could not get lock - E Could not get lock var lib dpkg lock

root@linuxfix:~/could_not_get_lock$

could not get lock

E Could not get lock var lib dpkg lock

Solutions

Prerequisites: Start by updating your system to resolve common issues and ensure the solutions provided below are compatible with your current environment.

check_latest_version && sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Wait for process to complete

Check if legitimate process is running:

ps aux | grep -i apt

ps aux | grep -i dpkg

sudo lsof /var/lib/dpkg/lock

Kill blocking processes

Terminate stuck package processes:

sudo killall apt apt-get

sudo killall dpkg

sudo pkill -f unattended-upgrade

Remove lock files

Remove stale lock files:

sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/lock

sudo rm /var/cache/apt/archives/lock

sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock*

Warning: Only remove locks if no package processes are actually running.

What is could not get lock?

Another package management process is running, preventing new package operations from starting.

Common scenarios: Multiple package managers running, automatic updates in progress, or crashed package manager holding lock.

Common Causes

Another apt/dpkg process running
Automatic updates in background
Package manager crashed with lock held
System startup scripts using package manager
GUI package manager open

Debugging Tips

sudo fuser -v /var/lib/dpkg/lock

systemctl status unattended-upgrades

ls -la /var/lib/dpkg/lock*

ps -ef | grep -E "(apt|dpkg)"

Prevention

Wait for automatic updates to finish
Close GUI package managers
Use single package manager at a time
Monitor long-running updates

Additional Resources

APT Lock Issues

Resolving package manager locks

apt dpkg lock concurrent