Using CentOS 5 Repos in RHEL 5 Server

1. Remove "yum-rhn-plugin" package from RHEL, this is used to check the activation in RHEL.

# rpm -e yum-rhn-plugin

2. Remove the "redhat-release" related packages, this is used to check the repositories compatibility. usually we can't remove these packages because they are used by other packages of the system for proper fuctioning. so we'll use the "--nodeps" parameter to forcely remove them from the system.

# rpm -e redhat-release-notes-5Server redhat-release-5Server --nodeps

3. Download & install the "centos-release" relates packages, to fill in the gap that we made by removing the "redhat-release" related packages.

i386 (32 bit)
http://mirrors.nl.kernel.org/centos/5/os/i386/CentOS/centos-release-5-2.el5.centos.i386.rpm
http://mirrors.nl.kernel.org/centos/5/os/i386/CentOS/centos-release-notes-5.2-2.i386.rpm

x86_64 (64 bit)
http://mirrors.nl.kernel.org/centos/5/os/x86_64/CentOS/centos-release-5-2.el5.centos.x86_64.rpm
http://mirrors.nl.kernel.org/centos/5/os/x86_64/CentOS/centos-release-notes-5.2-2.x86_64.rpm

4. To automatically inform about the updates in GUI, Do the following.

# nano /etc/yum/yum-updatesd.conf

In the file, type as follows under the section "# how to send notifications"

dbus_listener = yes

5. To change the OS name in the CLI login, Do the following.

# nano /etc/issue

Since we have installed the "centos-release" relates packages, the OS name will come as "CentOS release 5 (Final)", so delete it and type

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server release 5 (Tikanga)

Or any name you like.

6. Now your system is ready.

7. Read my guide on "CentOS Repositories"