Using DVDs as Local Package Repositories in DNF

Insert the installation media and create a mount point:

sudo mkdir -p /media/dvd
sudo mount /dev/sr0 /media/dvd

For a DVD image file instead of physical media:

sudo mount -o loop /path/to/image.iso /media/dvd

Verify the mount and check that packages exist:

ls /media/dvd/Packages/ | head

On systems with automatic mounting (systemd-based), the DVD may already be mounted at /run/media/$USER/ — adjust your paths accordingly.

Configuring the DNF Repository

Create a repository configuration file for the DVD:

sudo tee /etc/yum.repos.d/dvd-local.repo > /dev/null << 'EOF'
[dvd-local]
name=Local DVD Repository
baseurl=file:///media/dvd
enabled=1
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=file:///media/dvd/RPM-GPG-KEY-redhat-release
EOF

The GPG key filename varies by distribution. Check what’s available on the DVD:

ls /media/dvd/ | grep -i gpg

For RHEL, CentOS Stream, or Fedora, the key might be named RPM-GPG-KEY-redhat-release, RPM-GPG-KEY-centos-official, or RPM-GPG-KEY-fedora. Adjust the gpgkey line accordingly.

If the key is missing and you need to proceed, you can temporarily disable signature checking with gpgcheck=0, but this is not recommended for production systems. Always identify and use the correct key when possible.

Importing Repository Keys

Import the GPG key manually to avoid prompts during package operations:

sudo rpm --import /media/dvd/RPM-GPG-KEY-redhat-release

Verify the key was imported:

rpm -qa gpg-pubkey*

Disabling Network Repositories

If you want the DVD to be your only source, disable the default network repos. First, identify enabled repositories:

sudo dnf repolist enabled

Then disable them selectively:

sudo dnf config-manager --set-disabled appstream baseos extras powertools

Or disable all repos at once, then re-enable only the DVD:

sudo sed -i 's/^enabled=1/enabled=0/' /etc/yum.repos.d/*.repo
sudo sed -i '/\[dvd-local\]/a enabled=1' /etc/yum.repos.d/dvd-local.repo

Testing the Repository

Clear the DNF cache and verify configuration:

sudo dnf clean all
sudo dnf repolist

The dvd-local repository should appear in the output. Test by installing a package from the DVD:

sudo dnf install kernel-devel
sudo dnf search vim

If you get “no packages to install,” the package may not be on the DVD media. Check what’s actually available:

ls /media/dvd/Packages/ | grep kernel-devel

Persistent Mounting with systemd

For systems that use the DVD frequently, create a systemd mount unit instead of relying on /etc/fstab. This approach is more reliable on modern systems:

sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/media-dvd.mount > /dev/null << 'EOF'
[Unit]
Description=DVD Repository Mount
After=local-fs.target

[Mount]
What=/dev/sr0
Where=/media/dvd
Type=iso9660
Options=ro
TimeoutSec=0

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
EOF

Enable and start the mount:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable media-dvd.mount
sudo systemctl start media-dvd.mount

Alternatively, use /etc/fstab with the noauto flag to avoid boot failures when the DVD is missing:

echo '/dev/sr0 /media/dvd iso9660 ro,noauto 0 0' | sudo tee -a /etc/fstab

Mount manually when needed:

sudo mount /media/dvd

Troubleshooting

Repository not found: Verify the baseurl and mount point:

test -d /media/dvd/Packages && echo "OK" || echo "Mount problem"
cat /etc/yum.repos.d/dvd-local.repo | grep baseurl

GPG errors: Ensure the key file exists and is readable:

ls -l /media/dvd/RPM-GPG-KEY-*
file /media/dvd/RPM-GPG-KEY-*

If the key is missing, set gpgcheck=0 temporarily, then investigate what the actual key filename is.

Limited packages: DVD media contains far fewer packages than online repositories. You can enable multiple repositories simultaneously — keep the DVD enabled and re-enable a network repo for packages not on the disc:

sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled baseos

Permission issues: Ensure the mount point is readable:

ls -ld /media/dvd
sudo chmod 755 /media/dvd

Unmounting: When finished, safely unmount the DVD:

sudo umount /media/dvd
sudo eject /dev/sr0

If umount fails because files are still in use, identify what’s holding the mount open:

sudo lsof | grep /media/dvd

Use fuser to force-kill processes if necessary:

sudo fuser -km /media/dvd

Then try unmounting again.