downgrade rpm package from experimental repo just by disabling the repo and yum update

Question

I have packages Foo-2.0.rpm and Foo-2.3.rpm. The former is normally distributed by the Linux distro but old. Foo-2.3 is the latest version, and the rpm I am making. I am writing the .spec file, and for now, keep it in my own repo.

I thought--and I thought I even did--that I could replace Foo-2.3 with Foo-2.0 (downgrade to the stable version) by doing the following:

yum-config-manager --disable myrepo
yum --update Foo

Provided that Foo-2.3 was installed, the expected outcome is to have Foo-2.0 in place of Foo-2.3.

However, now, it gives me the following message only:

# yum update Foo
No packages marked for update

"yum downgrade Foo" seems a working command.

Why "yum update" does not work as I expected? Is it because of my spec file? Or is it just something that is not working?

In the .spec file of Foo, Foo "Provides: Foo-2.3," and "Conflicts: Foo <= 2.1." I have lost a few the spec files in development. Although I think disabling the repo and "yum update" downgraded Foo, my memory might be wrong.

Answer 1

yum upgrade always went up. When in the repo is a higher version, then upgrade. If there is older, just do nothing. It always acted this way. Even rpm itself behave this way. But for rpm you can force it to downgrade with upgrade with rpm -Uvh --force Foo-2.0.rpm. For yum there is no way. You have to use downgrade command.

And BTW in your spec file should be:

Provides: Foo-2.3
Obsoletes: Foo <= 2.1

But this is usually needed when you rename the package. Which I believe is not your case.