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System will not update nor can I install/remove application because the application apt-get will not release the process.

Rebooting the laptop does not resolve this matter. I'm very new to this OS and still find myself fumbling around to self fix issues. I get the following error :

Error when attempting to an update of system using the GUI ....

Not all updates can be installed .... Recommend to do a partial update which I do and get the next error .... Unable to get exclusive lock

This usually means that another package management application (like apt-get or aptitude) already running. Please close that application first.

This all started when I was attempting to install apps for Netflix to run per instructions found here

The last command that was executed was sudo apt-get install pipelight-multi which installed then presented text licencing agreement and OK at the bottom. Clicking on OK with the mouse pointer or pressing the ENTER button did not get past this screen. In frustration, I closed the terminal program. Which leads me to the area I am at now.

Per MUSHER's request to input the following into Terminal and post(ps aux | grep -i apt)

root      6734  0.0  0.0   7628   880 ?        S    Jul28   0:00 sudo apt-get install pipelight-multi
root      6735  0.0  0.1  35840  1332 ?        S    Jul28   0:05 apt-get install pipelight-multi
root      6792  0.0  0.0  55328   848 pts/2    Ss+  Jul28   0:02 /usr/bin/dpkg --status-fd 44 --unpack --auto-deconfigure /var/cache/apt/archives/libunistring0_0.9.3-5_i386.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libgettextpo0_0.18.1.1-5ubuntu3_i386.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libmpg123-0_1.12.1-3.2ubuntu1_i386.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libodbc1_2.2.14p2-5ubuntu3_i386.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/cabextract_1.4-1_i386.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/ttf-mscorefonts-installer_3.4ubuntu3_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/wine-compholio-i386_1.7.23~ubuntu12.04.1_i386.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/wine-compholio_1.7.23~ubuntu12.04.1_i386.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libcapi20-3_1%3a3.12.20071127-0ubuntu11_i386.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libosmesa6_8.0.4-0ubuntu0.7_i386.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/mesa-utils_8.0.1+git20110129+d8f7d6b-0ubuntu2_i386.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/pipelight-multi_0.2.7.1~ubuntu12.04.1_i386.deb
root      8670  0.8  2.3  59116 24084 ?        SN   06:10   0:27 /usr/bin/python /usr/sbin/aptd
root      9751  0.0  0.6  15180  6928 ?        S    06:31   0:00 /usr/bin/python /usr/share/apt-xapian-index/update-apt-xapian-index-dbus
libby    10203  0.0  0.0   4392   848 pts/4    R+   07:02   0:00 grep --color=auto -i apt
Aserre
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user310273
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2 Answers2

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To release the lock, go to a terminal and issue the following commands...

sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/lock
sudo rm /var/cache/apt/archives/lock
Scott Goodgame
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From the edit you just added about installing pipelight, it looks like your issue is that apt was unable to close properly, and so it left the lock file. I would go through this procedure and your problem will likely be solved.

In short, I think you just need to remove the lock, but it's generally not safe to do so (see this question), so you should test some things before you do.

Community
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Mitch
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  • Prior to reading the answer this part, I ran the unlock process per Scott Goodgame with no change. Same error as reported. I will now proceed with mentioned steps by muser link to "this procedure". – user310273 Jul 29 '14 at 13:14