Broken Database

[Stuart <stuart coscom net>]

Hi All,

I am having major issues with my rpm database. I'll Start with a few 
details of the machine.

Redhat Linux 6.2 i386
Nearly all Errata is Installed including rpm-4.0.2-6x. I had been 
putting the kernel upgrade off untill about a week ago.
Kernel 2.2.19-6.2.7

Since the update of rpm itself, everything was fine. The first rpm that 
we attempted to install since the kernel upgrade failed with the 
following message:

[root@octo <mailto:root@octo> updates]# rpm -i fetchmail-5.5.0-2.6.i386.rpm
error: cannot open Depends index using db1 - Invalid argument (22)
Segmentation fault.

I first tried to reboot the machine with the original kernel but that 
didnt help. After searching around a bit for a solution to this, I found 
that the rpm update to version 4 used a new database format and all 
advice pointed to a "rpm --rebuilddb". I did this and there was another 
segmentation fault. I had a look at /var/lib/rpm and the Depends.idx 
file had a 0 file size. I presume this is the problem.

I then looked for any reference to the database in the rpm man page and 
came across "rpm --initdb". I first backed up my old database in 
/var/lib/rpm and ran this (probably a stupid move). I presumed it would 
allow me to start from scratch. Now whenever I try and install an rpm, I 
get a list of dependencies as long as your arm.

What I am basically asking is if there is a way to rebuild the database 
with my old dependencies? Or if I can still do anything with the old 
backed up rpmdb ?  Any surgery that I can perform on it ? I hope there 
is enough info in this for someone to help steer me in the right direction.

Thanks,
Stuart