CentOS 8 installation: Error setting up base repository

As a follow-up to my previous article about CentOS 8 issues, I’d like to show how to fix a similar issue with a new CentOS 8 installation, namely, “Error setting up base repository”. I was setting up CentOS on a VMWare virtual machine, and here’s how the issue looked like:

The reason is, again, that the base repository was removed on January 31, 2022 due to end-of-life of CentOS 8. Good thing is that the legacy repository is still available, just under a different address: https://vault.centos.org

To fix the issue, first go to “Network & Host Name” section, enable the Ethernet connection and click “Done” (you might need to set up proper network settings in a more complex case):

Now go to “Installation source”. The “On the network” section should now be editable. Tip: if your “Installation source” button is not clickable and greyed out, click on any other section button and go back by pressing “Done”, this should reset the UI.

Now set up the https:// protocol by clicking the “Closest mirror” dropdown and enter the URL of the repository similar to the following: https://vault.centos.org/8.5.2111/BaseOS/x86_64/os/

I used version 8.5 64-bit distribution, but you may want to search for the version that’s suitable for you on https://vault.centos.org