[CentOS] yum update fails for 5.6

Mon Nov 7 16:35:56 UTC 2011
Alex <centos at avantel.ca>

google for "centos error performing checksum" refers to createrepo but of 
course "yum install createrepo" also fails and the instructions appear to be 
overkill.  Is there a "simple" soultion?

here's the result of yum update:

# yum -v update
Loading "fastestmirror" plugin
Config time: 0.118
Yum Version: 3.2.22
Setting up Package Sacks
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
 * base: mirror.science.uottawa.ca
 * extras: mirror.science.uottawa.ca
 * rpmforge: ftp-stud.fht-esslingen.de
 * updates: mirror.science.uottawa.ca
rhel-src/primary                                                                                      | 
1.1 MB     00:02
ftp://ftp.redhat.com/pub/redhat/linux/enterprise/5Server/en/os/SRPMS/repodata/primary.xml.gz: 
[Errno -3] Error performing checksum
Trying other mirror.
Error: failure: repodata/primary.xml.gz from rhel-src: [Errno 256] No more 
mirrors to try.

and for repolist

# yum repolist
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
 * base: mirror.science.uottawa.ca
 * extras: mirror.science.uottawa.ca
 * rpmforge: ftp-stud.fht-esslingen.de
 * updates: mirror.science.uottawa.ca
rhel-src/primary                                                                                      | 
1.1 MB     00:02
ftp://ftp.redhat.com/pub/redhat/linux/enterprise/5Server/en/os/SRPMS/repodata/primary.xml.gz: 
[Errno -3] Error performing checksum
Trying other mirror.
Error: failure: repodata/primary.xml.gz from rhel-src: [Errno 256] No more 
mirrors to try.

TIA

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