How to Fix YUM Packages Are Listed But Not Removable

In Linux, package management can sometimes be tricky, especially when dealing with dependencies and repositories. This blog will address a common issue with YUM (Yellowdog Updater, Modified), which is widely used in RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux) and CentOS. Imagine you’re listing all packages related to NVIDIA on your system, but when you try to remove a specific package, it doesn’t work as expected. Here’s a detailed look at why this happens and how to solve it.

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Problem: Listing but Not Removing Packages

A typical scenario goes like this: you list packages using a command like:

sudo yum list | grep nvidia

You may see a list similar to this:

libnvidia-container-devel.x86_64           1.3.0-1                libnvidia-container
libnvidia-container-static.x86_64          1.3.0-1                libnvidia-container
libnvidia-container-tools.x86_64           1.3.0-1                libnvidia-container
nvidia-docker.x86_64                       1.0.1-1                nvidia-docker

When you attempt to remove a package, say nvidia-docker, with:

sudo yum remove nvidia-docker

Instead of a successful removal, you might encounter an error, or the package may not be removed as expected.

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Reasons Why a YUM Package Might Not Be Removable

There are several potential reasons why YUM lists a package but fails to remove it:

1. Package Dependencies: If other installed packages depend on nvidia-docker, YUM might not remove it to avoid breaking dependencies.

2. Incorrect Package Name or Version: Sometimes, specifying a version helps YUM correctly locate the package. For instance, try nvidia-docker.x86_64.

3. Multiple Repositories Conflict: If the package exists in more than one repository, YUM might get confused, especially if different versions are available in different repositories.

4. Package Not Fully Installed: Occasionally, a package appears in the list but is only partially installed. This situation can prevent YUM from removing it until the installation is complete.

5. Ghost Files: Sometimes, YUM lists files that no longer fully exist, which can cause issues during removal.

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Solutions to Resolve the Issue

1. Remove Dependencies Automatically

You can force YUM to remove a package along with its dependencies. Be cautious with this command:

sudo yum remove --skip-broken nvidia-docker

Using --skip-broken allows YUM to ignore broken dependencies and proceed with the removal.

2. Specify the Exact Package Architecture

If you know the architecture, try including it, like this:

sudo yum remove nvidia-docker.x86_64

3. Clean YUM Cache

A corrupt YUM cache might cause YUM to misbehave. Cleaning the cache can often resolve this issue:

sudo yum clean all

4. Check Dependencies

If you’re unsure which packages depend on nvidia-docker, use the following command:

yum deplist nvidia-docker

This will list any dependencies that could be preventing removal.

5. Check Repository Conflicts

If you suspect repository conflicts, try specifying the exact repository:

sudo yum remove nvidia-docker --disablerepo="epel"

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Common Pitfall: PHP Version Conflicts

This issue can sometimes also occur when trying to install specific versions of packages like PHP. For example, if you’re aiming to install PHP 7.3 on CentOS 7, but YUM installs a different version, try disabling all other PHP repositories temporarily:

sudo yum install php73 --disablerepo="remi-php80"

If a package version mismatch is causing trouble, specifying the exact version can often resolve it.

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Final Thoughts

Dealing with package issues in YUM can be frustrating, but with the right approach, you can troubleshoot and solve most problems. Checking dependencies, specifying the architecture, cleaning caches, and carefully handling repositories are effective techniques to ensure smooth package management.

For ongoing issues or unique package requirements, consider consulting your package’s documentation or using forums dedicated to CentOS or RHEL, as they often contain helpful insights for specific cases.