Yum update. Error: rpmdb open failed

The “rpmdb open failed” error message is mostly received when the rpm databases __db.00* located under /var/lib/rpm directory are corrupted. This results in a “error: cannot open Packages database” message while installation/updatation of a package via yum.


root@server [~]# yum update
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror
error: no dbpath has been set
error: cannot open Packages database in /%{_dbpath}
Traceback (most recent call last):
File “/usr/bin/yum”, line 29, in ?
yummain.user_main(sys.argv[1:], exit_code=True)
File “/usr/share/yum-cli/yummain.py”, line 309, in user_main
errcode = main(args)
File “/usr/share/yum-cli/yummain.py”, line 157, in main
base.getOptionsConfig(args)
File “/usr/share/yum-cli/cli.py”, line 187, in getOptionsConfig
self.conf
File “/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/yum/__init__.py”, line 664, in <lambda>
conf = property(fget=lambda self: self._getConfig(),
File “/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/yum/__init__.py”, line 239, in _getConfig
self._conf = config.readMainConfig(startupconf)
File “/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/yum/config.py”, line 804, in readMainConfig
yumvars['releasever'] = _getsysver(startupconf.installroot, startupconf.distroverpkg)
File “/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/yum/config.py”, line 877, in _getsysver
idx = ts.dbMatch(‘provides’, distroverpkg)
TypeError: rpmdb open failed
The common fix is to delete the rpm databases and run rebuilddb, like

# yum clean all
# rm -f /var/lib/rpm/__db*
# rpm –rebuilddb
# yum update

However, in case of a VPS, yum may still not work with rebuilding rpm database and you have to try create a /dev/urandom device. Login to your VPS and execute

# rm /dev/urandom
# mknod -m 644 /dev/urandom c 1 9

The problem may reoccur on a VPS reboot so to fix the problem permanently, login to Hardware Node and execute:

# vzctl stop VEID
# mknod –mode 644 /vz/private/VEID/fs/root/dev/urandom c 1 9
# vzctl start VEID