After upgrading apt I still got the GUI prompt over and over, and /var/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloads/partial was found empty.
However, I removed and installed ttf-mscorefonts-installer and while I didn't get any failed to fetch errors, and still got the:
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file 'FILE' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
The fonts installed without errors as per below. Hence, my root cause issue seems to have been I didn't go through a remove/install cycle of ttf-mscorefonts-installer.
sudo apt install ttf-mscorefonts-installer
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following NEW packages will be installed:
ttf-mscorefonts-installer
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 2 not upgraded.
Need to get 29.5 kB of archives.
After this operation, 134 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/multiverse amd64 ttf-mscorefonts-installer all 3.4+nmu1ubuntu2 [29.5 kB]
Fetched 29.5 kB in 0s (93.8 kB/s)
Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously unselected package ttf-mscorefonts-installer.
(Reading database ... 281292 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../ttf-mscorefonts-installer_3.4+nmu1ubuntu2_all.deb ...
mscorefonts-eula license has already been accepted
Unpacking ttf-mscorefonts-installer (3.4+nmu1ubuntu2) ...
Processing triggers for fontconfig (2.11.94-0ubuntu1.1) ...
Processing triggers for update-notifier-common (3.168.3) ...
ttf-mscorefonts-installer: processing...
ttf-mscorefonts-installer: downloading http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/andale32.exe
Get:1 http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/andale32.exe [198 kB]
Fetched 198 kB in 10s (18.2 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloads/partial/andale32.exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
ttf-mscorefonts-installer: downloading http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/arial32.exe
Get:1 http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/arial32.exe [554 kB]
Fetched 554 kB in 3s (145 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloads/partial/arial32.exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
ttf-mscorefonts-installer: downloading http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/arialb32.exe
Get:1 http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/arialb32.exe [168 kB]
Fetched 168 kB in 7s (22.2 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloads/partial/arialb32.exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
ttf-mscorefonts-installer: downloading http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/comic32.exe
Get:1 http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/comic32.exe [246 kB]
Fetched 246 kB in 3s (79.0 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloads/partial/comic32.exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
ttf-mscorefonts-installer: downloading http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/courie32.exe
Get:1 http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/courie32.exe [646 kB]
Fetched 646 kB in 10s (63.7 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloads/partial/courie32.exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
ttf-mscorefonts-installer: downloading http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/georgi32.exe
Get:1 http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/georgi32.exe [392 kB]
Fetched 392 kB in 1s (230 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloads/partial/georgi32.exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
ttf-mscorefonts-installer: downloading http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/impact32.exe
Get:1 http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/impact32.exe [173 kB]
Fetched 173 kB in 1s (127 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloads/partial/impact32.exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
ttf-mscorefonts-installer: downloading http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/times32.exe
Get:1 http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/times32.exe [662 kB]
Fetched 662 kB in 5s (118 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloads/partial/times32.exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
ttf-mscorefonts-installer: downloading http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/trebuc32.exe
Get:1 http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/trebuc32.exe [357 kB]
Fetched 357 kB in 3s (102 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloads/partial/trebuc32.exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
ttf-mscorefonts-installer: downloading http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/verdan32.exe
Get:1 http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/verdan32.exe [352 kB]
Fetched 352 kB in 2s (120 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloads/partial/verdan32.exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
ttf-mscorefonts-installer: downloading http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/webdin32.exe
Get:1 http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/webdin32.exe [185 kB]
Fetched 185 kB in 2s (92.4 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloads/partial/webdin32.exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
These fonts were provided by Microsoft "in the interest of cross-
platform compatibility". This is no longer the case, but they are
still available from third parties.
You are free to download these fonts and use them for your own use,
but you may not redistribute them in modified form, including changes
to the file name or packaging format.
After upgrading apt I still got the GUI prompt over and over, and /var/lib/ update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial was found empty.
However, I removed and installed ttf-mscorefonts -installer and while I didn't get any failed to fetch errors, and still got the:
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file 'FILE' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
The fonts installed without errors as per below. Hence, my root cause issue seems to have been I didn't go through a remove/install cycle of ttf-mscorefonts -installer.
sudo apt install ttf-mscorefonts -installer ts-installer us.archive. ubuntu. com/ubuntu xenial/multiverse amd64 ttf-mscorefonts -installer all 3.4+nmu1ubuntu2 [29.5 kB] -installer. mscorefonts- installer_ 3.4+nmu1ubuntu2 _all.deb ... -installer (3.4+nmu1ubuntu2) ... 0ubuntu1. 1) ... notifier- common (3.168.3) ... -installer: processing... -installer: downloading http:// downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ andale32. exe downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ andale32. exe [198 kB] update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ andale32. exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied) -installer: downloading http:// downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ arial32. exe downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ arial32. exe [554 kB] update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ arial32. exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied) -installer: downloading http:// downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ arialb32. exe downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ arialb32. exe [168 kB] update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ arialb32. exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied) -installer: downloading http:// downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ comic32. exe downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ comic32. exe [246 kB] update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ comic32. exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied) -installer: downloading http:// downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ courie32. exe downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ courie32. exe [646 kB] update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ courie32. exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied) -installer: downloading http:// downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ georgi32. exe downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ georgi32. exe [392 kB] update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ georgi32. exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied) -installer: downloading http:// downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ impact32. exe downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ impact32. exe [173 kB] update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ impact32. exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied) -installer: downloading http:// downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ times32. exe downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ times32. exe [662 kB] update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ times32. exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied) -installer: downloading http:// downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ trebuc32. exe downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ trebuc32. exe [357 kB] update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ trebuc32. exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied) -installer: downloading http:// downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ verdan32. exe downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ verdan32. exe [352 kB] update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ verdan32. exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied) -installer: downloading http:// downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ webdin32. exe downloads. sourceforge. net/corefonts/ webdin32. exe [185 kB] update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ webdin32. exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following NEW packages will be installed:
ttf-mscorefon
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 2 not upgraded.
