yum update or yum install fails with package conflict between 64 bit and 32 bit package architectures ?

Environment

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
• 64 bit architecture
• 32 bit packages installed sharing some files with the 64 bit ones

Issue

• Files are conflicting between 64 and 32 bit packages, how to fix it ?
• yum update or yum install fails with package conflict between 64 bit and 32 bit package architectures.
• 32 bit package showing conflict problem with 64 bit package.

Raw

Transaction Check Error:
file /usr/share/man/man1/ca.1ssl.gz from install of openssl-0.9.8e-27.el5_10.3.x86_64 conflicts with file from package openssl-0.9.8e-27.el5_10.1.i686
file /usr/share/man/man1/req.1ssl.gz from install of openssl-0.9.8e-27.el5_10.3.x86_64 conflicts with file from package openssl-0.9.8e-27.el5_10.1.i686
file /usr/share/man/man1/x509.1ssl.gz from install of openssl-0.9.8e-27.el5_10.3.x86_64 conflicts with file from package openssl-0.9.8e-27.el5_10.1.i686

Resolution

You can configure the yum client to update only a package of the exact architecture installed on the system.

Perform the following steps to remove duplicate packages(i.e. 32-bit and 64-bit packages installed on server which is causing the dependency issues).

1. Install the yum-utils package:

   Raw

   # yum install yum-utils
   

2. The package-cleanup --dupes lists all duplicate packages:

   Raw

   # package-cleanup --dupes        
   

3. The package-cleanup --cleandupes removes the duplicates (it asks for a confirmation to remove all duplicates unless the -y switch is given):

   Raw

   # package-cleanup --cleandupes   
   

4. Edit /etc/yum.conf, set the following line:

   Raw

   exactarch=1
   

5. Run yum command:

   Raw

   # yum clean all
   # yum update