YUM, PUP, RPM fail during removal of packages with memory alloc (4 bytes) return NULL

[sherwingws]

I am having trouble with Core-5 updating. The first to fail was Pup.
I have tried rebuilding the RPM files, but get the same result.
Any ideas?

Thanks

Gary

yum update kernel
Loading "installonlyn" plugin
Setting up Update Process
Setting up repositories
core [1/3]
extras [2/3]
updates [3/3]
Reading repository metadata in from local files
Could not find update match for kernel
No Packages marked for Update/Obsoletion
[root@sherwin ~]# yum update kernel-devel
Loading "installonlyn" plugin
Setting up Update Process
Setting up repositories
core [1/3]
extras [2/3]
updates [3/3]
Reading repository metadata in from local files
Resolving Dependencies
--> Populating transaction set with selected packages. Please wait.
---> Package kernel-devel.i686 0:2.6.16-1.2122_FC5 set to be installed
--> Running transaction check
--> Populating transaction set with selected packages. Please wait.
---> Package kernel-devel.i686 0:2.6.16-1.2107_FC4 set to be erased
---> Package kernel-devel.i686 0:2.6.16-1.2108_FC4 set to be erased
---> Package kernel-devel.i686 0:2.6.14-1.1637_FC4 set to be erased
---> Package kernel-devel.i686 0:2.6.15-1.1831_FC4 set to be erased
---> Package kernel-devel.i686 0:2.6.12-1.1456_FC4 set to be erased
---> Package kernel-devel.i686 0:2.6.11-1.1369_FC4 set to be erased
---> Package kernel-devel.i686 0:2.6.14-1.1653_FC4 set to be erased
---> Package kernel-devel.i686 0:2.6.12-1.1447_FC4 set to be erased
---> Package kernel-devel.i686 0:2.6.16-1.2096_FC4 set to be erased
---> Package kernel-devel.i686 0:2.6.16-1.2069_FC4 set to be erased
---> Package kernel-devel.i686 0:2.6.14-1.1656_FC4 set to be erased
---> Package kernel-devel.i686 0:2.6.14-1.1644_FC4 set to be erased
---> Package kernel-devel.i686 0:2.6.13-1.1526_FC4 set to be erased
---> Package kernel-devel.i686 0:2.6.15-1.1833_FC4 set to be erased
---> Package kernel-devel.i686 0:2.6.15-1.1830_FC4 set to be erased
---> Package kernel-devel.i686 0:2.6.13-1.1532_FC4 set to be erased
--> Running transaction check

Dependencies Resolved

================================================== ===========================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
================================================== ===========================
Installing:
kernel-devel i686 2.6.16-1.2122_FC5 updates 4.7 M
Removing:
kernel-devel i686 2.6.16-1.2107_FC4 installed 13 M
kernel-devel i686 2.6.16-1.2108_FC4 installed 13 M
kernel-devel i686 2.6.14-1.1637_FC4 installed 12 M
kernel-devel i686 2.6.15-1.1831_FC4 installed 13 M
kernel-devel i686 2.6.12-1.1456_FC4 installed 12 M
kernel-devel i686 2.6.11-1.1369_FC4 installed 12 M
kernel-devel i686 2.6.14-1.1653_FC4 installed 12 M
kernel-devel i686 2.6.12-1.1447_FC4 installed 12 M
kernel-devel i686 2.6.16-1.2096_FC4 installed 13 M
kernel-devel i686 2.6.16-1.2069_FC4 installed 13 M
kernel-devel i686 2.6.14-1.1656_FC4 installed 12 M
kernel-devel i686 2.6.14-1.1644_FC4 installed 12 M
kernel-devel i686 2.6.13-1.1526_FC4 installed 12 M
kernel-devel i686 2.6.15-1.1833_FC4 installed 13 M
kernel-devel i686 2.6.15-1.1830_FC4 installed 13 M
kernel-devel i686 2.6.13-1.1532_FC4 installed 12 M

Transaction Summary
================================================== ===========================
Install 1 Package(s)
Update 0 Package(s)
Remove 16 Package(s)
Total download size: 4.7 M
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
Running Transaction Test
memory alloc (4 bytes) returned NULL.

[tebbens]

Is your swap partition mounted ?

[tebbens]

This may help also....
http://www.thelinuxpimp.com/main/mod...rticle&sid=579

[sherwingws]

Tebbens:

Yes, swap partition is mounted. Your second post exactly describes my problem. I have tried to remove some of the individual rpms without success. I will try each of them individually, to see if any of them will come out.

Thanks

Gary

[sherwingws]

Tebbens:

Well, I have tried to remove each of the kernel-devel packages individually, with the same results:

memory alloc (4 bytes) returned NULL.

Aren't there some files I could remove and then rebuild the RPM database?

Gary

[sherwingws]

I tried adding more swap space and re-ran an attempt at removing just one package.
It has been running, without the error, for over an hour, but is still sitting at "Running
Transaction Test" I am currently trying to remove the lowest numbered package, i.e.

yum remove kernel-devel-2.6.11=1.1369_FC4

Gary

[tebbens]

Maybe you can try:
# for kd in $(rpm -q kernel-devel); do rpm -e $kd; done

[foolish]

To rebuild your rpm database, follow these instructions:

http://rpm.org/hintskinks/repairdb/

[sherwingws]

All:

Tried database repair tried individual removes tried nodependency flag. After 3 hours, with the
machine almost locked up (20 seconds for a shell prompt or newline response). It still sits at:

Running Transaction Test

Seems like some sort of infinite loop. I have tried the oldest and newest kernel-devel.....FC4
entries. Same thing happens.

I know it will break dependency links, but at this point I don't see how it can make things much
worse. Couldn't I delete the packages directly with rm some file? And then rebuild the db? Or,
is there some file I could edit, to remove the rogue entries, so that I can atleast run yum update
without an ignore or hang?

Thanks

Gary