debian update stoped working
 

I get the following message when I attempt to do software updates on my "Debian machine":
"Only one software management tool is allowed to run at the same time
Please close the other application e.g. 'aptitude' or 'Synaptic' first."

How do I resolve this problem?
I am a Linux illiterate. A typical answer from a Linux pro contains many alternatives. This is confusing. Please, could somebody suggest one course of action. Doesn't have to be the best way to do it, as long as it works.
Thank you,
Andre

try typing
then try again

Hello and welcome to LinuxQuestions,

As the error states, you have more than one instance of a package management tool running. Maybe on another desktop or hanging. Check all programs to see if one of them is Synaptic, Aptitude, or maybe on console level apt-get.

If you cannot find any instance open a console and check the running processes with the command
Kind regards,

Eric

This happens when update notifier in gnome is running (auto update)
disable it or remove it from the start menu.

Anytime I update my system I stop the xserver then update as said in the above post the desktop could be running it to and hanging it up. you can use <ctr>+<alt>+<backspace> to stop the xserver. the run your update command and the after its done try starting with
hope that helps

Why don't you disable auto-update?
If it's enabled, no need to do update by the command-prompt..
I always disable auto-update, I like to have control.
Killing X to update seems a little over the top, no?

Considering you use less system resources that way your update may go a little faster if you have a slow system

aditional info from author of question.
 

Just wanted to clarify.
I get the error message when I double click the orange icon (updates available notifier) in the upper right hand corner. It worked in the past and stooped about 7 months ago.

