How to fix lock /var/lib/dpkg/lock - open (11 Resource temporarily unavailable) Error
Posted by admin on March 30th, 2007 
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Error
E: Could not get lock /var/lib/dpkg/lock - open (11 Resource temporarily unavailable)
E: Unable to lock the administration directory (/var/lib/dpkg/), is another process using it?
Solution
First thing you need to check Synaptic Package Manager open at the same time
or
That happens when synaptic or another package update / installation application is already running. Close any other package managers (including Add/Remove application, language pack installer, etc.) and retry.
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March 30th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
I’ve actually found that recently my apt-get isn’t closing cleanly either, so that it keeps running even if I close the terminal window. A quick “sudo killall apt-get” fixes that, although I’m guessing that this isn’t most proper way of doing things.
April 9th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
I’m unable to find anything running, system monitor says everything is sleeping. I even ran sudo killall for apt-get and synaptic and it says “apt-get: no process killed” etc. In the mean time I can’t update my 7.04 alpha system, it says run “dpkg –configure -a”. I ran it but don’t know what to do when it opens. var/lib/dpkg/lock with white X in brown box in the upper right corner, 0 bytes. Help me Ubuntu Geek, your my only hope.
Newbie
April 9th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
bob
could you please provide the exact error message and what you are trying to do
July 2nd, 2007 at 3:33 pm
Thanks!!!!!!!!!
May 8th, 2008 at 5:13 am
hahaha, i had synaptic open, i’m such an idiot, thank you
May 31st, 2008 at 2:32 pm
rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock
June 18th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
If we remove the lock file, Is there any influence of the system?
July 11th, 2008 at 6:07 am
Thanks Q !!!!
August 16th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
thanks!