How to Enable RPMForge Repository in RHEL/CentOS 7.x/6.x/5.x

RPMForge/RepoForge both projects are dead and should not be used – Please use EPEL Repository.

RPMforge repository is a utility that is used to install third party software packages under Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Community ENTerprise Operating System (CentOS). It provides more than 5000 software packages in the rpm format for these Linux distributions.

RPMforge repository not a part of RHEL or CentOS but it is designed to work with these operating systems. The complete list of RPMForge packages can be fount at http://packages.sw.be/.

Install RPMForge Repository in Centos
Install RPMForge Repository in RedHat and Centos

Read Also : Install and Enable EPEL Repository in RHEL/CentOS 7/6/5

This article gives you a steps to install and enable RPMForge repository under RHEL/CentOS 7, 6, 5, 4 systems.

Verifying RHEL/CentOS is 32 Bit or 64 Bit System

We use “uname -a” command to verify a system, whether it is 32 bit or 64 bit.

The 32 bit system will show i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux and 64 bit server shows x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux.

So, it’s very easy to verify whether a system is 32 or 64 bit using “uname -a” command from the command line shell.

32 Bit RHEL/CentOS
# uname -r

Linux tecmint.com 2.6.32-279.5.2.el6.i686 #1 SMP Thu Aug 23 22:16:48 UTC 2012 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux
64 Bit RHEL/CentOS
# uname -r

Linux tecmint.com 2.6.32-279.5.2.el6.i686 #1 SMP Thu Aug 23 22:16:48 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Installing RPMForge Repository in RHEL/CentOS 6/5/4

Download and Install RPMForge repository by selecting appropriate rpm package for your system.

For RHEL/CentOS 7 64 Bit
# wget http://pkgs.repoforge.org/rpmforge-release/rpmforge-release-0.5.3-1.el7.rf.x86_64.rpm
# rpm -Uvh rpmforge-release-0.5.3-1.el7.rf.x86_64.rpm
For RHEL/CentOS 6 32-64 Bit
## RHEL/CentOS 6 32 Bit OS ##
# wget http://packages.sw.be/rpmforge-release/rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el6.rf.i686.rpm
# rpm -Uvh rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el6.rf.i686.rpm

## RHEL/CentOS 6 64 Bit OS ##
# wget http://packages.sw.be/rpmforge-release/rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el6.rf.x86_64.rpm
# rpm -Uvh rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el6.rf.x86_64.rpm
For RHEL/CentOS 5 32-64 Bit
## RHEL/CentOS 5 32 Bit OS ##
# wget http://packages.sw.be/rpmforge-release/rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el5.rf.i386.rpm
# rpm -Uvh rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el5.rf.i386.rpm

## RHEL/CentOS 5 64 Bit OS ##
# wget http://packages.sw.be/rpmforge-release/rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el5.rf.x86_64.rpm
# rpm -Uvh rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el5.rf.x86_64.rpm
For RHEL/CentOS 4 32-64 Bit
## RHEL/CentOS 4 32 Bit OS ##
# wget http://packages.sw.be/rpmforge-release/rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el4.rf.i386.rpm
# rpm -Uvh rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el4.rf.i386.rpm

## RHEL/CentOS 4 64 Bit OS ##
# wget http://packages.sw.be/rpmforge-release/rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el4.rf.x86_64.rpm
# rpm -Uvh rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el4.rf.x86_64.rpm

Note : The RPMForge repository will be installed under /etc/yum.repod directory as a file rpmforge.repo.

Importing RPMForge Repository Key in RHEL/CentOS 7/6/5/4

Next, you’ll need to download and install DAG’s GPG key for your system.

# wget http://dag.wieers.com/rpm/packages/RPM-GPG-KEY.dag.txt
# rpm --import RPM-GPG-KEY.dag.txt

Note : The imported GPG key stored under /etc/pki/rpm-gpg directory as a file RPM-GPG-KEY-rpmforge-dag.

Installing Packages using RPMForge Repository in RHEL/CentOS 7/6/5/4

Let’s try installing something using rpmforge repository.

# yum --enablerepo=rpmforge install aria2
Sample Output :
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror, refresh-packagekit
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
rpmforge                                                                                                                                       
Setting up Install Process
Dependencies Resolved

=================================================================================================
 Package                         Arch			Version                Repository       Size
=================================================================================================
Installing:
 aria2                           i686           1.15.1-1.el6.rf        rpmforge         1.2 M
Installing for dependencies:
 nettle                          i686           2.2-1.el6.rf           rpmforge         359 k

Transaction Summary
=================================================================================================
Install       2 Package(s)

So, whenever a new packages are install using Yum command the RPMForge repository will be included.

Disable RPMForge Repository in RHEL/CentOS 7/6/5/4

To disable RPMForge repository simply open the file /etc/yum.repos.d/rpmforge.repo.

# vi /etc/yum.repos.d/rpmforge.repo

Change “enabled=1” to “enabled=0“. 0 means turn-off and 1 means turn-on.

