On attempting to install CentOS 5.1 using the “netinstall” ISO I had an annoying problem. Not long into the install process I was met with something like:

The file pam_krb5-2.2.14-1.i386.rpm cannot be opened.  This is due
to a missing file, a corrupt package or corrupt media.  Please
verify your installation source.

...

The options provided to either “Retry” or “Reboot” (default).

But I’m using netinstall, how can it be corrupt?! My netinstall source was UK Mirror Service which should be pretty reliable I’d expect. Anyway, I persisted in hitting “Retry” and eventually it seems it got pam_krb5-2.2.14-1.i386.rpm downloaded OK. Then a few seconds later I hit the same problem with rcs-5.7-30.1.i386.rpm, a few “Retry“s later the problem moves onto another package. This problem occurred for:

• pam_krb5-2.2.14-1.i386.rpm
• rcs-5.7-30.1.i386.rpm
• libICE-1.0.1-2.1.i386.rpm
• mintetty-1.07-5.2.2.i386.rpm
• sqlite-3.3.6-2.i386.rpm

I have no idea why this happened.

The message is: If you get the above error trying to do a CentOS “netinstall” just keep hitting “Retry” (even if it repeatedly fails on the same package.)