[Hansophobia]

This is what happens. Also, the gnome-app-installer wasn't running.

hans@HansLaptop:~$ ps -e
PID TTY TIME CMD
1 ? 00:00:02 init
2 ? 00:00:00 kthreadd
3 ? 00:00:00 migration/0
4 ? 00:00:00 ksoftirqd/0
5 ? 00:00:00 watchdog/0
9 ? 00:00:00 events/0
11 ? 00:00:00 khelper
47 ? 00:00:00 kblockd/0
51 ? 00:00:00 kacpid
52 ? 00:00:00 kacpi_notify
152 ? 00:00:01 kseriod
194 ? 00:00:01 pdflush
195 ? 00:00:00 pdflush
196 ? 00:00:00 kswapd0
237 ? 00:00:00 aio/0
1471 ? 00:00:00 ksuspend_usbd
1476 ? 00:00:00 khubd
1600 ? 00:00:01 ata/0
1607 ? 00:00:00 ata_aux
1650 ? 00:00:00 khpsbpkt
2399 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_0
2400 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_1
2401 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_2
2443 ? 00:00:00 knodemgrd_0
2451 ? 00:00:03 scsi_eh_3
2452 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_4
2628 ? 00:00:01 kjournald
2830 ? 00:00:00 udevd
3283 ? 00:00:00 kmmcd
3312 ? 00:00:00 kpsmoused
4133 ? 00:00:00 pccardd
4759 tty4 00:00:00 getty
4760 tty5 00:00:00 getty
4762 tty2 00:00:00 getty
4764 tty3 00:00:00 getty
4766 tty6 00:00:00 getty
4951 ? 00:00:00 acpid
4979 ? 00:00:01 kondemand/0
5069 ? 00:00:00 syslogd
5124 ? 00:00:00 dd
5127 ? 00:00:00 klogd
5149 ? 00:00:18 dbus-daemon
5166 ? 00:00:04 NetworkManager
5180 ? 00:00:00 NetworkManagerD
5193 ? 00:00:00 system-tools-ba
5213 ? 00:00:02 avahi-daemon
5214 ? 00:00:00 avahi-daemon
5266 ? 00:00:00 cupsd
5304 ? 00:00:00 thinkpad-keys
5395 ? 00:00:00 dhcdbd
5414 ? 00:00:12 hald
5417 ? 00:00:01 console-kit-dae
5418 ? 00:00:01 hald-runner
5491 ? 00:00:00 hald-addon-inpu
5504 ? 00:00:00 hald-addon-cpuf
5505 ? 00:00:00 hald-addon-acpi
5523 ? 00:00:04 hald-addon-stor
5544 ? 00:00:00 hcid
5563 ? 00:00:00 btaddconn
5564 ? 00:00:00 btdelconn
5581 ? 00:00:00 bluetoothd-serv
5593 ? 00:00:00 bluetoothd-serv
5610 ? 00:00:00 krfcommd
5648 ? 00:00:00 gdm
5651 ? 00:00:00 gdm
5654 tty7 00:34:25 Xorg
5693 ? 00:00:00 atd
5712 ? 00:00:00 cron
5796 tty1 00:00:00 getty
5812 ? 00:00:01 x-session-manag
5889 ? 00:00:00 ssh-agent
5891 ? 00:00:05 gconfd-2
5898 ? 00:00:00 seahorse-agent
5905 ? 00:00:00 gnome-keyring-d
5908 ? 00:00:00 dbus-daemon
5909 ? 00:00:07 gnome-settings-
5917 ? 00:02:40 pulseaudio
5920 ? 00:00:00 gconf-helper
5933 ? 00:00:00 compiz
5934 ? 00:00:22 gnome-screensav
5935 ? 00:01:13 gnome-panel
5937 ? 00:01:14 nautilus
5944 ? 00:00:00 bonobo-activati
5968 ? 00:00:00 gvfsd
5980 ? 00:00:00 gvfs-fuse-daemo
6004 ? 00:07:39 compiz.real
6005 ? 00:00:01 bluetooth-apple
6014 ? 00:00:00 tracker-applet
6015 ? 00:00:00 evolution-alarm
6020 ? 00:00:00 obex-data-serve
6023 ? 00:00:00 python
6025 ? 00:00:00 trackerd
6026 ? 00:00:15 nm-applet
6027 ? 00:00:00 gnome-volume-ma
6033 ? 00:00:04 gnome-power-man
6038 ? 00:00:00 trashapplet
6041 ? 00:00:00 gvfsd-trash
6043 ? 00:00:00 gvfsd-burn
6098 ? 00:00:00 evolution-data-
6119 ? 00:00:00 evolution-excha
6153 ? 00:00:00 sh
6154 ? 00:00:00 compiz-decorato
6156 ? 00:00:31 gtk-window-deco
6161 ? 00:00:00 mixer_applet2
6163 ? 00:00:00 fast-user-switc
9285 ? 00:00:00 gnome-vfs-daemo
10615 ? 00:05:26 deluge
10631 ? 00:00:01 python
10863 ? 00:00:00 migration/1
10864 ? 00:00:00 ksoftirqd/1
10865 ? 00:00:00 watchdog/1
10866 ? 00:00:00 kondemand/1
10867 ? 00:00:00 ata/1
10868 ? 00:00:00 aio/1
10869 ? 00:00:00 kblockd/1
10870 ? 00:00:00 events/1
10961 ? 00:00:00 iwl4965/0
10963 ? 00:00:00 iwl4965/1
11052 ? 00:00:00 iwl4965
11207 ? 00:00:00 wpa_supplicant
11212 ? 00:00:00 dhclient
11353 ? 00:00:00 ntpd
13663 ? 00:00:07 pidgin
26103 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_7
26104 ? 00:00:00 usb-storage
26152 ? 00:00:00 mount.ntfs-3g
26343 ? 00:00:16 firefox
26439 ? 00:00:06 gnome-system-mo
26446 ? 00:00:00 gnome-terminal
26448 ? 00:00:00 gnome-pty-helpe
26449 pts/0 00:00:00 bash
26517 pts/0 00:00:00 ps
hans@HansLaptop:~$

