Dependency Issue Installing php-mbstring on RHEL (6)

Question

I am trying to install php-mbstring on Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server release 6.6 (Santiago). This is my yum command/response:

-bash-4.1$ yum install php-mbstring --enablerepo=optional
Loaded plugins: product-id, security, subscription-manager
This system is not registered to Red Hat Subscription Management. You can use subscription-manager to register.
Setting up Install Process
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package php-mbstring.x86_64 0:5.3.3-27.el6_5 will be installed
--> Processing Dependency: php-common(x86-64) = 5.3.3-27.el6_5 for package: php-mbstring-5.3.3-27.el6_5.x86_64
--> Finished Dependency Resolution
Error: Package: php-mbstring-5.3.3-27.el6_5.x86_64 (optional)
           Requires: php-common(x86-64) = 5.3.3-27.el6_5
           Installed: php-common-5.3.3-40.el6_6.x86_64 (@updates)
               php-common(x86-64) = 5.3.3-40.el6_6
           Available: php-common-5.3.3-3.el6_2.8.x86_64 (updates)
               php-common(x86-64) = 5.3.3-3.el6_2.8
           Available: php-common-5.3.3-14.el6_3.x86_64 (updates)
               php-common(x86-64) = 5.3.3-14.el6_3
           Available: php-common-5.3.3-22.el6.x86_64 (updates)
               php-common(x86-64) = 5.3.3-22.el6
           Available: php-common-5.3.3-23.el6_4.x86_64 (updates)
               php-common(x86-64) = 5.3.3-23.el6_4
           Available: php-common-5.3.3-26.el6.x86_64 (base)
               php-common(x86-64) = 5.3.3-26.el6
           Available: php-common-5.3.3-27.el6_5.x86_64 (updates)
               php-common(x86-64) = 5.3.3-27.el6_5
           Available: php-common-5.3.3-27.el6_5.1.x86_64 (updates)
               php-common(x86-64) = 5.3.3-27.el6_5.1
           Available: php-common-5.3.3-27.el6_5.2.x86_64 (updates)
               php-common(x86-64) = 5.3.3-27.el6_5.2
           Available: php-common-5.3.3-38.el6.x86_64 (updates)
               php-common(x86-64) = 5.3.3-38.el6
 You could try using --skip-broken to work around the problem
 You could try running: rpm -Va --nofiles --nodigest

However, php-common is installed:

-bash-4.1$ sudo yum list install php-common*
Loaded plugins: product-id, security, subscription-manager
This system is not registered to Red Hat Subscription Management. You can use subscription-manager to register.
Installed Packages
php-common.x86_64   5.3.3-40.el6_6  @updates

The issue appears to be that the version is wrong. But the version is newer than what is needed, so shouldn't it work?

I did try both --skip-broken and rpm -Va --nofiles --nodigest and no luck.

Answer 1

The php-mbstring package is not part of the Base channel repo. You will need to add the Optional channel to access any updates for it.

First, you will need to know how you are receiving your updates: via Classic/Satellite or Subscription Manager. This will change the way the channel is added.

If using Classic, try: rhn-channel --add --channel=rhel-x86_64-server-optional-6 You will be prompted for your RHN credentials.

That worked for me in the past when I was using the Classic mode for updates. I have since updated to using Subscription Manager and the channels are added in a different way.

To add the channel using Subscription Manager, do this: subscription-manager repos --enable rhel-6-server-optional-source-rpms (link: https://access.redhat.com/solutions/392003 )

For whatever reason, that command alone did not fix my dependency issue. I also had to tell yum to enable that channel. I did so with this command: yum-config-manager --enable rhel-6-server-optional-rpms (link: https://access.redhat.com/solutions/221963 )

Once I completed those steps my updates worked and resolved the dependencies.

Answer 2

If useful, when you don't have the RHN credentials, you can do the following: First, find the package somewhere online (it must be for your exact php version), ie: php-mbstring-5.3.3-40.el6_6.x86_64.rpm

wget http://mirror.centos.org/centos/6/updates/x86_64/Packages/php-mbstring-5.3.3-40.el6_6.x86_64.rpm
sudo yum localinstall php-mbstring-5.3.3-40.el6_6.x86_64.rpm 

I hope it helps!