here is more info:
andrez83@DELL350MHZ:~$ ps -ef
UID PID PPID C STIME TTY TIME CMD
root 1 0 0 12:27 ? 00:00:03 init [2]
root 2 1 0 12:27 ? 00:00:00 [migration/0]
root 3 1 0 12:27 ? 00:00:00 [ksoftirqd/0]
root 4 1 0 12:27 ? 00:00:00 [events/0]
root 5 1 0 12:27 ? 00:00:00 [khelper]
root 6 1 0 12:27 ? 00:00:00 [kthread]
root 9 6 0 12:27 ? 00:00:00 [kblockd/0]
root 10 6 0 12:27 ? 00:00:00 [kacpid]
root 54 6 0 12:27 ? 00:00:00 [kseriod]
root 88 6 0 12:27 ? 00:00:00 [pdflush]
root 89 6 0 12:27 ? 00:00:00 [pdflush]
root 90 6 0 12:27 ? 00:00:00 [kswapd0]
root 91 6 0 12:27 ? 00:00:00 [aio/0]
root 550 6 0 12:27 ? 00:00:00 [khubd]
root 869 6 0 12:27 ? 00:00:00 [kjournald]
root 1046 1 0 12:27 ? 00:00:00 udevd --daemon
root 1318 6 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 [kpsmoused]
root 1377 6 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 [kgameportd]
root 1657 6 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 [kmirrord]
daemon 1907 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /sbin/portmap
root 2138 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /sbin/klogd -x
root 2156 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/hpiod
hplip 2205 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 python /usr/sbin/hpssd
root 2291 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/acpid -c /etc/acpi/eve
root 2319 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/cupsd
103 2327 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /usr/bin/dbus-daemon --system
105 2335 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:05 /usr/sbin/hald
root 2336 2335 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 hald-runner
105 2342 2336 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 hald-addon-acpi: listening on ac
105 2346 2336 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 hald-addon-keyboard: listening o
root 2364 2336 0 12:28 ? 00:00:01 hald-addon-storage: polling /dev
root 2371 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/dhcdbd --system
root 2378 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/NetworkManager --pid-f
avahi 2393 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 avahi-daemon: running [DELL350MH
avahi 2394 2393 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 avahi-daemon: chroot helper
root 2401 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/NetworkManagerDispatch
100 2448 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/exim4 -bd -q30m
root 2459 2371 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /sbin/dhclient -1 -lf /var/lib/d
root 2470 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/inetd
root 2477 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/nmbd -D
root 2484 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/smbd -D
root 2532 2484 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/smbd -D
root 2543 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/gdm
root 2548 2543 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/gdm
root 2560 2548 3 12:28 tty7 00:01:03 /usr/bin/X :0 -dpi 96 -audit 0 -
statd 2573 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /sbin/rpc.statd
root 2600 1 0 12:28 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/rpc.idmapd
root 2638 1 0 12:28 tty1 00:00:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty1
root 2639 1 0 12:28 tty2 00:00:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty2
root 2640 1 0 12:28 tty3 00:00:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty3
root 2641 1 0 12:28 tty4 00:00:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty4
root 2642 1 0 12:28 tty5 00:00:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty5
root 2643 1 0 12:28 tty6 00:00:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty6
root 2820 1 0 12:35 ? 00:00:00 /sbin/syslogd
andrez83 2821 2548 0 12:38 ? 00:00:01 x-session-manager
andrez83 2864 2821 0 12:38 ? 00:00:00 /usr/bin/ssh-agent /usr/bin/dbus
andrez83 2867 1 0 12:38 ? 00:00:00 /usr/bin/dbus-launch --exit-with
andrez83 2868 1 0 12:38 ? 00:00:00 /usr/bin/dbus-daemon --fork --pr
andrez83 2870 1 0 12:38 ? 00:00:01 /usr/lib/libgconf2-4/gconfd-2 5
andrez83 2873 1 0 12:38 ? 00:00:00 /usr/bin/gnome-keyring-daemon
andrez83 2875 1 0 12:38 ? 00:00:00 /usr/lib/bonobo-activation/bonob
andrez83 2877 1 0 12:38 ? 00:00:01 /usr/lib/control-center/gnome-se
andrez83 2880 1 0 12:38 ? 00:00:02 /usr/bin/metacity --sm-client-id
andrez83 2894 1 0 12:38 ? 00:00:04 gnome-panel --sm-client-id defau
andrez83 2896 1 0 12:38 ? 00:00:06 nautilus --no-default-window --s
andrez83 2900 1 0 12:38 ? 00:00:02 /usr/lib/gnome-panel/wnck-applet
andrez83 2902 1 0 12:38 ? 00:00:00 vino-session --sm-client-id defa
andrez83 2904 1 0 12:38 ? 00:00:00 bluetooth-applet
andrez83 2905 1 0 12:38 ? 00:00:00 gnome-volume-manager --sm-client
andrez83 2907 1 0 12:38 ? 00:00:01 update-notifier
andrez83 2911 1 0 12:38 ? 00:00:01 nm-applet --sm-disable
andrez83 2914 1 0 12:38 ? 00:00:00 /usr/lib/gnome-vfs-2.0/gnome-vfs
andrez83 2917 1 0 12:38 ? 00:00:00 gnome-cups-icon --sm-client-id d
andrez83 2923 1 0 12:39 ? 00:00:00 /usr/lib/nautilus-cd-burner/mapp
andrez83 2926 1 0 12:39 ? 00:00:00 /usr/lib/gnome-panel/notificatio
andrez83 2928 1 0 12:39 ? 00:00:00 /usr/lib/gnome-panel/clock-apple
andrez83 2935 1 0 12:39 ? 00:00:01 /usr/lib/gnome-applets/mixer_app
andrez83 2938 1 0 12:39 ? 00:00:00 gnome-power-manager
andrez83 2948 1 0 12:39 ? 00:00:00 gnome-screensaver
andrez83 2954 1 0 12:39 ? 00:00:01 /usr/lib/notification-daemon/not
andrez83 3222 1 20 12:50 ? 00:01:42 /usr/lib/iceweasel/firefox-bin -
andrez83 3424 1 7 12:58 ? 00:00:02 /usr/bin/gnome-terminal
andrez83 3427 3424 0 12:58 ? 00:00:00 gnome-pty-helper
andrez83 3428 3424 2 12:58 pts/0 00:00:00 bash
andrez83 3455 3424 8 12:58 pts/1 00:00:00 bash
andrez83 3474 3428 0 12:58 pts/0 00:00:00 ps -ef
andrez83@DELL350MHZ:~$

Hi,

Thank you everyone for various helpful hints. I haven't been able to resolve my problem yet. I can't figure out which process is interfearing with what other process. I'd like to understand the problem better rather than just killing processes at random

My previous post has a listing of all my running processes.
Thank you again for your help so far and I hope somebody will take a peek at the list of my running processes.

Andre

Kill this pid, or disable update-notifier in gnome