Install - "Unable to create repository"

Upon booting the install DVD (11.2 i586), during Initialize package manager of System Probing I get a Yast2 error diag that says:

Unable to create repository
from URL ‘cd:/’/

Details:
|] Valid metadata not found at specified URL(s)
History:

  • Can’t hardlink/copy /var/adm/mount/…

There is some stuff that follows, I can provide that if it would be helpful. I can’t get past this.

check ISO md5 sum.
i had same problem.
when i sheck md5sum i discover that is incorect (i was downloading image from mirror and it was broken)

download image from other mirror and check that sum.

if it will be correct, you shouldn’t have this problem :slight_smile:

If the DVD MD5 sum looks OK, try the following. I’ve had this problem with NET installs myself, and it will drive you batty and blind. In fact, I experienced this just this past week when I rebuilt an OpenSuSE system with a Net install.

Even if the DVD is OK, you can still get this problem if the repository is overloaded or temporarily down. When you use the default/generic “download.opensuse.org” (which the latest versions of the NET install CD choose automatically for you), the server at OpenSuSE selects a mirror for you based on location. If that mirror server isn’t available, you will indeed get a “repositories not found” error (because they AREN’T found).

Here’s how I solved it: go to openSUSE Download Mirrors - 11.2

… and try different mirrors. Click on the “http” link beside a mirror that looks close to you, and which you think might be suitable. If it responds nice and quickly, and you can browse into the various folders with a good, snappy response, try that mirror. The actual repository will usually be in a directory named something like,


/distribution/11.xx/oss

Look for that directory and simply copy the url from your brower’s address bar. One little trick, though, is that the OpenSuSE installer wants the domain name and directory path provided separately. For example, here in Birmingham, AL, I like to use the nearby servers at Georgia Tech. The complete URL for 11.1 is


http://www.gtlib.gatech.edu/pub/opensuse/distribution/11.1/repo/oss/

When the first box asks for the server address, I enter “www.gtlib.gatech.edu.” When the second box asks for the directory containing the repository, I enter “/pub/opensuse/distribution/11.1/repo/oss.”

One final tip: I’ve had problems with OpenSuSE getting confused by the slashes in a URL. For example, you may find that it works without the leading slash in front of “pub” in the above example, or with a trailing slash after “www.gtlib.gatech.edu/”. Try adding and removing slashes at the beginnings and ends of the strings. You’ll have to wait for the installer to redo the DHCP each time (annoying!), but eventually, you should connect up and start installing.

Thanks guys. The problem was indeed a bad iso when I checked the checksum. At first I figured it was a bad DVD burn so I tried booting off the iso but had the same problem. I had used “direct download” but maybe that picks a mirror behind the scenes or something. Anyway, downloaded a new iso (also direct download) and the md5 matches and so far the install is working.