[HLUG] 'could not get lock (synaptic problem)'

[Julian Robbins]

Hi Graham
>
>
>     Wonderful Synaptic package manager
>
> 2 May, 2007 - 20:05 --- graham
>
> Somehow when using Synaptic there was an interruption, the downloading 
> stopped and Synaptic got broken. My system may be trying to carry on 
> where it left off because when I try to invoke Synaptic or use a 
> command with dpkg in it there is a no go situation because something 
> else is already running.
> As I use Ubuntu I asked for help in that forum. I got some answers but 
> let the trail go cold and no-one has been trying to help recently. If 
> a post is new then it gets looked at but old ones just get ignored I 
> think.
> One gripe I have about forums is the unhelpful titles some people 
> write in with, not trying to define their problem. Hence searching to 
> find help in previous posts is a needle-in-haystack quest!
> My problem has the title 'could not get lock (synaptic problem)'
>
Referring to your blog post on our LUG website, (thanks !), I've got an 
idea to fix your problem.

you could try

sudo dpkg --configure -a

This is normally used when a package breaks or when synaptic is 
interrupted, to clear up the mess. You actual error is an odd one.

Or have a look at this post.

http://feedfury.com/content/4529018-how_to_fix_lock_var_lib_dpkg_lock_open_11_resource_temporarily_unavailable_error.html

Its not exactly the same issue as yours but sounds very similar.

Tell us how you get on.

Cheers

Julian