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#1 2008-11-22 11:19:04

GustavoPottker
Member
Registered: 2008-11-22
Posts: 4

Problem with Pacman!

Hello everybody!

I have an issue with pacman. It appeared after my conection with the web was cut down while I was installing gnome. Now, everytime I try to use pacman, is says:
"Error : Failed to init transaction (unable to lock database)
If you're sure a package manager is not already running, you can remove /var/lib/pacman/db.lck "

And nothing works.

I'm very disapointed with these problems. Arch is not only a hard distro, but it requires a good amount of luck, something I didn't had...

If someone can help me I would be very pleased.

Thanks in advance!

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#2 2008-11-22 11:20:29

GustavoPottker
Member
Registered: 2008-11-22
Posts: 4

Re: Problem with Pacman!

My MSN is gspottker@hotmail.com

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#3 2008-11-22 11:22:13

Allan
Pacman
From: Brisbane, AU
Registered: 2007-06-09
Posts: 11,365
Website

Re: Problem with Pacman!

Did you even read the error message?

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#4 2008-11-22 11:31:57

GustavoPottker
Member
Registered: 2008-11-22
Posts: 4

Re: Problem with Pacman!

Yes, but I didn't know what to do. I'm a newbie. I tried to see the file, but it was blank. And I just don't know what means a "lock database".

Do you know what I have to do?

thanks

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#5 2008-11-22 11:33:04

Allan
Pacman
From: Brisbane, AU
Registered: 2007-06-09
Posts: 11,365
Website

Re: Problem with Pacman!

OK.  In clue in the error message is "you can remove /var/lib/pacman/db.lck".  Do that.

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#6 2008-11-22 11:36:15

GustavoPottker
Member
Registered: 2008-11-22
Posts: 4

Re: Problem with Pacman!

I'm awfully sorry for this post. I'm just a bad linux user. I removed the file and it worked! Well, thanks for the attention.
I tried before to remove the file, but didn't use the right command...

good bye

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#7 2008-11-22 12:42:00

tomk
Forum Fellow
From: Ireland
Registered: 2004-07-21
Posts: 9,839

Re: Problem with Pacman!

GustavoPottker wrote:

I'm very disapointed with these problems.

You've mentioned only one problem, and that has now been resolved. If you have others, I'm sure people will help you with them, but please search the forum and the wiki first - your problems may have already been solved by someone else.

If you are having difficulty with Arch, it may not be the right distro for you. Have a look around - there are plenty to choose from, many designed to be suitable for new Linux users.

And finally - it's not a good idea to post your email address in public forums.

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#8 2008-11-22 13:52:34

Lord Illidan
Member
From: Malta
Registered: 2007-10-25
Posts: 248

Re: Problem with Pacman!

+1 on reading the wiki.
If you are new to Linux, have a go at Ubuntu? Not that Arch is worse, but Ubuntu has more handholding.

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#9 2008-12-30 08:55:16

jaydoc
Member
From: Chennai/Birmingham,AL
Registered: 2008-12-30
Posts: 88

Re: Problem with Pacman!

Hi

I have another version of the same problem.

Actually I am a BRAND NEW migrant to ArchLinux. I have used Linux on Ubuntu, Kubuntu and PCLinuxOS. But Iam still brand new at command line interfaces. Installing Arch by using the wonderful ARCHLINUX beginner guide has got me thus far to this brand-new KDEmod Linux interface, of which Iam quite proud. And I had a lot of trouble connecting the ethernet at which I succeeded, and then the wireless at which I have managed to be partly but not fully successful.

I managed to commit one more error along the way. Not knowing that the SUDOERS file was in VB or some such arcane language that a non-geek like me is aware of, I managed to bork it to such an extent that i "accidentally" (a typical newbie excuse..!!) "managed" to delete the root' account's name from it...!

As I didn't want to mess up before I knew what exactly was wrong, I continued with the install with no further issues that I could notice.

But the issue for this thread...

I tried using the Arch Wi-Fi guide to make my wifi work, and at one point it seemed to work, because the Wi-Fi LED of my laptop turned on after I did dhcpcd wlan0. But that was a msitaken notion as i learnt to my peril. I logged into a terminal and used pacman to download the wireless assistant GUI to make the process easy for a newbie like me. But since the wireless was not actually working, pacman was unable to connect for more than 10 mins and was stuck on some point...

So I closed the terminal..!

