How do I exclude kernel or other packages from getting updated in Red Hat Enterprise Linux while updating system via yum?

Solution Verified - Updated -

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 6
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 7
  • Red Hat Satellite
  • Red Hat Network

Issue

  • How do I exclude kernel or other packages from getting updated in Red Hat Enterprise Linux while updating system via yum?
  • How do I use the exclude option with yum?
  • How to prevent a package from updating while updating system from Satellite Server ?
  • How to exclude only 32 bit or 64 bit packages ?

Resolution

  • The up2date command in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 excludes kernel updates by default. The yum in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 includes kernel updates by default.

  • To skip installing or updating kernel or other packages while using the yum update utility in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 and 6, use following options:

  • Temporary solution via Command line:

# yum update --exclude=PACKAGENAME

For example, to exclude all kernel related packages:

# yum update --exclude=kernel*
  • To make permanent changes, edit the /etc/yum.conf file and following entries to it:
[main]
cachedir=/var/cache/yum/$basearch/$releasever
keepcache=0
debuglevel=2
logfile=/var/log/yum.log
exclude=kernel* redhat-release*                           <====

NOTE: If there are multiple package to be excluded then separate them using a single space or comma. Also, do not add multiple exclude= lines in the configuration file because yum only considers the last exclude entry.

To exclude 32 bit packages edit /etc/yum.conf file.

exclude=*.i?86 *.i686
  • Component
  • yum

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