tip: automated way to delete duplicate rpms

[Jim Cornette]

oldman wrote:
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> Jim Cornette wrote:
> 
>> The safest way to remove the older package remnants is to download the
>> newer packages and run
>> 'rpm -Uvh --replacepkgs --replacefiles packagename(s).arch.rpm'
>> because of the reasons that you pointed to. If the older package has
>> files that are the same name as used in the newer package, erasure of
>> the files is probable when you erase the older version of the rpm.
>>
>> Running 'rpm -Uvh --justdb --nodeps packagename(s).arch.rpm' will safely
>> only remove the database entry but will leave the documentation (has a
>> version number) and any files that are not contained within the new
>> package lingering on your system. But for most occasions that I seen,
>> each version of an rpm usually has files placed in the same location and
>> will differ only in date and other file characteristics. That is why
>> when you do an 'rpm -qV packagename' on the older package you usually
>> see a lot of output with file details being different and when checking
>> the later version you get no output because all is well with the newer
>> version rpm.
>>
>> I think so anyway! :-)
>> Jim
>>
> 	Thanks Jim
> 	When this happened previously, I found out when some new program being
> updated would not update the dependency or the program due to the older
> package. removing the older package from the db allowed the upgrade to
> progress.
> 	I might have an extra file or two running around on my machine, but it
> beats the hell out of not having a file or two! :-)

I usually do the rpm -e --nodep --justdb oldpackage-version myself. I 
only recently realized that there was most likely doc files left behind. 
Previously I assumed that all files would be of the new version and the 
old files would not be present.

rpm -Uvh --replacefiles --replacepkgs latestpackage

is the best bet though. You are right that having lingering 
documentation from the earlier version is better than removing needed 
files which are most likely from the latest version that was installed.

Jim

-- 
When in doubt, follow your heart.