Need help, apt manager is on strike

[mythus]

Greetings,

Hopefully this is the right place to post this. As I am new, I am assuming it is. If not, please move to the correct place.

Problem
I can not run anything to do with apt, apt manager, install/remove program, updates, etc...

I get the following error message...

Another process is using the packaging system database (probably some other Adept application or apt-get or aptitude). Please close the other application before using this one.

How I have tried to fix this...

Not only have I restarted the computer and done cold restarts numerous times but I have also searched to the best of my ability for any program that could be running the apt command.

IMPORTANT

I appreciate any help with finding a solution to this. I almost have my desktop set up exactly how I want it, but am now forced to stop with this problem. However, when you help me, please keep in mind the following.

1.) I am new to linux.

2.) So far the only command line I know is sudo apt-get and sudo apt-get remove.

3.) I have been a long time windows user. Dating from 3.0, I used to do everything in DOS, so I have some experience with commands. However linux commands are different than the old dos commands. I was using Windows XP when I finally had enough and made the switch to Linux. I have only been using Linux for a week now.

So please, as much as I hate to say it, speak to me as if I don't know the difference between a hard drive and a modem lol. I do, but the point is, talk to me like I know nothing.

I eagerly look forward to getting this problem fixed! Thank you all in advance for your help. And, if I might add, besides this little problem, I am quite enjoying linux and kubuntu.

[penguin.ch]

Re: Need help, apt manager is on strike

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/index.php?topic=14042.0

[MepisReign]

Re: Need help, apt manager is on strike

Try opening the konsole and type:

sudo dpkg --configure -a

it will ask for your password, type it....

Let the process finish and try opening Adept again, please let us know how it goes

Regards,

MepisReign

[mythus]

Re: Need help, apt manager is on strike

Thanks!

That seemed to solve it. It came up with a list of things who's download was unresolved due to broken dependencies. Afterwards I was able to run the updater. After the updater runs I will see if the Apt Manager runs, but since they are one and the same almost, I suspect there will be no problems there.

A new command to add to my knowledge. Thanks again for your help!

Oh and Unicorn, for your knowledge... I did search the forums before posting this topic.

However, it came up with almost 300 pages, the first 20 did not have the solution. Perhaps my search field was too high, and/or perhaps I should have read even more pages. However I am sure you will understand that when something is broken, you want to find an answer quickly.

If this has been asked a lot, it may be benifical to have it in the FAQ.

[MepisReign]

Re: Need help, apt manager is on strike

No worries man, that's why we are all here for!!

Long live Kubuntu!!

Ok, I know I'm way too enthusiastic about it :P

MepisReign

[mythus]

Re: Need help, apt manager is on strike

Ok, I seem to have another problem with the adept manager. 

I have searched the forums and tried what I could find, but could be missing something.

Anyways... this might explain my new problem...

[CODE]
The following packages have been unpacked but not yet configured.
They must be configured using dpkg --configure or the configure
menu option in dselect for them to work:
 system-config-cluster red hat cluster suite configuration tool (GUI)
 redhat-cluster-suite red hat cluster suite (meta package)

The following packages are only half configured, probably due to problems
configuring them the first time. The configuration should be retried using
dpkg --configure <package> or the configure menu option in dselect:
 clvm        Cluster LVM Daemon for lvm2

Now that problem prevents me from installing a lot of things such as WINE.

I have tried the steps

 sudo dpkg configure (name of package)

several times. I have even tried to remove them. I have also used the other installer (starts with an s...) to try and fix the problem. I seem unable to do so.

So can you please again help me fix this? Thanks in advance for all of your help.

[/code]

[askrieger]

Re: Need help, apt manager is on strike

Please use the command " sudo dpkg --configure -a". You ARE graded on spelling and punctuation by a computer that knows less than your third grade teacher.

[mythus]

Re: Need help, apt manager is on strike

Thanks for your response. However...

That was already fixed and addressed earlier. I have even determined the programs causing the errors. However my error is that I cannot fix those errors, nor can I remove those programs...

BTW- I didn't misspell sudo. And when I put the command into the terminal, I did add the --. However, thank you for making sure that was done.

