

Regards

Hello all,

Sorry for this late reply. I already wrote a reply but before I could post it, Firefox crashed. :-(

Anyway. I will try a second time.

It seemed so easy: install RHEL 5 or 6, but the problems already began with downloading RHEL. Which version did I need? It was very confusing and I think I should have chosen the workstation version (WS) instead of the server version (ES). (I don't remember seeing a workstation version in the list though). I first installed RHEL 6.5 (64 bit) but I found out there is a problem with mixing 32 and 64 bit libraries (MicroSemi Librero is a 32 bit application). That's why I installed RHEL 5.1 (32 bit) on a virtual machine (VMWare Player). It still doesn't work and I find it difficult to find any packages (e.g. audacity, yafc, xorg-x11-xbitmaps). When I use another linux distro (e.g. linux mint) and I don't know the name of the package, I use the Synaptic Package Mananger. Is there a red hat equivalent? I also can't find 'system setting' or similar. IMHO it is very difficult to find anything. Once I found a place where to add repos but I can't find it again.

It's very frustrating and the fact that this systems freezes from time to time doesn't help either. :-(

BTW: I tried some of the links you gave me but I didn't find a package for RHEL version 5... How do I create a local yum repo?

I have a subscription (one month trial which expires on 28th of March). If I can't get MicroSemi Libero working by then, I will give up and remove RHEL completely.

Any suggestions/comments?
TIA

Regards,
Stefaan Claes

ps:
I seem to have more repos now

repo id repo name status
rhel-5-server-cf-tools-1-rpms Red Hat CloudForms Tools for RHEL 5 (RPMs) 35
rhel-5-server-eus-rpms Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Server - Extended Update Support ( 11,970
rhel-5-server-rpms Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Server (RPMs) 12,307
rhel-debuginfo Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5Server - i386 - Debug 4,855
rhel-ha-for-rhel-5-server-eus-rpms Red Hat Enterprise Linux High Availability (for RHEL 5 Server 207
rhel-ha-for-rhel-5-server-rpms Red Hat Enterprise Linux High Availability (for RHEL 5 Server 217
rhel-rs-for-rhel-5-server-eus-rpms Red Hat Enterprise Linux Resilient Storage (for RHEL 5 Server 253
rhel-rs-for-rhel-5-server-rpms Red Hat Enterprise Linux Resilient Storage (for RHEL 5 Server 255
rhel-server-dts-5-eus-rpms Red Hat Developer Toolset for RHEL 5 Server EUS (RPMs) 66
rhel-server-dts-5-rpms Red Hat Developer Toolset RPMs for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 66
rhel-server-dts2-5-eus-rpms Red Hat Developer Toolset 2 for RHEL 5 Server EUS (RPMs) 96
rhel-server-dts2-5-rpms Red Hat Developer Toolset 2 RPMs for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 96

Hi Stephaan,

Glad you got your repo going!

Sorry the links for the package I posted was not for your version of RHEL, however, when you posted your original post, you didn't include what version of Red Hat you were using...
(and other details in your last post, like you wanted to install MicroSemi Libero -- this would have been really helpful to those responding when posting for help).

Instructions to make a yum repo are below.

Just a tip for a future time you might need help here - post the operating system version you are using and if it is server or workstation. That will help.

You can create a localized yum repository,scroll down for more specific instructions for the Red Hat packages you want after your 30-day trial ends. The link I posted is for version 5.2, but ignore that.

If you are wondering what to do about yum repos after your 30-day trial ends,
- Alternatively, you can use a clone, like CentOS - built from Red Hat, but free including online yum repos and security updates etc. Scientific Linux, also free, and yum repos and updates as well.
- however, you'd have no support - that could be an issue if you need guidance from Red Hat.

If you really are using RHEL 5.1, you'll find the drivers for RHEL 5.10 (or at least something higher than 5.5) will be much better. If you have time on your subscription, you could download the 5.10 iso file and update your system to that version with a yum update (instructions below to make a local yum repo)

If you are doing this under vmware - you could make a snapshot of the system first.

Kind Regards...

Basic instructions to create a local yum repo...
Run commands as root.

yum repo instructions
( make sure the / file system has enough space to accommodate an entire dvd, or pick a different location)

mkdir -p /localyum  /cdrom/notmounted
chmod 755 /cdrom /localyum
df –kl /localyum

Remember to insert the RHEL disk into the tray and mount it...

mount /dev/cdrom /cdrom
  • after mounting the disk above, use rsync to copy the files from the install dvd to the directory you pick.
  • The ending “/” characters below are important!
  • Run the rsync command twice, the second time should ‘run clean’, that is have minimal output
rsync -au --progress  /cdrom/  /localyum/

Run these commands in order:
- this installs the 'createrepo-[someversion]' rpm, creates the repo and imports gpg keys.

rpm –ivh /localyum/Server/createrepo-[SOMEVERSION].rpm
createrepo /localyum
rpm --import /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-redhat-*

NOTE: if you are using RHEL workstation (I do not know), you may have to find the createrepo rpm in a different sub-directory, you can find it with:

cd /localyum
find -type f -name "createrepo*" -print

(A friend reminds me that the -print bit is optional)

Edit the below file, create it, make sure permissions are proper

vi /etc/yum.repos.d/local.repo
  • contents of file:
[localyum]
name=localyum
baseurl=file:///localyum/
enabled=1
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=file:///etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-redhat-release

Run this:

/bin/chmod 755 /etc/yum.repos.d/local.repo
/bin/chmod -R 755 /localyum
yum clean all
yum repolist 

the output of 'yum repolist' should show a number of packages at the right of the output

Question, do you have selinux enabled? run "getenforce" as root to see.

If you built the software you speak of from source (example, ./configure , make , make install), then the kernel upgrade going to a newer version of RHEL (or any Linux distro) may cause unexpected results with your software... Might be a good idea to see what kernels or libraries are supported by your software.
To see what kernels are listed with whatever version of RHEL, click here

Side note - posts and firefox or any browser... I can't tell you how many times I've typed in some crazy-long post only to have the browser crash along with my text. I've found I (not always) copy the text to a text editor and keep it at least for the initial round before gamling/hitting the 'post' or 'submit' button. Especially so with the Red Hat 'open a case' (to be fair, sometimes this is after being distracted and coming back 20 minutes later)

I agree with some of the comments regarding how impossible it does seem to get RHEL5 subscriptions working for BOTH the base subscription and the extended support, it is frustrating but I have no choice to continue!.

the consumed list shows that I should have both, the available all list shows only the extended, RHSM shows both subscriptions and all the errata I need to download, yum update produces nothing and the repo for the BASE install is missing, I have BOTH pem certificates, why is this so difficult..?

Hi Jude,

Please be a bit more optimistic and positive ! :) When everything is set up properly ... system registered / subscription attached - it just works. Enable additional software repositories, execute sudo yum update and install packages that are available in the enabled repositories. I admit that it needs some time to learn the subscription related things, but once you've understood the "Red Hat eco system" and got used to it, you are using a great operating system. By the way, why don't you install the current edition RHEL 7.4 ? Management of repositories with subscription-manager works like charm there ...

Cheers :)
Christian

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