[Jonathan183]

I tried narrowing this down running ps on my Ubuntu setup which will allow software install and updates ... the following processes I could not spot running on my setup ...

1650 ? 00:00:00 khpsbpkt
2443 ? 00:00:00 knodemgrd_0
3283 ? 00:00:00 kmmcd
5304 ? 00:00:00 thinkpad-keys
5889 ? 00:00:00 ssh-agent
6020 ? 00:00:00 obex-data-serve
6098 ? 00:00:00 evolution-data-
6119 ? 00:00:00 evolution-excha
9285 ? 00:00:00 gnome-vfs-daemo
10615 ? 00:05:26 deluge
10865 ? 00:00:00 watchdog/1
10961 ? 00:00:00 iwl4965/0
10963 ? 00:00:00 iwl4965/1
11052 ? 00:00:00 iwl4965
26439 ? 00:00:06 gnome-system-mo
11207 ? 00:00:00 wpa_supplicant
11353 ? 00:00:00 ntpd
26103 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_7
26104 ? 00:00:00 usb-storage
26152 ? 00:00:00 mount.ntfs-3g

I guess things like ntfs-3g are not the problem ... less sure about ntpd and obex-data-serve. I don't think a re-install will help as you are likely to end up in exactly the same position. I'd ensure you have the updater disabled and make sure any installation processes are complete and try again. You can use kill to remove processes you suspect are still causing issues ... but this is quite drastic ... see if you still have a problem after disabling automatic updates and restarting the system.

[devils casper]

Execute this :

dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt-get update

If it throws same error, execute this

sudo rm -rf /var/lib/dpkg/lock

[Hansophobia]

I am still having problems when I input the code. It says that I need 'superuser' privilege.
Also, when I input the second code, nothing happens (to my knowledge at least).

[smolloy]

The "sudo" command gives you superuser privileges. Use it before the command that needs to be executed as superuser.

[Hansophobia]

It seems that everything is working much, although it states that a package is 'broken', and that I should use filters to find it. How should I go about finding this broken package that has caused so many problems?

I am using Synaptic and Add/Remove Applications.

[devils casper]

Does sudo apt-get update lists any error message in output?

[Hansophobia]

It has finally worked.
Everything seems to be working fine, and the installation of files through multiple protocols is now worker (ie Add/Remove Applications, Terminal, opening .deb files from home folder).
Thank you guys very much for all the help you have offered and given here. I hope I can be as much of a help to community as you fine posters.

[devils casper]

Glad to help you.
Do start a new thread if you have any other question.