#
# Summary of issue:
#
Upgraded from AIX 7.2.5.4 to 7.3.3.1 - attempting to upgrade rpm's on my server.
root # oslevel -s
7300-03-01-2520
After performing dnf update --exclude=perl --allowerasing
I see the following errors when trying to execute the rpm command:
"ksh: rpm: 0403-006 Execute permission denied."
And when attempting to issue dnf commands
/opt/freeware/bin/dnf list
error: Unable to open /usr/opt/rpm/lib/rpm/rpmrc for reading: m.
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/opt/freeware/bin/dnf", line 58, in <module>
from dnf.cli import main
File "/opt/freeware/lib/python3.9/site-packages/dnf/__init__.py", line 30, in <module>
import dnf.base
File "/opt/freeware/lib/python3.9/site-packages/dnf/base.py", line 31, in <module>
from dnf.comps import CompsQuery
File "/opt/freeware/lib/python3.9/site-packages/dnf/comps.py", line 27, in <module>
from dnf.exceptions import CompsError
File "/opt/freeware/lib/python3.9/site-packages/dnf/exceptions.py", line 22, in <module>
import dnf.util
File "/opt/freeware/lib/python3.9/site-packages/dnf/util.py", line 30, in <module>
import dnf.callback
File "/opt/freeware/lib/python3.9/site-packages/dnf/callback.py", line 22, in <module>
import dnf.yum.rpmtrans
File "/opt/freeware/lib/python3.9/site-packages/dnf/yum/rpmtrans.py", line 26, in <module>
import rpm
File "/opt/freeware/lib64/python3.9/site-packages/rpm/__init__.py", line 39, in <module>
from rpm.transaction import *
File "/opt/freeware/lib64/python3.9/site-packages/rpm/transaction.py", line 5, in <module>
from rpm._rpm import ts as TransactionSetCore
ImportError: cannot import name 'ts' from 'rpm._rpm' (/opt/freeware/lib64/python3.9/site-packages/rpm/_rpm.so)
lslpp -l rpm.rte
Fileset Level State Description
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Path: /usr/lib/objrepos
rpm.rte 4.18.1.2005 COMMITTED RPM Package ManagerPath: /etc/objrepos
rpm.rte 4.18.1.2005 COMMITTED RPM Package Manager
##
## Detailed information to install dnf_aixtoolbox.local.sh
##
Had to do a bunch of stuff to get dnf working on 7.3.3.1:
lslpp -l rpm.rte
Fileset Level State Description
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Path: /usr/lib/objrepos
rpm.rte 4.18.1.2005 COMMITTED RPM Package ManagerPath: /etc/objrepos
rpm.rte 4.18.1.2005 COMMITTED RPM Package Manager
rpm -ev libstdc++-devel libstdc++ libffi gcc-c++ gcc-cpp gcc glib2 curl pkg-config libgcc openssl openldap libssh2 sudo-1.8.22-1.ppc gnupg-1.4.22-1.ppc
rpm -ev libtool automake autoconf
rpm -ivh /mnt/RPMS/ppc-7.3/libgcc10-10.3.0-6.aix7.3.ppc.rpm
warning: /mnt/RPMS/ppc-7.3/libgcc10-10.3.0-6.aix7.3.ppc.rpm: Header V4 RSA/SHA256 Signature, key ID 41eea8e0: NOKEY
Verifying... ################################# [100%]
Preparing... ################################# [100%]
Updating / installing...
1:libgcc10-10.3.0-6 ################################# [100%]
ln -s /opt/freeware/lib/gcc/powerpc-ibm-aix7.3.0.0/10/libgcc_s.a /opt/freeware/lib/libgcc_s.a
rpm -ivh /mnt/RPMS/ppc-7.3/libstdc++10-10.3.0-6.aix7.3.ppc.rpm /mnt/RPMS/ppc-7.3/libstdc++10-devel-10.3.0-6.aix7.3.ppc.rpm
warning: /mnt/RPMS/ppc-7.3/libstdc++10-10.3.0-6.aix7.3.ppc.rpm: Header V4 RSA/SHA256 Signature, key ID 41eea8e0: NOKEY
Verifying... ################################# [100%]
Preparing... ################################# [100%]
Updating / installing...
1:libstdc++10-10.3.0-6 ################################# [ 50%]
2:libstdc++10-devel-10.3.0-6 ################################# [100%]
ln -s /opt/freeware/lib/gcc/powerpc-ibm-aix7.3.0.0/10/libstdc++.a /opt/freeware/lib/libstdc++.a
##
## After doing this I was able to install dnf and issue commands to upgrade from the ISO:
##
root # /mnt/ezinstall/ppc/dnf_aixtoolbox_local.sh /mnt
Copying dnf_bundle_aix_73.tar to /tmp/dnf-20250827143057 .....
