Software Center MemoryError -- Lock table is out of available locker entries')

[Uwe Schaefer]

The Software Center crashes shortly after the start with the following Error Message:

MemoryError: (12, 'Nicht gen\xc3\xbcgend Hauptspeicher verf\xc3\xbcgbar -- Lock table is out of available locker entries')

I have 7 GB free RAM.

I started the Software Center in a terminal session with the command /usr/bin/software-center:
uwe@uwe-GA-MA78LMT-US2H:~$ /usr/bin/software-center
2012-06-12 23:29:31,223 - softwarecenter.ui.gtk3.app - INFO - setting up proxy 'None'
2012-06-12 23:29:31,227 - softwarecenter.db.database - INFO - open() database: path=None use_axi=True use_agent=True
2012-06-12 23:29:31,518 - softwarecenter.backend.reviews - WARNING - Could not get usefulness from server, no username in config file
2012-06-12 23:29:31,692 - softwarecenter.db.pkginfo_impl.aptcache - INFO - aptcache.open()
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/backend/reviews/rnr.py", line 183, in _on_review_stats_data
    self.save_review_stats_cache_file()
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/backend/reviews/__init__.py", line 314, in save_review_stats_cache_file
    t.run()
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/threading.py", line 504, in run
    self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/backend/reviews/__init__.py", line 325, in _save_review_stats_cache_blocking
    self._dump_bsddbm_for_unity(outfile, outdir)
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/backend/reviews/__init__.py", line 356, in _dump_bsddbm_for_unity
    flags=bdb.DB_CREATE)
MemoryError: (12, 'Nicht gen\xc3\xbcgend Hauptspeicher verf\xc3\xbcgbar -- Lock table is out of available locker entries')
2012-06-12 23:29:38,697 - softwarecenter.ui.gtk3.app - INFO - software-center-agent finished with status 0
2012-06-12 23:29:38,699 - softwarecenter.db.database - INFO - reopen() database
2012-06-12 23:29:38,699 - softwarecenter.db.database - INFO - open() database: path=None use_axi=True use_agent=True

My System:
uwe@uwe-GA-MA78LMT-US2H:~$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
Release: 12.04

[yurikoles (yurikoles)]

Please run LC_ALL=C software-center

[Uwe Schaefer (uwe-l-schaefer)]

Hi yurikoles,
i have run LC_ALL=C software-center.
The result is :

uwe@uwe-GA-MA78LMT-US2H:~$ LC_ALL=C software-center
2012-06-13 01:37:56,194 - softwarecenter.ui.gtk3.app - INFO - setting up proxy 'None'
2012-06-13 01:37:56,199 - softwarecenter.db.database - INFO - open() database: path=None use_axi=True use_agent=True
2012-06-13 01:37:56,485 - softwarecenter.backend.reviews - WARNING - Could not get usefulness from server, no username in config file
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/backend/reviews/rnr.py", line 183, in _on_review_stats_data
    self.save_review_stats_cache_file()
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/backend/reviews/__init__.py", line 314, in save_review_stats_cache_file
    t.run()
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/threading.py", line 504, in run
    self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/backend/reviews/__init__.py", line 325, in _save_review_stats_cache_blocking
    self._dump_bsddbm_for_unity(outfile, outdir)
  File "/usr/share/software-center/softwarecenter/backend/reviews/__init__.py", line 356, in _dump_bsddbm_for_unity
    flags=bdb.DB_CREATE)
MemoryError: (12, 'Cannot allocate memory -- Lock table is out of available locker entries')
2012-06-13 01:37:56,905 - softwarecenter.db.pkginfo_impl.aptcache - INFO - aptcache.open()
2012-06-13 01:38:03,719 - softwarecenter.ui.gtk3.app - INFO - software-center-agent finished with status 0
2012-06-13 01:38:03,719 - softwarecenter.db.database - INFO - reopen() database
2012-06-13 01:38:03,719 - softwarecenter.db.database - INFO - open() database: path=None use_axi=True use_agent=True

I hope i do it right.

[Gary Lasker (gary-lasker)]

Hello Uwe. Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please answer these questions:
1. Is this reproducible?
2. If so, what specific steps should we take to recreate this bug? Be as detailed as possible.
This will help us to find and resolve the problem.

Many thanks!

[Uwe Schaefer (uwe-l-schaefer)]

Hello Gary,
First and second: The error is reproducible. Everytime I opend the software center, the error appears. It means that no memory can be allocated. This may not be possible. I have nearly 7 GB of memory. I use Ubuntu 12:04 (German) in the 64bit version . No other program is open or active. The system activity for the both cpu cores are under 30%. Any light peaks goes up to 60% for a very short time. About 2 -3 Sec. After this, the window appears and blinks several times.

One interesting thing The Software Manager has been uninstalled in the alpha 2, after an update, suddenly. Then I must reinstall it again via Synaptic.

I'm sorry that I can not describe it better. I speak a very very bad and strange English. I translate everything with Google Translator and leo.org.

bye
Uwe

[Gary Lasker (gary-lasker)]

Hi Uwe, no worries!! I assure you that your English is far better than my German! :)

Ok, we will have to investigate this issue further. I think the stack trace you included in your description may hold the clue we need.

Also, if you don't mind and just to add additional info, could you please open a terminal and run:

  $ apport-collect 1012394

Thank you again!

[Gary Lasker (gary-lasker)]

Hi again Uwe, I have actually found that this bug has been reported earlier in bug 1012394, so I will mark this one as a duplicate of that one.

Looking at bug 1012394, it appears that a few people encountered this problem after an update, but that it was quickly resolved after a subsequent update. Is your system fully updated now? Please run Update Manager if needed, and hopefully the problem will resolve as it did for the others.

Please follow up to the other report with any additional details. And thanks again!

[Gary Lasker (gary-lasker)]

Sorry!! My comments above should refer to bug 998590. I'll set this as a duplicate of bug 998590 now.