when I try to install checkinstall:
checkinstall:
Depends: rpm-build
if I try to install rpm-build:
rpm-build:
Depends: rpm (= 4.4.6-18pclos2007)
Depends: rpm-mandriva-setup-build
rpm actually installed is rpm-4.8.1 ...
look like an update of rpm-build checkinstall is needed ...
AS
rpm-build is the latest and is new in the repository ....... it seems that checkinstall needs to be updated to use it?
Glad to see I'm not the only one "out of sync" this evening 
It's rpm-build that has a dependency to rpm (= 4.4.6-18pclos2007)
AS
We are seeing different things

rpm-build here has rpm (=4.8.1-4pclos2011)
I do notice though that it also has a dependency
rpm-pclinuxos-setup-build (>=1.34) whereas that package in this install is at
1.134-2pclos2011Have you run aptupgrade? I have ......