Extracting dnf_bundle_aix_73.tar ...
x ca-certificates-2023.2.60-0.aix7.1.ppc.rpm, 991206 bytes, 1936 tape blocks
x dnf-4.2.17-64_7.aix7.1.noarch.rpm, 11496 bytes, 23 tape blocks
x dnf-automatic-4.2.17-64_7.aix7.1.noarch.rpm, 12956 bytes, 26 tape blocks
x dnf-data-4.2.17-64_7.aix7.1.noarch.rpm, 29804 bytes, 59 tape blocks
<redacted>
32:gnupg2-2.2.35-0 ################################# [100%]
dnf installed successfully.
Please run 'dnf update' to update packages to the latest level.
Please note, RPM packages are downloaded in dnf cache /var/cache/dnf.
RPM packages install files go under the path /opt.
Hence it is recommended to always keep at least 512MB of free space in /var & /opt
to avoid any download and installation/update failures.
Creating the dnf.conf file with required locale repositories.
The default /opt/freeware/etc/dnf/dnf.conf has been saved as /opt/freeware/etc/dnf/dnf.conf_local_bak
/opt/freeware/bin/dnf repolist
repo id repo name
Local_AIX_Toolbox Local AIX generic repository
Local_AIX_Toolbox_73 Local AIX 7.3 specific repository
Local_AIX_Toolbox_noarch Local AIX noarch repository
/opt/freeware/bin/dnf update --exclude=perl
Last metadata expiration check: 0:21:45 ago on Wed Aug 27 14:36:14 CDT 2025.
Error:
Problem 1: cannot install both bash-5.2.21-1.ppc and bash-4.2-5.ppc
- package rpm-build-3.0.5-52.ppc requires /bin/bash2, but none of the providers can be installed
- cannot install the best update candidate for package bash-4.2-5.ppc
- problem with installed package rpm-build-3.0.5-52.ppc
Problem 2: cannot install both popt-1.19-1.ppc and popt-1.16-1.ppc
- package rpm-3.0.5-52.ppc requires libpopt.so, but none of the providers can be installed
- cannot install the best update candidate for package popt-1.16-1.ppc
- problem with installed package rpm-3.0.5-52.ppc
Problem 3: cannot install both popt-1.19-1.ppc and popt-1.16-1.ppc
- package rpm-3.0.5-52.ppc requires libpopt.so, but none of the providers can be installed
- package logrotate-3.21.0-1.ppc requires popt >= 1.19, but none of the providers can be installed
- package rpm-devel-3.0.5-52.ppc requires rpm = 3.0.5, but none of the providers can be installed
- cannot install the best update candidate for package logrotate-3.7.9-2.ppc
- problem with installed package rpm-devel-3.0.5-52.ppc
(try to add '--allowerasing' to command line to replace conflicting packages or '--skip-broken' to skip uninstallable packages or '--nobest' to use not only best candidate packages)
root # /opt/freeware/bin/dnf update --exclude=perl --allowerasing
Last metadata expiration check: 0:27:23 ago on Wed Aug 27 14:36:14 CDT 2025.
Dependencies resolved.
<redacted output>
Upgraded:
bash-5.2.21-1.ppc bash-doc-5.2.21-1.ppc binutils-2.44-1.ppc bison-3.8.2-3.ppc bzip2-1.0.8-2.ppc ca-certificates-2024.2.66-2.ppc
coreutils-9.5-1.ppc cpio-2.15-1.ppc diffutils-3.10-1.ppc expect-5.45.4-2.ppc flex-2.6.4-2.ppc gawk-5.2.2-1.ppc
gdb-15.2-1.ppc gettext-0.21-2.ppc gmp-6.3.0-1.ppc gnupg2-2.4.7-1.ppc grep-3.7-2.ppc gzip-1.12-3.ppc
info-7.2-1.ppc libcomps-0.1.15-101.ppc libiconv-1.17-1.ppc libmodulemd-1.5.2-100.ppc librepo-1.11.0-103.ppc libsmartcols-2.34-101.ppc
libzstd-1.5.2-3.ppc logrotate-3.21.0-1.ppc m4-1.4.19-1.ppc make-1:4.4.1-1.ppc p11-kit-0.25.5-2.ppc p11-kit-tools-0.25.5-2.ppc
patch-2.8-1.ppc pcre-8.44-2.ppc popt-1.19-1.ppc python3-3.9.22-1.ppc python3-gpg-1.13.1-101.ppc python3-libcomps-0.1.15-101.ppc
