How do I downgrade packages easily with Yum?

Apparently, Fedora's yum has the ability to downgrade. I find this useful because abhorrently they feel they need to break NetworkManager on a stable upgrade. In multiple ways.

How do I downgrade NetworkManager and everything that depends on it? Can I make yum work in reverse?

[root@x200s NetworkManager]# yum downgrade NetworkManager-0.8.999-2.git20110509.fc15.i686
Loaded plugins: langpacks, presto, refresh-packagekit
Setting up Downgrade Process
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package NetworkManager.i686 1:0.8.999-2.git20110509.fc15 will be a downgrade
--> Processing Dependency: NetworkManager-glib = 1:0.8.999-2.git20110509.fc15 for package: 1:NetworkManager-0.8.999-2.git20110509.fc15.i686
---> Package NetworkManager.i686 1:0.8.999-3.git20110526.fc15 will be erased
--> Finished Dependency Resolution
Error: Package: 1:NetworkManager-gnome-0.8.999-3.git20110526.fc15.i686 (@updates) Requires: NetworkManager = 1:0.8.999-3.git20110526.fc15 Removing: 1:NetworkManager-0.8.999-3.git20110526.fc15.i686 (@updates) NetworkManager = 1:0.8.999-3.git20110526.fc15 Downgraded By: 1:NetworkManager-0.8.999-2.git20110509.fc15.i686 (fedora) NetworkManager = 1:0.8.999-2.git20110509.fc15
Error: Package: 1:NetworkManager-0.8.999-2.git20110509.fc15.i686 (fedora) Requires: NetworkManager-glib = 1:0.8.999-2.git20110509.fc15 Installed: 1:NetworkManager-glib-0.8.999-3.git20110526.fc15.i686 (@updates) NetworkManager-glib = 1:0.8.999-3.git20110526.fc15 Available: 1:NetworkManager-glib-0.8.999-2.git20110509.fc15.i686 (fedora) NetworkManager-glib = 1:0.8.999-2.git20110509.fc15 You could try using --skip-broken to work around the problem You could try running: rpm -Va --nofiles --nodigest

Is there a way to downgrade without doing each package independently?

2 Answers

You can use:

yum downgrade NetworkManager NetworkManager-gnome NetworkManager-glib

If you have previously had a working version on the system in question yum history is a goto command. It will list transactions and allow you to roll back to a certain point or undo single actions see more here;

Alternatively if you wish to downgrade something that has multiple version restricted dependencies using the yum-allow-downgrade plugin will sort out the dependency errors you are seeing. It will add a --allow-downgrade option that you can use.

If you are deliberately sticking with an old version I would suggest looking into the version lock package. This will prevent yourself/colleagues/scheduled updates ruining your work.