Now, I still need to find the solution to my problem. If anyone is able to help, please do so.

[askrieger]

Re: Need help, apt manager is on strike

Frankly, I suspect that you're trying to do something that you don't know enough to do. Why are you trying to install clvm? And if you really need clvm why are you doing it with redhat-cluster-suite?

[mythus]

Re: Need help, apt manager is on strike

I am not trying to install it. But yes, my knowledge of linux is extremely limited.

Quite frankly I would be just as happy if I was able to cancel it. It stays in the back ground, not configured. Because of that, when I try to install other programs that I want, such as wine... well it won' full install. During the install process an error message pops up about breaking packages or whatever and aborts the install. Being extremely limited with linux (I have only had linux since Tuesday), this is becoming quite frustrating.

I suspect that the problems arrived when I decided on trying to install the Cluster program. The description of it made it look like an interesting program.

But anyways, can anyone help me fix this?

[askrieger]

Re: Need help, apt manager is on strike

Are you sure that Apt is, in fact, aborting the install of the other package, or is it simply telling you that it can't finish installing clvm? Are you sure that Wine is not installed?

I have a broken package on my system (a syntax error in the post-removal script of its predecessor) that won't let me complete the installation. I get nagged about it every time I try to install something, but that does not prevent me from using the packaging system for other installations. Accordingly, lazy SOB that I am, I just keep forgetting to find and repair the typo in the offending script, or even to file a bug.

When you run "sudo dpkg --configure clvm" You should get an error message. If you do, please copy down THE EXACT WORDING, and report it here. Then someone will guide you in the repair procedure.

[mythus]

Re: Need help, apt manager is on strike

Well after I attempt to try and install Wine, it tells me that it can't complete the procedure, and then I check anyways and it still is not installed.

Here is what I get from doing --configure clvm...

Setting up clvm (2.02.06-2ubuntu9) ...
Starting Cluster LVM Daemon clvmd could not connect to cluster manager
Consult syslog for more information
invoke-rc.d: initscript clvm, action "start" failed.
dpkg: error processing clvm (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 3
Errors were encountered while processing:
 clvm

Here is the error message I get when trying to install WINE or almost any other program (including updates...)

There was an error commiting changes. Possibly there was a problem downloading some packages or the commit would break packages.

Kind of odd.. it misspells committing.

Anyways, any other information needed to help me fix this? If so please tell me. Hopefully this is something that can be fixed.

[askrieger]

Re: Need help, apt manager is on strike

It appears that clvm is failing because it can't find a cluster on which to manage linux volumes. Clvm is then sending its failure to Bash which is running the post-install script. Bash is sending a failure to dpkg which is failing to complete the setup of clvm, and so dpkg which is called by all of the higher level package managers has put a lock on the packaging system. The only suggestion, I can make (and I admit that it has a low likelihood of success) is to try to remove clvm. Try the command "sudo dpkg --purge clvm". You will probably get the same error that you get when you try to configure clvm, But it might work. stranger things have happened.

[mythus]

Re: Need help, apt manager is on strike

As expected, it came back with failures.

Previously I had tried sudo dpkg --remove on the redhat packages ad clvm. All of those efforts have also been futile.

Incase it might help, here's the result of performing sudo dpkg --purge clvm...

(Reading database ... 166487 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing clvm ...
Stopping Cluster LVM Daemon invoke-rc.d: initscript clvm, action "stop" failed.
dpkg: error processing clvm (--purge):
 subprocess pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
Starting Cluster LVM Daemon clvmd could not connect to cluster manager
Consult syslog for more information
invoke-rc.d: initscript clvm, action "start" failed.
dpkg: error while cleaning up:
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 3
Errors were encountered while processing:
 clvm

Since this was the only thing you could come up with, does this mean I am screwed? Is there no way around this? Or do I have to do a fresh install? I would hate to have to, I put a lot of work into what I have now, but notably if this can't be fixed I would have to...

[mythus]

Re: Need help, apt manager is on strike

UPDATE

I went ahead and did a fresh install to get rid of the problem once and for all. I figured that how much time I was spending on this problem I could have reinstalled and re-set up my linux box the way I want it.

Thank you all for trying to assist me with this.