[Bug 1413762] Re: precise -> trusty upgrade failed dpkg status database is locked by another process

[Jason R. Coombs]

Perhaps the dist-upgrade process could acquire some kind of exclusive
lock early (and release late) such that it could guarantee that the
packaging infrastructure wouldn't be in use by another process (or fail
early, rather than midstream, if the packaging infrastructure is in
use).

If only there were a way to early invoke dpkg (to create its usual
lock), leave it running, send signals to that process to invoke substeps
of the whole operation, and eventually release the process and its lock
near the end of the upgrade.

I have a very naive view of the system, so that's as deep as my
recommendation can go, but I hope it provides at least a hint of
inspiration. I certainly understand the challenge with having a "all or
nothing" update to a system platform.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1413762

Title:
  precise -> trusty upgrade failed dpkg status database is locked by
  another process

Status in ubuntu-release-upgrader package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  Here's the report from the failed upgrade. I'll attach the requested
  files:

  Processing triggers for man-db ...
  dpkg: error: dpkg status database is locked by another process
  Error in function:

  
  A fatal error occurred

  Please report this as a bug and include the files
  /var/log/dist-upgrade/main.log and /var/log/dist-upgrade/apt.log in
  your report. The upgrade has aborted.
  Your original sources.list was saved in
  /etc/apt/sources.list.distUpgrade.

  SystemError: E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)


  Could not install the upgrades

  The upgrade has aborted. Your system could be in an unusable state. A
  recovery will run now (dpkg --configure -a).

  Please report this bug in a browser at
  http://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-release-upgrader/+filebug
  and attach the files in /var/log/dist-upgrade/ to the bug report.
  installArchives() failed

  dpkg: error: dpkg status database is locked by another process

  Upgrade complete

  The upgrade has completed but there were errors during the upgrade
  process.

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