Now when I use pacman to download something it gives me the error like it did for the original poster. I managed to figure out the solution from the hint

error: failed to init transaction (unable to lock database)
  if you're sure a package manager is not already
  running, you can remove /var/lib/pacman/db.lck

So i tried to issue the command

/var/lib/pacman/db.lck

But I got this error back.

bash: /var/lib/pacman/db.lck: Permission denied

I went back to issuing the visudo command, and this time I managed to add the root's name correctly and save the file. Now when i type in sudo as root, i am able to get into password and execute an example command like sudo alsamixer and get to the window.

But still i get the same error

bash: /var/lib/pacman/db.lck: Permission denied

What is wrong...? Can someone help me...?

Thanks for reading through.


It takes a very unusual mind to undertake the analysis of the obvious - A N Whitehead

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#10 2008-12-30 09:12:25

sand_man
Member
From: Australia
Registered: 2008-06-10
Posts: 2,164

Re: Problem with Pacman!

Forget sudo for the moment. Does su work?

Last edited by sand_man (2008-12-30 09:15:56)


neutral

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#11 2008-12-30 09:29:58

jaydoc
Member
From: Chennai/Birmingham,AL
Registered: 2008-12-30
Posts: 88

Re: Problem with Pacman!

yes it does...

[user@myhost ~]$ su root
Password:
bash-3.2#


It takes a very unusual mind to undertake the analysis of the obvious - A N Whitehead

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#12 2008-12-30 09:33:00

string
Member
Registered: 2008-11-03
Posts: 286

Re: Problem with Pacman!

# rm /var/lib/pacman/db.lck

Note: it's never too late for the ultimate solution

Last edited by string (2008-12-30 09:34:03)

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#13 2008-12-30 09:33:30

Allan
Pacman
From: Brisbane, AU
Registered: 2007-06-09
Posts: 11,365
Website

Re: Problem with Pacman!

So, you got a message:

jaydoc wrote:

error: failed to init transaction (unable to lock database)
  if you're sure a package manager is not already
  running, you can remove /var/lib/pacman/db.lck

and you did:

jaydoc wrote:

/var/lib/pacman/db.lck

But I got this error back.

bash: /var/lib/pacman/db.lck: Permission denied

Not quite removing a file.  Try an "rm" in there...

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#14 2008-12-30 09:39:39

Allan
Pacman
From: Brisbane, AU
Registered: 2007-06-09
Posts: 11,365
Website

Re: Problem with Pacman!

string wrote:
# rm /var/lib/pacman/db.lck

Note: it's never too late for the ultimate solution

At least you were helpful before being an ass...  I advise you to stick to the helpful part in future.

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#15 2008-12-30 09:42:00

string
Member
Registered: 2008-11-03
Posts: 286

Re: Problem with Pacman!

What's wrong with recommending Ubuntu?

Last edited by string (2008-12-30 09:43:53)

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#16 2008-12-30 09:57:58

jaydoc
Member
From: Chennai/Birmingham,AL
Registered: 2008-12-30
Posts: 88

Re: Problem with Pacman!

to all
thank you so much for such a speedy reponse...!

@string... I am considering a solution on the lines of something like this

http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Teaching/Unix/

Never too late to learn..!


It takes a very unusual mind to undertake the analysis of the obvious - A N Whitehead

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#17 2008-12-30 10:14:51

Xyne
Administrator/PM
Registered: 2008-08-03
Posts: 6,963
Website

Re: Problem with Pacman!

@jaydoc
That's quite a nice find for anyone starting out on the command line . Also,imho, the auto-didactic approach is enough to overcome any lack of "basic" Linux knowledge when trying to familiarize oneself with Arch. Between search engines, the wiki, and the forum search you should be able to solve most of the problems you'll encounter in the beginning.

Welcome to Arch!


My Arch Linux StuffForum EtiquetteCommunity Ethos - Arch is not for everyone

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#18 2008-12-31 11:04:54

jaydoc
Member
From: Chennai/Birmingham,AL
Registered: 2008-12-30
Posts: 88

Re: Problem with Pacman!

thanks xyne... I am beginning to love the Arch Way...! Its a wonderful learning experience to start understanding what is going on beneath the hood of that shiny new computer...! And that is the real difference between the OS-that-should -not be-named and Linux...!


It takes a very unusual mind to undertake the analysis of the obvious - A N Whitehead

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