python3-librepo-1.11.0-103.ppc python3.9-3.9.22-1.ppc python3.9-gpg-1.13.1-101.ppc python3.9-libcomps-0.1.15-101.ppc python3.9-librepo-1.11.0-103.ppc readline-8.2-1.ppc
rsync-3.4.1-2.ppc sed-4.9-1.ppc tar-1.35-2.ppc tcl-8.6.13-1.ppc tk-8.6.13-1.ppc unzip-6.0-4.ppc
vim-common-9.1.1355-2.ppc vim-minimal-9.1.1355-2.ppc zchunk-libs-1.1.4-103.ppc zip-3.0-4.ppc zlib-1.2.13-1.ppc dnf-4.2.17-64_55.ppc
dnf-automatic-4.2.17-64_55.ppc dnf-data-4.2.17-64_55.ppc libdnf-0.39.1-64_52.ppc libsolv-0.7.9-64_52.ppc python3-dnf-4.2.17-64_55.ppc python3-hawkey-0.39.1-64_52.ppc
python3-libdnf-0.39.1-64_52.ppc python3.9-dnf-4.2.17-64_55.ppc python3.9-hawkey-0.39.1-64_52.ppc python3.9-libdnf-0.39.1-64_52.ppc
Installed:
pinentry-1.0.0-1.ppc cairo-1.18.0-1waixX11.ppc check-0.13.0-1.ppc curl-8.14.1-1.ppc cyrus-sasl-2.1.28-1.ppc db-1:5.3.28-1.ppc expat-2.6.3-1.ppc fontconfig-2.14.2-1.ppc
freetype2-2.13.3-1.ppc gdbm-1.23-1.ppc glib2-2.83.2-1.ppc gnutls-3.8.7-1.ppc gpgme-1.13.1-101.ppc harfbuzz-7.1.0-1.ppc json-c-0.17-1.ppc krb5-libs-1.21.3-3.ppc
libXft-2.3.2-5waixX11.ppc libXrender-0.9.8-3waixX11.ppc libassuan-2.5.6-1.ppc libffi-3.4.4-2.ppc libgcrypt-1.10.3-1.ppc libgpg-error-1.49-1.ppc libksba-1.6.3-1.ppc libnghttp2-1.62.1-1.ppc
libpng-1.6.42-1.ppc libsodium-1.0.19-1.ppc libssh2-1.11.0-1.ppc libtasn1-4.19.0-1.ppc libtextstyle-0.21-2.ppc libunistring-1.1-1.ppc libxml2-2.12.9-1.ppc libyaml-0.2.5-1.ppc
lz4-1.9.4-1.ppc lzo-2.10-3.ppc mpfr-4.2.1-1.ppc ncurses-6.5-1.ppc nettle-3.10.1-1.ppc npth-1.5-1.ppc openldap-2.5.16-3.ppc pcre2-10.45-2.ppc
pixman-0.42.2-1.ppc sqlite-3.49.2-1.ppc xz-libs-5.8.1-1.ppc libgcc-1:13-1.ppc libgcc13-13.3.0-1.ppc libgomp-1:13-1.ppc libgomp13-13.3.0-1.ppc libstdc++-1:13-1.ppc
libstdc++13-13.3.0-1.ppc
Removed:
rpm-3.0.5-52.ppc rpm-build-3.0.5-52.ppc rpm-devel-3.0.5-52.ppc
Immediately following the dnf update:
root # rpm -qa
ksh: rpm: 0403-006 Execute permission denied.
root # /opt/freeware/bin/dnf list
error: Unable to open /usr/opt/rpm/lib/rpm/rpmrc for reading: m.
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/opt/freeware/bin/dnf", line 58, in <module>
from dnf.cli import main
File "/opt/freeware/lib/python3.9/site-packages/dnf/__init__.py", line 30, in <module>
import dnf.base
File "/opt/freeware/lib/python3.9/site-packages/dnf/base.py", line 31, in <module>
from dnf.comps import CompsQuery
File "/opt/freeware/lib/python3.9/site-packages/dnf/comps.py", line 27, in <module>
from dnf.exceptions import CompsError
File "/opt/freeware/lib/python3.9/site-packages/dnf/exceptions.py", line 22, in <module>
import dnf.util
File "/opt/freeware/lib/python3.9/site-packages/dnf/util.py", line 30, in <module>
import dnf.callback
File "/opt/freeware/lib/python3.9/site-packages/dnf/callback.py", line 22, in <module>
import dnf.yum.rpmtrans
File "/opt/freeware/lib/python3.9/site-packages/dnf/yum/rpmtrans.py", line 26, in <module>
import rpm
File "/opt/freeware/lib64/python3.9/site-packages/rpm/__init__.py", line 39, in <module>
from rpm.transaction import *
File "/opt/freeware/lib64/python3.9/site-packages/rpm/transaction.py", line 5, in <module>
from rpm._rpm import ts as TransactionSetCore
ImportError: cannot import name 'ts' from 'rpm._rpm' (/opt/freeware/lib64/python3.9/site-packages/rpm/_rpm.so)
Thanks for your feedback, Michael Tust
#AIXOpenSource