### Name: RPMforge RPM Repository for RHEL 6 - dag
### URL: http://rpmforge.net/
[rpmforge]
name = RHEL $releasever - RPMforge.net - dag
baseurl = http://apt.sw.be/redhat/el6/en/$basearch/rpmforge
mirrorlist = http://apt.sw.be/redhat/el6/en/mirrors-rpmforge
#mirrorlist = file:///etc/yum.repos.d/mirrors-rpmforge
enabled = 0
protect = 0
gpgkey = file:///etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-rpmforge-dag
gpgcheck = 1

Hey TecMint readers,

Exciting news! Every month, our top blog commenters will have the chance to win fantastic rewards, like free Linux eBooks such as RHCE, RHCSA, LFCS, Learn Linux, and Awk, each worth $20!

Learn more about the contest and stand a chance to win by sharing your thoughts below!

Ravi Saive
I am an experienced GNU/Linux expert and a full-stack software developer with over a decade in the field of Linux and Open Source technologies

Each tutorial at TecMint is created by a team of experienced Linux system administrators so that it meets our high-quality standards.

Join the TecMint Weekly Newsletter (More Than 156,129 Linux Enthusiasts Have Subscribed)
Was this article helpful? Please add a comment or buy me a coffee to show your appreciation.

37 Comments

Leave a Reply
    • @Patrick,

      I already a placed a notice at the top of page saying that both projects are dead and users should use EPEL repo..

      Reply
  1. Your Links are giving me the HTTP request sent, awaiting response and sitting around doing nothing. Please re-verify the links.

    Reply
  2. Arshad, regarding the 404 Not Found, you might be looking at the same issue I had. Note that in that long rpmforge URL, in the bit that is “.el7.”, that is NOT the number one. It is a lower-case “L”.

    That was the mistake I was making that looked just like the problem you posted.

    Reply
  3. Can anyone please suggest a site from which i can download all rpm packages for the installation of oracle 11g for Linux 32 bit? The below mentioned packages are not getting for downloading..

    rpm -Uvh libstdc++-devel-4.*

    rpm -Uvh glibc-common-2.*

    rpm -Uvh glibc-devel-2.*

    rpm -Uvh glibc-headers-2.*

    rpm -Uvh binutils-2.*

    rpm -Uvh ksh*

    rpm -Uvh compat-libstdc++-33*

    rpm -Uvh gcc-4.*

    rpm -Uvh gcc-c++-4.*

    rpm -Uvh libaio-0.*

    Reply
  4. hi ravi,

    i am trying to follow as of your steps but at first step only it gives this error: HTTP request send awaiting response. ..404 Not found….can u please mail me what exactly issue

    Reply
  5. hi sir,

    I followed the steps given above but yum got into errors by giving the output as follows:

    could not retrieve mirrorlist http://apt.sw.be/redhat/el6/en/mirrors-rpmforge error was
    14:PYCURL ERROR 7-“could not connect to host”

    I am running centos 6.5 i386 version on a Virtual box. Internet connectivity is working fine.

    Pls help me out of this error.

    Reply
  6. hi,

    I installed the packeage but it is not showing in enabled list…

    $ yum list installed |grep -i T1lib
    t1lib.x86_64 5.1.2-6.el6_2.1 @base

    #php -i |grep -i T1Lib

    Reply
  7. Thank you so much for the info. I’ve been looking for something so easy like that. Thank you so much, I really appreciate your job.

    Reply
  8. i want to install facebook messenger ..i have downloaded the zip file from gig hub page..and make it unzip also..but when i goes to install package for it via

    apt-get install python-setuptools python3-setuptools python-qt4-phonon python-qt4-phonon python3-pyqt4.phonon

    i got command not fund error………..

    Reply
  9. # rpm -Uvh rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el6.rf.i686.rpm
    warning: rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el6.rf.i686.rpm: Header V3 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 6b8d79e6
    error: Failed dependencies:
    rpmlib(FileDigests) <= 4.6.0-1 is needed by rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el6.rf.i686
    rpmlib(PayloadIsXz) <= 5.2-1 is needed by rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el6.rf.i686

    Reply
    • Dear Michael,

      I see that the rpmlib version stated above is higher than the one you’ve installed. I think you should do a ‘yum upgrade’ and then give a try.

      Reply
  10. hi i am enable to install gpgkey for repforge so i disabled the gpgcheck option in file.but when i tried to insatll any package it shows me error.

    [root@sushant yum.repos.d]# yum –enablerepo=rpmforge install wine*
    Loaded plugins: refresh-packagekit, rhnplugin
    This system is not registered with RHN.
    RHN support will be disabled.
    Could not retrieve mirrorlist http://apt.sw.be/redhat/el6/en/mirrors-rpmforge error was
    14: PYCURL ERROR 6 – “”
    http://apt.sw.be/redhat/el6/en/x86_64/rpmforge/repodata/repomd.xml: [Errno 14] PYCURL ERROR 6 – “”
    Trying other mirror.
    Error: Cannot retrieve repository metadata (repomd.xml) for repository: rpmforge. Please verify its path and try again.

    Reply

Got Something to Say? Join the Discussion...

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us. We appreciate your decision to leave a comment and value your contribution to the discussion. It's important to note that we moderate all comments in accordance with our comment policy to ensure a respectful and constructive conversation.

Rest assured that your email address will remain private and will not be published or shared with anyone. We prioritize the privacy and security of our users.