Getting update lists failed

English Install/Boot/Login
1

I’ve made an installation of openSuSE 11.0 using autoyast with an add-on update repository so all packages gets updated right away.

When logging in, using gnome, every user (root included) gets a pop-up window, after a minute or so, saying “Getting update lists failed - Failed to get updates”. This happens once for each user, until the user logs in the next time.

I suppose this is the gnome updater that for some reason fails. Using zypper (as root) there are no problems to check for updates. The update repos are enabled and automatically refreshed. The system is set to do automatic online updates on a daily basis.

I found a bug report (https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=395445) concerning this dialog box crashing when clicking the “close” button, but that doesn’t happen for me so I don’t think it’s related, or?

I also found a previous post about this (Getting update lists failed - openSUSE Forums) without an answer.

Feels like I’ve misconfigured something, perhaps in the autoyast control file. Any suggestions?

2

It is unfortunate that nobody answered this post. I have a similar problem only I get this message Getting update lists failed! when I start my Yast - Software Management.

This started shortly after I added following repositories:
openSUSE BuildService - Mozilla
openSUSE BuildService - OpenOffice.org
openSUSE BuildService - Wine CVS Builds
Immediately after adding the repositories I have seen a lots of OpenOffice updates. I did not update them at that time.

Next time when I decided to update OpenOffice I got this “Getting update lists failed!” message. There were no updates any more in my list. I tried several times removing and adding the repositories, but it didn’t help. Now I do not even receive the “Getting update lists failed!” message any more. Only there are no updates in my list.

Can someone help me fix this problem? I would like to consume the OpenOffice updates.

3

Hi
Try running the zypper command from the cli (console/konsole);


sudo zypper ref
sudo zypper lu
sudo zypper up

The first command refreshes the repositories, the second lists any
updates, the third will apply the updates.

–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 11.0 x86 Kernel 2.6.25.18-0.2-default
up 16:06, 2 users, load average: 0.43, 0.18, 0.12
GPU GeForce 6600 TE/6200 TE - Driver Version: 177.80

4

Thank you for quick response. I have tried as you suggested.

blnl@linux-kr6c:~> sudo zypper ref
Repository ‘Packman Repository’ is up to date.
Repository ‘Updates for 11.0’ is up to date.
Repository ‘openSUSE BuildService - X11: XGL’ is up to date.
Repository ‘openSUSE BuildService - Wine CVS Builds’ is up to date.
Repository ‘openSUSE BuildService - GNOME:Community’ is up to date.
Repository ‘openSUSE-11.0-Oss’ is up to date.
Repository ‘openSUSE BuildService - OpenOffice.org’ is up to date.
Repository ‘openSUSE BuildService - Mozilla’ is up to date.
Repository ‘openSUSE BuildService - GNOME:STABLE’ is up to date.
Repository ‘openSUSE-11.0-Non-Oss’ is up to date.
All repositories have been refreshed.
blnl@linux-kr6c:~> sudo zypper lu
Reading installed packages…
Patches

No updates found.
blnl@linux-kr6c:~>

This is very strange since I know for sure that there are OpenOffice and Compiz updates that I did not consume. Although zypper says that there are no updates found, it is not true.

For example if I open YaST Control Center/Software Management and enter the Upgrades tab it is empty. No upgrades to see in there.
http://home.tiscali.nl/chaos_and_order.com/openSuSE/Getting_update_lists_failed_0.png

However, when I go into Installed tab and click on some OpenOffice application it shows that it can be upgraded.
http://home.tiscali.nl/chaos_and_order.com/openSuSE/Getting_update_lists_failed_1.png

In this case, my currently installed version of OpenOffice_org is 2.4.0.14-1.1 while the version 3.0.0.3.5-1.1 is available. Also the Upgrade button is shown below. (Normally this button is showing Re-install if no upgrade is available.)

So there are updates/upgrades available, only I can’t see them (unless if I click on every application one-by-one).
By the way, is the definition of update and upgrade the same in openSuSE?

5

I have reinstalled following applications:

zypper
libzypp
PackageKit

After reboot I started YaST Control Center/Software Management. It gave me again Getting update lists failed! message. The Upgrades list was still empty.
After second reboot YaST Control Center/Software Management did not give me “Getting update lists failed!” message. However the Upgrades list was not empty any more. There was upgrade for MPlayer in the list.
http://home.tiscali.nl/chaos_and_order.com/openSuSE/Getting_update_lists_failed_2.png

This is how it looks like in the Installed list.
http://home.tiscali.nl/chaos_and_order.com/openSuSE/Getting_update_lists_failed_3.png

Normally I should be seeing in there the upgrades for OpenOffice and Compiz, which are still not consumed. However, the upgrades for OpenOffice and Compiz do not appear in the Upgrades list.

I also tried the zipper commands as recommended by malcolmlewis.

sudo zypper ref
sudo zypper lu

The result is same as before, no updates are found (see above in the previous post).
I would expect to see this MPlayer update in there. Am I right (or wrong)?
Maybe I’m confusing meanings of updates and upgrades with each other. Is update the same as upgrade in linux?

6

Problem is solved by applying the following steps:

  1. Removing all openSUSE BuildService
    repositories.
  2. Reinstalling the following applications:

zypper
libzypp
PackageKit
rpm
yast2-ncurses-pkg
yast2-packager
yase2-pkg-bindings
glibc

  1. Adding the following openSUSE BuildService
    repositories:

openSUSE BuildService - Mozilla
openSUSE BuildService - OpenOffice.org
openSUSE BuildService - Wine CVS Builds
openSUSE BuildService - X11: XGL

Now all unconsumed upgrades are visible in the Upgrade list.
http://home.tiscali.nl/chaos_and_order.com/openSuSE/Getting_update_lists_failed_4.png

By the way running zypper from the command line still results with “No updates found.”.

blnl@linux-kr6c:~> sudo zypper ref
Repository ‘Packman Repository’ is up to date.
Repository ‘Updates for 11.0’ is up to date.
Repository ‘openSUSE BuildService - X11: XGL’ is up to date.
Repository ‘openSUSE BuildService - Wine CVS Builds’ is up to date.
Repository ‘openSUSE-11.0-Oss’ is up to date.
Repository ‘openSUSE BuildService - OpenOffice.org’ is up to date.
Repository ‘openSUSE BuildService - Mozilla’ is up to date.
Repository ‘openSUSE-11.0-Non-Oss’ is up to date.
All repositories have been refreshed.
blnl@linux-kr6c:~> sudo zypper lu
Reading installed packages…
Patches

No updates found.
blnl@linux-kr6c:~>

Therefore, I conclude that update is not same as upgrade. I stop here, I’m not going to try fixing zypper. Please correct me if I’m wrong?