aptitude update -> appstreamcli uses 100% cpu

[Vasya Pupkin]

I started aptitude and hit "u" to update package list. It stuck on "Loading cache" screen. I checked processes tree and found out aptitude was waiting for /usr/bin/appstreamcli which used 100% CPU and did nothing.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: appstream 0.9.4-1
Uname: Linux 4.6.0-040600-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Fri May 20 01:52:53 2016
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-05-01 (18 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20160420.1)
SourcePackage: appstream
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Vasya Pupkin (shadowlmd)]

So, I just purged appstream package (along with dependencies up to ubuntu-software) and everything works perfect again.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Jacob Taylor (orangewinds)]

I'm suffering the same issue.

`sudo apt purge appstream`

did not save me. Now it's locked at 100% cpu when I `sudo apt install appstream`. Won't finish setting up appstream 0.9.4-1, htop says the command running is `appstream refresh-index --force`.

[Trent V. (shadyatv)]

can confirm that purging appstream and then rerunning apt update fixed the issue.
version affected: appstream 0.9.4-1

@ #4 - Jacob
I had the same problem, I fixed with the following:

$ ps ax | grep appstream

find what the applications' process id is
usually about 5 numbers long

# use sudo if not root
$ kill -9 <Application Process ID>

this should bring your cpu back to normal
then:

$ sudo apt purge appstream

then clean up your system with:
$ sudo apt autoremove

if you canceled in the middle of the install and it's asking you to run 'sudo dpkg --configure -a'
run the command but once it get stuck on appstream kill it as shown above. dpkg will still complete after you've killed appstream. then purge appstream.