failed to upgrade debconf : dpkg: status database area is locked by another process

[Dave]

Binary package hint: update-manager

The package debconf failed to install or upgrade

ProblemType: Package
Architecture: i386
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 8.10
ErrorMessage: ErrorMessage: SystemError in cache.commit(): E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2), E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2), E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia ath_hal
Package: update-manager 1:0.93.32
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: update-manager
Title: package update-manager 1:0.93.32 failed to install/upgrade: ErrorMessage: SystemError in cache.commit(): E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2), E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2), E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
Uname: Linux 2.6.24-21-generic i686

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

Thanks for your report.

The error is:
=====
Preparing to replace debconf-i18n 1.5.20 (using .../debconf-i18n_1.5.23ubuntu2_all.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement debconf-i18n ...
dpkg: status database area is locked by another process
dpkg: error processing debconf (--configure):
 package debconf is already installed and configured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 debconf
=====

Affecting to debconf