How to Fix the “iproute Conflicts with Kernel” Issue May 15, 2025

While updating a CloudLinux server using yum, you may encounter a conflict error between the iproute package and an outdated kernel. This issue arises because the newer version of iproute is incompatible with older kernels. In this article, we’ll guide you through the steps to identify and resolve the conflict effectively.

Let us follow the guide:

Problem:
You may encounter the following error during a “yum” update or while running a control panel update script:

iproute-4.11.0-30.el7.cloudlinux.x86_64 conflicts with kernel < 3.10.0-793.21.1.lve1.5.20
Error: iproute conflicts with 1:kernel-3.10.0-xxx.xx.x.xxxx.x.xx.el7.x86_64

This occurs because the latest version of the iproute package is incompatible with older kernel versions.

Solution:

1. Check Your Current Kernel
   Run the following command to see which kernel is currently loaded:
   uname -a
   1. Scenario 1: You Are Using the Outdated Kernel
      If the loaded kernel version matches the one mentioned in the error:
      1. Update your kernel and all system components:

         yum update

      2. After the update, reboot the server to apply the new kernel.
      3. Verify the new kernel is active using:

         uname -a

      4. If the server doesn’t automatically boot into the new kernel, you may need to select it manually during boot.
   2. Scenario 2: You’re Already Using a Newer Kernel
      If the active kernel is newer than the conflicting one:
      1. Remove the outdated kernel(s) mentioned in the error:

         yum remove kernel-3.10.0-xxx.xx.x.xxxx.x.xx.el7.x86_64

      2. Repeat this step for all outdated kernels listed in the error.
      3. Once outdated kernels are removed, the yum update process should complete successfully.

Optional Workaround:

1. If you cannot reboot the server immediately and still need to perform updates, you can exclude the iproute package from being updated:

   sed -i ‘s/exclude=/exclude=iproute /’ /etc/yum.conf

2. To revert this change later:

   sed -i ‘s/exclude=iproute /exclude=/’ /etc/yum.conf

Note: This is a temporary workaround and not guaranteed to be safe long-term. It’s best to remove outdated kernels and allow the iproute package to update when possible.

This approach helps resolve the ‘iproute Conflicts with Kernel’ issue. If you need further assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team.

Looking to manage kernel versions proactively? Find out How to Limit the Number of Kernels in CentOS