"package matlab-support 0.0.21 failed to instal.." comes up everytime i try to install a new software

[abhi]

Everytime i try to install a new software on ubuntu, I get this message.
Presumably, because of a previous mis-install.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: matlab-support 0.0.21
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-47.68-generic 4.4.24
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-47-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sun Nov 27 20:29:00 2016
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-03-13 (259 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 15.10 "Wily Werewolf" - Release amd64 (20151021)
PackageArchitecture: all
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.18.4ubuntu1.1
 apt 1.2.15
SourcePackage: matlab-support
Title: package matlab-support 0.0.21 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2016-11-19 (8 days ago)

[Andreas Moog (ampelbein)]

Please try to remove matlab-support ("sudo apt remove matlab-support" in terminal, following by "sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade"). Does that resolve your issue?

[abhi (23h1)]

Thank you Andreas for your response.
I tried removing matlab-support but I get the following response. I am not sure if any other process is using the admin directory.

-PC:~$ sudo apt remove matlab-support
N: Ignoring file '50unattended-upgrades.ucf-old' in directory '/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/' as it has an invalid filename extension
E: Could not get lock /var/lib/dpkg/lock - open (11: Resource temporarily unavailable)
E: Unable to lock the administration directory (/var/lib/dpkg/), is another process using it?

[Andreas Moog (ampelbein)]

Did you try the same command again at a later time? Did you still get the same error?

[abhi (23h1)]

yes.. I still get the same message.
Is there a way to terminate the currently used administration directory (/var/lib/dpkg/) ?
Killing a process perhaps ? If so, what process should I be looking for to kill ?

[Andreas Moog (ampelbein)]

Ok, you could try to manually delete the lockfile. (sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock) and try the command again. If that doesn't work, look for running "dpkg" processes in "top" and kill those.
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[abhi (23h1)]

Hi Andreas

Thanks!
I did a sudo kill on the process and then removed matlab support successfully.
Applications seem to install properly now.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for matlab-support (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]