Linux Lite Forums

Full Version: Updates failure on new install - Could not get lock
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
===========================
Install Updates Error log
===========================
Install Updates could not successfully download and install available updates.
Go to https://www.linuxliteos.com/forums/ and paste the log below into the Software - Support - Updates section for assistance.

============ Log ===========

E: Could not get lock /var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend. It is held by process 3852 (apt-get)
E: Unable to acquire the dpkg frontend lock (/var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend), is another process using it?
Any software update process (like a manual update, a background update or running a package manager) requires exclusive access to update resources and will lock them while running to prevent another update process starting.  If one update process has locked the resources and a second one tries to start, the second will not be able to get the resource and will generate a message like this.

Usually all that is needed is to wait until the first process completes and releases the resource.
Depending on the speed of the connection and the size of the updates, the resource may be locked for a significant time.  This is especially the case after a fresh installation as many updates may be being processed.
If the problem does not self-resolve it is possible that something (like an interrupted update) may have broken the mechanism and more investigation will be required to clear the lock.
Ahhh ok. Must have been an update running on the 2 or 3 times I tried.  Thanks for that!  My impatience I guess Big Grin