Need to get 29.5 kB of archives.
After this operation, 134 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://
Fetched 29.5 kB in 0s (93.8 kB/s)
Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously unselected package ttf-mscorefonts
(Reading database ... 281292 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../ttf-
mscorefonts-eula license has already been accepted
Unpacking ttf-mscorefonts
Processing triggers for fontconfig (2.11.94-
Processing triggers for update-
ttf-mscorefonts
ttf-mscorefonts
Get:1 http://
Fetched 198 kB in 10s (18.2 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/
ttf-mscorefonts
Get:1 http://
Fetched 554 kB in 3s (145 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/
ttf-mscorefonts
Get:1 http://
Fetched 168 kB in 7s (22.2 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/
ttf-mscorefonts
Get:1 http://
Fetched 246 kB in 3s (79.0 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/
ttf-mscorefonts
Get:1 http://
Fetched 646 kB in 10s (63.7 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/
ttf-mscorefonts
Get:1 http://
Fetched 392 kB in 1s (230 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/
ttf-mscorefonts
Get:1 http://
Fetched 173 kB in 1s (127 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/
ttf-mscorefonts
Get:1 http://
Fetched 662 kB in 5s (118 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/
ttf-mscorefonts
Get:1 http://
Fetched 357 kB in 3s (102 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/
ttf-mscorefonts
Get:1 http://
Fetched 352 kB in 2s (120 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/
ttf-mscorefonts
Get:1 http://
Fetched 185 kB in 2s (92.4 kB/s)
W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/
These fonts were provided by Microsoft "in the interest of cross-
platform compatibility". This is no longer the case, but they are
still available from third parties.
You are free to download these fonts and use them for your own use,
but you may not redistribute them in modified form, including changes
to the file name or packaging format.
Extracting cabinet: /var/lib/ update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ andale32. exe
extracting fontinst.inf
extracting andale.inf
extracting fontinst.exe
extracting AndaleMo.TTF
extracting ADVPACK.DLL
extracting W95INF32.DLL
extracting W95INF16.DLL
All done, no errors. update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ arial32. exe
Extracting cabinet: /var/lib/
extracting FONTINST.EXE
extracting fontinst.inf
extracting Ariali.TTF
extracting Arialbd.TTF
extracting Arialbi.TTF
extracting Arial.TTF
All done, no errors. update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ arialb32. exe
Extracting cabinet: /var/lib/
extracting fontinst.exe
extracting fontinst.inf
extracting AriBlk.TTF
All done, no errors. update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ comic32. exe
Extracting cabinet: /var/lib/
extracting fontinst.inf
extracting Comicbd.TTF
extracting Comic.TTF
extracting fontinst.exe
All done, no errors. update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ courie32. exe
Extracting cabinet: /var/lib/
extracting cour.ttf
extracting courbd.ttf
extracting courbi.ttf
extracting fontinst.inf
extracting couri.ttf
extracting fontinst.exe
All done, no errors. update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ georgi32. exe
Extracting cabinet: /var/lib/
extracting fontinst.inf
extracting Georgiaz.TTF
extracting Georgiab.TTF
extracting Georgiai.TTF
extracting Georgia.TTF
extracting fontinst.exe
All done, no errors. update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ impact32. exe
Extracting cabinet: /var/lib/
extracting fontinst.exe
extracting Impact.TTF
extracting fontinst.inf
All done, no errors. update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ times32. exe
Extracting cabinet: /var/lib/
extracting fontinst.inf
extracting Times.TTF
extracting Timesbd.TTF
extracting Timesbi.TTF
extracting Timesi.TTF
extracting FONTINST.EXE
All done, no errors. update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ trebuc32. exe
Extracting cabinet: /var/lib/
extracting FONTINST.EXE
extracting trebuc.ttf
extracting Trebucbd.ttf
extracting trebucbi.ttf
extracting trebucit.ttf
extracting fontinst.inf
All done, no errors. update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ verdan32. exe
Extracting cabinet: /var/lib/
extracting fontinst.exe
extracting fontinst.inf
extracting Verdanab.TTF
extracting Verdanai.TTF
extracting Verdanaz.TTF
extracting Verdana.TTF
All done, no errors. update- notifier/ package- data-downloads/ partial/ webdin32. exe
Extracting cabinet: /var/lib/
extracting fontinst.exe
extracting Webdings.TTF
extracting fontinst.inf
extracting Licen.TXT
All done, no errors. -installer (3.4+nmu1ubuntu2) ...
All fonts downloaded and installed.
Setting up ttf-mscorefonts