Resolving „No Available Modular Metadata“ Errors with dnf-automatic

If you’re using a RHEL-based Linux distribution like Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux, or CentOS, you may have encountered an error with dnf-automatic that looks something like this:

No available modular metadata for modular package 'redis'

This issue often occurs when the package manager, dnf, runs into problems fetching or processing modular metadata for certain packages. Fortunately, the root causes of this error are generally straightforward to diagnose and resolve. In this blog post, we’ll walk through the most common causes and solutions to get your system updates running smoothly again.

Understanding the Error

Modular packages allow you to install and use different versions of software on RHEL-based distributions. For instance, you might want to run Redis version 6 in one environment and version 7 in another. This flexibility is achieved through modular streams. The error “No available modular metadata” typically points to one of these issues:

1. Outdated metadata cache: Your system’s cached metadata doesn’t include updated modular data from the repositories.
2. Inactive or misconfigured modules: The specific module (like redis) isn’t enabled or configured properly.
3. Repository issues: Repositories may be disabled or improperly configured, preventing metadata retrieval.

Step-by-Step Solution

Here’s how you can resolve the error and prevent it from occurring again in the future:

1. Clean the Metadata Cache

Outdated metadata can cause this issue. Start by clearing the cache and forcing dnf to rebuild it:

sudo dnf clean all
sudo dnf makecache

Once done, retry updating:

sudo dnf update

If this resolves the issue, the problem was simply stale metadata.

2. Check the Module’s Status

The error often relates to a specific module (e.g., redis). Check the current status of the module with the following command:

dnf module list redis

This will display the available streams and their statuses (enabled, disabled, or available). If the module isn’t enabled, you can activate it:

sudo dnf module enable redis

Then, try running the update again.

3. Switch or Reset the Module Stream

Sometimes, the active stream is misconfigured or not available. You can reset the module to its default state and enable a specific stream:

sudo dnf module reset redis
sudo dnf module enable redis:<stream>

Replace <stream> with the desired version, such as 6 or 7, based on the output of dnf module list redis.

4. Verify Repositories

Ensure that all required repositories are enabled and working correctly. Use the following command to check the status of your repositories:

dnf repolist all

If a required repository is disabled, enable it:

sudo dnf config-manager --enable <repository>

Replace <repository> with the appropriate repository name.

5. Reinstall the Affected Package or Module

If the above steps don’t resolve the issue, try removing and reinstalling the affected package or module:

sudo dnf remove redis
sudo dnf module disable redis

Then, reinstall:

sudo dnf install redis

This ensures that all dependencies and metadata are correctly fetched.

6. Check dnf-automatic Configuration

If the error occurs specifically when using dnf-automatic, review its configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/dnf/automatic.conf

Ensure that settings related to modules and repositories are correct. For instance, make sure updates are allowed for enabled modules.

Summary

The “No available modular metadata” error in dnf-automatic can be frustrating, but it’s usually straightforward to fix by clearing metadata, enabling or resetting modules, and verifying repository configurations. These steps not only resolve the immediate issue but also help maintain a stable and up-to-date system.

By following this guide, you’ll ensure that your system’s package manager functions efficiently, keeping your environment secure and optimized. If you run into further issues, don’t hesitate to reach out or dive deeper into the documentation for dnf and modularity.