Also tried to install a package at the command line after this happened (sudo aptitude install) and got 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? ... And I then tried: $ sudo lsof | grep /var/lib/dpkg lsof: WARNING: can't stat() fuse.gvfs-fuse-daemon file system /home/mish/.gvfs Output information may be incomplete. aptd 10951 root 35r REG 252,1 2666426 1203792 /var/lib/dpkg/status (deleted) aptd 11291 root 35r REG 252,1 2666426 1203792 /var/lib/dpkg/status (deleted) dpkg 13422 root 3uW REG 252,1 0 1196053 /var/lib/dpkg/lock dpkg 13422 root 4w REG 252,1 4608 1197139 /var/lib/dpkg/updates/tmp.i dpkg 13422 root 5u REG 252,1 0 1196056 /var/lib/dpkg/triggers/Lock dpkg 13422 root 7r REG 252,1 2225 1199016 /var/lib/dpkg/diversions dpkg 13422 root 8r REG 252,1 193 1197440 /var/lib/dpkg/statoverride $ ps -ef | grep 13422 root 13422 11291 11 21:10 pts/1 00:00:16 /usr/bin/dpkg --status-fd 10 --unpack --auto-deconfigure /var/cache/apt/archives/console-setup_1.34ubuntu4_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libglib2.0-dev_2.22.1-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libglib2.0-0-dbg_2.22.1-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libglib2.0-0_2.22.1-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/ubuntu-minimal_1.172_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/apparmor_2.3.1+1403-0ubuntu24_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libapparmor1_2.3.1+1403-0ubuntu24_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libapparmor-perl_2.3.1+1403-0ubuntu24_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/apparmor-utils_2.3.1+1403-0ubuntu24_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/ubuntu-standard_1.172_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/app-install-data_0.9.10.9_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/byobu_2.36-0ubuntu1_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libgnome-menu2_2.28.0.1-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/gnome-control-center_1%3a2.28.0-0ubuntu3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/capplets-data_1%3a2.28.0-0ubuntu3_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libgnome-window-settings1_1%3a2.28.0-0ubuntu3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libxklavier15_4.0-0ubuntu3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/gnome-settings-daemon_2.28.0-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/gnome-menus_2.28.0.1-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/python-gmenu_2.28.0.1-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/couchdb_0.10.0~svn818859-0ubuntu1_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/couchdb-bin_0.10.0~svn818859-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libcups2-dev_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libcups2_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libcupscgi1_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libcupsdriver1_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libcupsimage2_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libcupsmime1_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libcupsppdc1_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/cups-common_1.4.1-4_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/cups-bsd_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/cups-client_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/cups_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/cups-ppdc_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/cupsddk_1.4.1-4_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/cupsys_1.4.1-4_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/cupsys-client_1.4.1-4_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/dbus_1.2.16-0ubuntu7_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/debhelper_7.3.15ubuntu3_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/python-desktopcouch_0.4.2-0ubuntu1_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/python-desktopcouch-records_0.4.2-0ubuntu1_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/desktopcouch_0.4.2-0ubuntu1_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/example-content_37_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/f-spot_0.6.1.3-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libindicate3_0.2.3-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/indicator-messages_0.2.5-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/indicator-session_0.1.6-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libasound2-plugins_1.0.20-1ubuntu8_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libindicate-gtk1_0.2.3-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libusplash0_0.5.40_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libvte-common_1%3a0.22.2-0ubuntu2_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libvte9_1%3a0.22.2-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libwbclient0_2%3a3.4.0-3ubuntu5_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libxplc0.3.13_0.3.13-2ubuntu2_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-firmware_1.20_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-headers-2.6.31-11_2.6.31-11.38_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-headers-2.6.31-11-generic_2.6.31-11.38_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-libc-dev_2.6.31-11.38_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/nautilus-data_1%3a2.28.0-0ubuntu4_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/notify-osd_0.9.23-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/notify-osd-icons_0.3_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/preview-latex-style_11.84-0ubuntu3_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/python-cheetah_2.0.1-2ubuntu6_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/ubuntuone-client-gnome_0.96.0-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/ubuntuone-client_0.96.0-0ubuntu1_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/python-ubuntuon root 14583 13422 0 21:12 pts/1 00:00:00 /bin/sh -e /var/lib/dpkg/info/man-db.postinst triggered /usr/share/man $ ps -ef | grep 'dpkg|aptd' root 10951 1 0 20:59 ? 