Version: 1.5.5-1.1
My dpkg is locked, like so:
root@tims-desktop-linux:/var/log# apt install reportbug
Waiting for cache lock: Could not get lock /var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend.
It is held by process 123388 (dpkg)... 11s
Investigating that process, shows that it was run by aptitude-robot
under anacron:
tbrownaw@tims-desktop-linux:~$ pstree -asp -H123388 123388
systemd,1 --system --deserialize=82 splash
└─anacron,122571 -d -q -s
└─sh,122632 -c run-parts --report /etc/cron.daily
└─run-parts,122633 --report /etc/cron.daily
└─aptitude-robot,122672 /etc/cron.daily/aptitude-robot
└─aptitude-robot-,122817
/usr/sbin/aptitude-robot-session
└─aptitude-robot,122991 /usr/sbin/aptitude-robot
-y -q -o DPkg::Options::=--force-confdef -o DPkg::Options::=--force-confold
└─aptitude,122998 -y -q -o
DPkg::Options::=--force-confdef -o DPkg::Options::=--force-confold -o
Aptitude::ProblemResolver::Remove-Level=maximum -o ...
└─dpkg,123388 --force-confdef
--force-confold --status-fd 115 --configure --pending
├─anacron.postins,123401
/var/lib/dpkg/info/anacron.postinst configure 2.3-45
│ └─deb-systemd-inv,123557
/usr/bin/deb-systemd-invoke restart anacron.service anacron.timer
│ └─systemctl,123564 --quiet
--system restart anacron.service anacron.timer
│ └─systemd-tty-ask,123565 --watch
└─sh,123392 -c -- (test -x
/usr/lib/needrestart/dpkg-status && /usr/lib/needrestart/dpkg-status ||
cat > /dev/null)
└─sh,123393 -c -- (test -x
/usr/lib/needrestart/dpkg-status && /usr/lib/needrestart/dpkg-status ||
cat > /dev/null)
└─dpkg-status,123394
/usr/lib/needrestart/dpkg-status
That aptitude-robot pid has a logfile, which ends with setting up anacron:
root@tims-desktop-linux:/var/log# tail aptitude-robot-session.log.122817
Unpacking libopenni2-0:amd64 (2.2.0.33+dfsg-19) over
(2.2.0.33+dfsg-18+b2) ...
Preparing to unpack .../6-python3-pyqt5.sip_12.17.2-1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking python3-pyqt5.sip (12.17.2-1) over (12.17.1-1+b1) ...
Preparing to unpack .../7-xterm_405-1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking xterm (405-1) over (403-1) ...
Setting up libopenni2-0:amd64 (2.2.0.33+dfsg-19) ...
Removing 'diversion of /lib/udev/rules.d/60-libopenni2-0.rules to
/lib/udev/rules.d/60-libopenni2-0.rules.usr-is-merged by usr-is-merged'
Setting up libgpg-error0:amd64 (1.58-1) ...
Setting up libgpg-error0:i386 (1.58-1) ...
Setting up anacron (2.3-46) ...
If I look at the service status for anacron, it's been stopping for a
few weeks:
root@tims-desktop-linux:/var/log# systemctl status anacron.timer
anacron.service
● anacron.timer - Trigger anacron every hour
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/anacron.timer; enabled;
preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Wed 2025-12-17 17:29:56 CST; 1
month 1 day ago
Job: 65946
Invocation: c6683de8ca1a4f5a93799029b23c7d4c
Trigger: n/a
Triggers: ● anacron.service
Dec 17 17:29:56 tims-desktop-linux systemd[1]: Started anacron.timer -
Trigger anacron every hour.
● anacron.service - Run anacron jobs
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/anacron.service; enabled;
preset: enabled)
Active: deactivating (stop-sigterm) since Sun 2025-12-21 07:46:14
CST; 4 weeks 0 days ago
Job: 65848
Invocation: 24d78beab534416db6fe1d12bc78666e
TriggeredBy: ● anacron.timer
Docs: man:anacron
man:anacrontab
Main PID: 122571 (anacron)
Tasks: 16 (limit: 76716)
Memory: 732.9M (peak: 1G)
CPU: 12min 12.379s
CGroup: /system.slice/anacron.service
├─122571 /usr/sbin/anacron -d -q -s
├─122632 /bin/sh -c "run-parts --report /etc/cron.daily"
├─122633 run-parts --report /etc/cron.daily
├─122672 /bin/sh /etc/cron.daily/aptitude-robot
├─122817 /bin/sh /usr/sbin/aptitude-robot-session
├─122991 /usr/bin/perl /usr/sbin/aptitude-robot -y -q -o
DPkg::Options::=--force-confdef -o DPkg::Options::=--force-confold
├─122998 aptitude -y -q -o DPkg::Options::=--force-confdef
-o DPkg::Options::=--force-confold -o
Aptitude::ProblemResolver::Remove-Level=maximum -o
"Aptitude::ProblemResolver::Hints::=reject !~M :UNINST" full-upgra>
├─123388 /usr/bin/dpkg --force-confdef --force-confold
--status-fd 115 --configure --pending
├─123392 sh -c -- "(test -x
/usr/lib/needrestart/dpkg-status && /usr/lib/needrestart/dpkg-status ||
cat > /dev/null)"
├─123393 sh -c -- "(test -x
/usr/lib/needrestart/dpkg-status && /usr/lib/needrestart/dpkg-status ||
cat > /dev/null)"
├─123394 /bin/sh /usr/lib/needrestart/dpkg-status
├─123401 /bin/sh /var/lib/dpkg/info/anacron.postinst
configure 2.3-45
├─123557 /usr/bin/perl /usr/bin/deb-systemd-invoke restart
anacron.service anacron.timer
├─123564 systemctl --quiet --system restart
anacron.service anacron.timer
└─123565 /usr/bin/systemd-tty-ask-password-agent --watch
Dec 21 07:30:28 tims-desktop-linux systemd[1]: Started anacron.service -
Run anacron jobs.
Dec 21 07:30:28 tims-desktop-linux anacron[122571]: Anacron 2.3 started
on 2025-12-21
Dec 21 07:30:28 tims-desktop-linux anacron[122571]: Will run job
`cron.daily' in 5 min.
Dec 21 07:30:28 tims-desktop-linux anacron[122571]: Will run job
`cron.weekly' in 10 min.
Dec 21 07:30:28 tims-desktop-linux anacron[122571]: Jobs will be
executed sequentially
Dec 21 07:35:28 tims-desktop-linux anacron[122571]: Job `cron.daily'
started
Dec 21 07:46:14 tims-desktop-linux anacron[122571]: Received SIGUSR1
Dec 21 07:46:14 tims-desktop-linux systemd[1]: Stopping anacron.service
- Run anacron jobs...
So, it appears to me that aptitude-robot's attempt to restart anacron
(because it's updating anacron) from within an anacron job has caused
itself to hang.
In case it's relevant, the old version of anacron (that's being
replaced) is:
root@tims-desktop-linux:/var/log# grep 'Unpacking anacron'
aptitude-robot-session.log.122817
Unpacking anacron (2.3-46) over (2.3-45) ...