What does `package-cleanup --orphans' really tell me?

[Aaron Konstam]

On Mon, 2007-12-17 at 23:50 -0800, Dean S. Messing wrote:
> Kam Leo wrote:
> : On Dec 17, 2007 2:02 PM, Dean S. Messing <deanm at sharplabs.com> wrote:
> : >
> : > Craig White (toward the end of the Cups Problem thread) wrote:
> : > : sudo rpm -e x264-0.0.0-0.3.20061023.fc6.i386
> : > : sudo yum -y install yum-utils
> : > : # and then finally...let us know the output of
> : > : sudo package-cleanup --orphans
> : > :
> : > : This will list problematic packages
> : >
> : > Out of curiosity, I just ran
> : >
> : > `package-cleanup --orphans'
> : >
> : > on my fairly well-maintained F7 system and got:
> : >
> : > [root at medulla0 ~]# package-cleanup --orphans
> : > Setting up yum
> : > kernel-2.6.22.9-91.fc7.x86_64
> : > fetchmail-init-1.1-0.noarch
> : > autofs-5.0.1-27.x86_64
> : > kernel-devel-2.6.23.1-10.fc7.x86_64
> : > pam-0.99.7.1-5.1.fc7.x86_64
> : > pam-0.99.7.1-5.1.fc7.i386
> : > mysql-libs-5.0.45-1.fc7.i386
> : > pam-devel-0.99.7.1-5.1.fc7.i386
> : > metamail-2.7-29.7.x.legacy.x86_64
> : > kernel-2.6.23.1-21.fc7.x86_64
> : > pam-devel-0.99.7.1-5.1.fc7.x86_64
> : > mysql-libs-5.0.45-1.fc7.x86_64
> : > VMwareWorkstation-6.0.2-59824.x86_64
> : > kernel-devel-2.6.23.1-21.fc7.x86_64
> : > kernel-2.6.23.1-10.fc7.x86_64
> : > kmod-nvidia-100.14.19-1.2.6.23.1_10.fc7.x86_64
> : > iptables-ipv6-1.3.8-2.1.fc7.x86_64
> : > grub-0.97-13.i386
> : > iptables-1.3.8-2.1.fc7.x86_64
> : > kernel-2.6.22.5-76.fc7.x86_64
> : > AdobeReader_enu-8.1.1-1.i486
> : >
> : > (Yes, I keep more than two kernels around.)
> : >
> : > Which of these is problematic?  I'd be interested to know what
> : > `package-cleanup --orphans' is checking for?
> : >
> : > The man page gives this description:
> : >
> : > DESCRIPTION
> : >        package-cleanup  is  a  program  for  cleaning  up  the  locally-
> : >        installed RPMs.
> : >
> : >
> : > Later in the man page it says something about these packages not
> : > coming from any yum repo.  In the list above, that is only true for a
> : > subset of packages (e.g. AdobeReader_enu and VMwareWorkstation).
> : >
> : > Dean
> : 
> : For F8 "man package-cleanup" provides this output:
> : 
> : [snip]
> : 
> :        --orphans
> :               List  installed  packages  which are not available from currenly
> :               configured repositories.
> : 
> : My take on "currenly configured" [sic] is enabled yum repositories. So
> : what --orphan will tell you is that the listed package(s) is(are) not
> : in a yum repository or is due to be replaced by an update. Here is the
> : output for my F8-x84 installation which had some updates pending:
> <snip>
If that is true , why are kernels listed? They are certainly inn a
repository. At least mine are.
> 
--
=======================================================================
Well, I'm a classic ANAL RETENTIVE!! And I'm looking for a way to
VICARIOUSLY experience some reason to LIVE!!
=======================================================================
Aaron Konstam telephone: (210) 656-0355 e-mail: akonstam at sbcglobal.net