For some reason, yum keeps refusing to download things (beryl) and returns errors that various repositories can not be downloaded: "Cannot retrieve repository metadata (repomd.xml) for repository: extras"
Every now and then the box thing in the upper right corner of the desktop keeps displaying messages about how it can and cannot download updates. Even while I have a solid connection it shows "cannot download updates".
I think this is one of the sources of my continuous problems trying to acclimate to Fedora8...someRandomGuide.com > download this >HTTP ERROR 404...

I assume your DNS is working fine? What does the YUM repos show? Did you customize anything?

Ummm... I followed an article about enabling yum repos, wish I could ind it again. I was having some trouble earlier (I think it was the same thing) and I added tons of repositories, not sure which ones are actually working (the attempt failed miserably). How can I see whats running and whats not? Don't get me wrong, I have a very rudimentary knowledge of anything YUM and so I probably screwed it all up unknowingly.

you could try using yumex. that gives you a nice window, tells what repos are active and allows you to select the ones you want.
Do
# yum install yumex

hopefully that will work for you.

If you are still having problems. Go to /etc/yum.repos.d/ and edit each file (nano -w filename) and disable any repos you dont want/need.

All i tend to use myself are the default base, extras, and updates, and livna for things that arent in the others (think nvidia drivers, mp3 plugins). With that selection you should be able to get mostly everything you need.

yumex... Yea the problem is yum isn't really working...great, complementary problems!
v00d00101... thanks, I'll take a look at that.

How are you connecting to the net? I've seen this where the connection is through a proxy, for example.

Show the exact message you are getting.

Also, try posting the repo file for extras

I'm going through a switch to a router to a cable modem...
Message:
[root@localhost ~]# yum install beryl
http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pu...ta/repomd.xml: [Errno 14] HTTP Error 404: Not Found
Trying other mirror.
Error: Cannot retrieve repository metadata (repomd.xml) for repository: extras. Please verify its path and try again

[extras]
name=Fedora Extras - 8 - x86_64
baseurl=http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/fedora/linux/extras/8/x86_64/
gpgcheck=1
enabled=1

I suspect you problem is that the extras repository doesn't exist.

Who told you to use it?

I'm pretty sure that extras disappeared when Fedora Core decame Fedora (ie the concept of base plus extras was dropped)

This pretty much confirms what I thought

http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pu.../extras/EXTRAS

My understanding of repositories is vague at best... Is there a way to specify a different repository to download the same piece of software?

I don't quite follow your point - if two repositories have the same package is shouldn't matter which you install. I think you may mean "can I add repositories" abnd the answer is yes. You can add a .repo definition in /etc/yum.repos.d, but most repositories have an easier way of setting it up for you - often an RPM tha tdoes everything you need, eg

rpm -i http://rpm.livna.org/livna-release-8.rpm

will set up the livna repo for you.

That said, I didn't see any beryl rpms for f8. Isn't beryl pretty mush the same as 3d-desktop? rpmforge has that

http://rpmforge.net/user/faq/