Hi There,

I thought I'd give Mandriva 2007 a try after reading some glowing reviews.

I installed a test on my laptop (leaving it to dual boot) and was really impressed with the speed and the feel of it compared to other distros.

So I decided I would blat my hard drive and install it as a mandriva only machine and purchase a 1 year subscription to the Mandriva Kiosk service. I'd then get access to bundled drivers for my modem and atheros chipset wireless interface and could have a pain free install for once.

How wrong was I!

Kiosk won't work so I have paid for a service I cannot use. I have absolutely no understanding of what to do to get my wireless and modem working.

Furthermore anytime I try to add new packages or do anything I get the message 'URPMI database locked'

Does anyone know how to sort this out?

Thank you,

Dinke

ok, i got give a fix in another forum for the urpmi issue;

for all you who get the same issue.

open a terminal, su to root and the run these commands one after the other:

rm -f /var/lib/urpmi/.LOCK
rm -f /var/lib/urpmi/.RPMLOCK
rm -f /var/lib/rpm/__db*
rpm --rebuilddb


worked for me.

dinkle

I have used the list of commands given by dinkle. It worked fine until the next boot.
I don't understand why a brad new version should cause so much troubles.
Any way I'll be glade for any idea how to overcome this problem.

Have you shut down the update icon in the taskbar, next to the clock? This keeps the database locked at all times; at boot this automatically loads and settles in your taskbar.
If you want to add programs etc via the install software option you have to shutdown the icon in the taskbar first!

Suc6!

Gaytan

I am using Mandriva Linux 2007.1 (Spring) here, and the Online Update tool (the tray icon) does not inhibit the use of the Software Package Manager here. It lets me know when updates are available, lets me start the Software Update utility by clicking the tray icon when updates are available, and is fully functional with the free version. I never have to do anything with it to use the Package Manager (Install Software Option). If you are using an earlier release, you may be well served to install the current version.

If you are using this release, something else is causing your trouble. The steps in dinkle's follow up post should usually correct any trouble with the rpm database and urpmi. Since you report that the trouble returns following a reboot, the first thing that comes to mind is the possibility of file system corruption. When you shut down, do you see any errors about the system being unable to unmount any partitions (usually returns a bussy error)? When you start the system, does fsck recover the journal (ext3 file system) or check and repair the file system (non-journalized file system)? The second thing that comes to mind is the question "Are you diligent with security and bug fix updates?" The third thing that comes to mind is to check your log files to see if you can get a hint as to what is causing the problem.

HTH,

If you have the Update Icon enabled what colour is it when you are trying to install packages? If it is orange (looking for updates) then it will indeed lock the database. If it is green with a tick ("Your System Is Up To Date")then it is idle & URPMI database should not be locked, likewise ( I'm pretty sure!) if it is red with an exclamation mark ("!" - Updates Are Ready To Be Installed). The Update tool automatially checks for updates on logging in, so trying to install anything for the first few minutes is futile - wait for the green tick & you should be ok. If this icon is permanently red with an exclamation mark, click it, type root password at the prompt & you will get a list of updates to install.

Hi Miclem

Found my way in working with the update(s) icon in the meantime!
Thanks for your advise!

Grtz!
Gaytan