00:00:04 /usr/bin/python /usr/sbin/aptd root 11291 10951 0 21:08 pts/2 00:00:00 /usr/bin/python /usr/sbin/aptd root 13422 11291 10 21:10 pts/1 00:00:16 /usr/bin/dpkg --status-fd 10 --unpack --auto-deconfigure /var/cache/apt/archives/console-setup_1.34ubuntu4_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libglib2.0-dev_2.22.1-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libglib2.0-0-dbg_2.22.1-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libglib2.0-0_2.22.1-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/ubuntu-minimal_1.172_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/apparmor_2.3.1+1403-0ubuntu24_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libapparmor1_2.3.1+1403-0ubuntu24_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libapparmor-perl_2.3.1+1403-0ubuntu24_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/apparmor-utils_2.3.1+1403-0ubuntu24_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/ubuntu-standard_1.172_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/app-install-data_0.9.10.9_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/byobu_2.36-0ubuntu1_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libgnome-menu2_2.28.0.1-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/gnome-control-center_1%3a2.28.0-0ubuntu3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/capplets-data_1%3a2.28.0-0ubuntu3_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libgnome-window-settings1_1%3a2.28.0-0ubuntu3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libxklavier15_4.0-0ubuntu3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/gnome-settings-daemon_2.28.0-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/gnome-menus_2.28.0.1-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/python-gmenu_2.28.0.1-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/couchdb_0.10.0~svn818859-0ubuntu1_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/couchdb-bin_0.10.0~svn818859-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libcups2-dev_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libcups2_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libcupscgi1_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libcupsdriver1_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libcupsimage2_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libcupsmime1_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libcupsppdc1_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/cups-common_1.4.1-4_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/cups-bsd_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/cups-client_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/cups_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/cups-ppdc_1.4.1-4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/cupsddk_1.4.1-4_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/cupsys_1.4.1-4_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/cupsys-client_1.4.1-4_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/dbus_1.2.16-0ubuntu7_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/debhelper_7.3.15ubuntu3_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/python-desktopcouch_0.4.2-0ubuntu1_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/python-desktopcouch-records_0.4.2-0ubuntu1_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/desktopcouch_0.4.2-0ubuntu1_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/example-content_37_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/f-spot_0.6.1.3-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libindicate3_0.2.3-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/indicator-messages_0.2.5-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/indicator-session_0.1.6-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libasound2-plugins_1.0.20-1ubuntu8_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libindicate-gtk1_0.2.3-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libusplash0_0.5.40_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libvte-common_1%3a0.22.2-0ubuntu2_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libvte9_1%3a0.22.2-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libwbclient0_2%3a3.4.0-3ubuntu5_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libxplc0.3.13_0.3.13-2ubuntu2_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-firmware_1.20_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-headers-2.6.31-11_2.6.31-11.38_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-headers-2.6.31-11-generic_2.6.31-11.38_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-libc-dev_2.6.31-11.38_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/nautilus-data_1%3a2.28.0-0ubuntu4_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/notify-osd_0.9.23-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/notify-osd-icons_0.3_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/preview-latex-style_11.84-0ubuntu3_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/python-cheetah_2.0.1-2ubuntu6_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/ubuntuone-client-gnome_0.96.0-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/ubuntuone-client_0.96.0-0ubuntu1_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/python-ubuntuon root 15937 13422 0 21:12 pts/1 00:00:00 /bin/sh /var/lib/dpkg/info/shared-mime-info.postinst triggered /usr/share/mime/packages Hope some of that is useful ...