Cannot use package managers

[Mr.Kuchinawa]

Hi, recently I've had a problem: every time I try to e.g. run a software update, it says that another package manager is active. This happens every time, even if it is the first thing I do when I log on. So, what can I do about this? Hope I posted this in the right place.
Thanks in advance.

[dino99]

try:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh -a

(can take a while, take a beer, and wait it end itself, dont stop it)

[Mr.Kuchinawa]

try:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh -a

(can take a while, take a beer, and wait it end itself, dont stop it)

Thanks, but unfortunately it didn't solve the problem

[Old_Grey_Wolf]

There is a file called "lock" that can prevent the update manager from working. Try removing the lock file using this command
sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/lock

Then try to update.

[Mr.Kuchinawa]

There is a file called "lock" that can prevent the update manager from working. Try removing the lock file using this command
sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/lock

It says there's no such file or directory. It might be worth mentioning that the update manager itself works, it just won't update. Muon craches on startup.

[Old_Grey_Wolf]

I just noticed that your profile shows you are using Ubuntu 9.04. If that is true, that version is no longer supported and you can't get updates for it.

[Mr.Kuchinawa]

I just noticed that your profile shows you are using Ubuntu 9.04. If that is true, that version is no longer supported and you can't get updates for it.

I'm using the latest one, 11.10. Updated it now..

[Old_Grey_Wolf]

Now that you profile is updated...

I don't use the Muon graphical package manager for KDE; therefore, I will differ to someone else with KDE Muon experience.

[cortman]

Simple solution.
If you're sure you don't have another GUI package manager open (Synaptic, Ubuntu Software Center, Update Manager) you can open a terminal and run


ps -ef | grep apt

which will list all processes that are locking up Aptitude. You can kill these processes with the command


sudo kill-9 process_id

Substituting the process ID number (PID, which will be the four digit number in the column second from the left) for process_id.

For example, if I run ps-ef | grep apt on my VBox here, while running apt-get update, I get



root 1786 1654 2 16:07 pts/0 00:00:00 sudo apt-get update
root 1787 1786 4 16:07 pts/0 00:00:00 apt-get update
root 1791 1787 1 16:07 pts/0 00:00:00 /usr/lib/apt/methods/http
root 1792 1787 1 16:07 pts/0 00:00:00 /usr/lib/apt/methods/http
root 1793 1787 1 16:07 pts/0 00:00:00 /usr/lib/apt/methods/http
root 1794 1787 1 16:07 pts/0 00:00:00 /usr/lib/apt/methods/http
root 1795 1787 1 16:07 pts/0 00:00:00 /usr/lib/apt/methods/http
root 1797 1787 3 16:07 pts/0 00:00:00 /usr/lib/apt/methods/gpgv
root 1803 1787 0 16:08 pts/0 00:00:00 /usr/lib/apt/methods/bzip2
cortman 1809 1704 0 16:08 pts/1 00:00:00 grep --color=auto apt


To end these processes, I use the command


sudo kill -9 1786 1787 1791 1792 1793 1794 1795 1797 1803

The last process is your ps -ef |grep command. Don't kill it.

[Mr.Kuchinawa]

Simple solution.
If you're sure you don't have another GUI package manager open (Synaptic, Ubuntu Software Center, Update Manager) you can open a terminal and run


ps -ef | grep apt

which will list all processes that are locking up Aptitude. You can kill these processes with the command


sudo kill-9 process_id

Substituting the process ID number (PID, which will be the four digit number in the column second from the left) for process_id.

For example, if I run ps-ef | grep apt on my VBox here, while running apt-get update, I get



root 1786 1654 2 16:07 pts/0 00:00:00 sudo apt-get update
root 1787 1786 4 16:07 pts/0 00:00:00 apt-get update
root 1791 1787 1 16:07 pts/0 00:00:00 /usr/lib/apt/methods/http
root 1792 1787 1 16:07 pts/0 00:00:00 /usr/lib/apt/methods/http
root 1793 1787 1 16:07 pts/0 00:00:00 /usr/lib/apt/methods/http
root 1794 1787 1 16:07 pts/0 00:00:00 /usr/lib/apt/methods/http
root 1795 1787 1 16:07 pts/0 00:00:00 /usr/lib/apt/methods/http
root 1797 1787 3 16:07 pts/0 00:00:00 /usr/lib/apt/methods/gpgv
root 1803 1787 0 16:08 pts/0 00:00:00 /usr/lib/apt/methods/bzip2
cortman 1809 1704 0 16:08 pts/1 00:00:00 grep --color=auto apt


To end these processes, I use the command


sudo kill -9 1786 1787 1791 1792 1793 1794 1795 1797 1803

The last process is your ps -ef |grep command. Don't kill it.

I only get one...:


simen 28046 27968 0 02:12 pts/1 00:00:00 grep --color=auto apt

[Mr.Kuchinawa]

Never mind, I'm just gonna do a fresh new installation. I appreciate the help, though.

[cortman]

Wow. If that was the only process, I'd say something was pretty wrong. Good luck with the reinstallation!