Scheduled errata update fails with "Error while executing packages action: empty transaction [[6]]"

Solution Verified - Updated -

Environment

  • Red Hat Satellite
  • Red Hat Network (RHN) Classic
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Issue

  • Auto Errata Apply fails with "Error while executing packages action: empty transaction [[6]]" on Red Hat Satellite

  • yum update fails with error on client system while performing updates:

Error: Cannot retrieve repository metadata (repomd.xml) for repository: <channel>. Please verify its path and try again
  • Channel metadata does not get created in /var/cache/rhn/repodata/<channel> directory on Satellite server

Resolution

  • Enable rhn plugins.

  • Remove the packages from exclude list of /etc/yum.conf file that are mentioned in errata.

  • Clean the yum cache on the client system:

# yum clean all
  • Sync the client's current information to the Satellite or RHN server:
# rhn-profile-sync
  • Re-schedule the errata update for the system and verify whether the update is successful. If not, update the yum- and rhn-related packages:
# yum update yum\* rhn\*

Root Cause

  • Disabled rhn plugins can cause this issue.
  • Corrupt or out-of-date yum cache on the client system or Satellite server
  • Issues fixed in errata RHBA-2010:0814, RHBA-2011:1198, or RHBA-2013:0389
  • Packages present in exclude list of /etc/yum.conf file are mentioned in the scheduled errata.

Diagnostic Steps

  • Verify if packages mentioned in the scheduled errata are not present in exclude list of /etc/yum.conf file.

  • Make the following changes on the client system and provide the output file /tmp/rhn-check.txt

# vi /etc/sysconfig/rhn/up2date
[...] 
debug=10

# rhn_check -vvv > /tmp/rhn-check.txt

Attachments

  • Component
  • yum

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