Alter Database Failed Because a Lock Could Not Be Placed on Database mdsdb Try Again Later

The other solar day, I was most to update my Arch Linux system. When I try to update the organization, I encountered with "unable to lock database" error in Arch Linux. I could not install or remove any packages.

Hither is the command that I entered to update my Arch Linux system:

# pacman -Syu

And, It returned the post-obit fault:

:: Synchronizing bundle databases... fault: failed to update cadre (unable to lock database) error: failed to update extra (unable to lock database) fault: failed to update customs (unable to lock database) fault: failed to update multilib (unable to lock database) error: failed to synchronize any databases error: failed to init transaction (unable to lock database) error: could non lock database: File exists  if you're certain a package director is not already  running, you lot tin remove /var/lib/pacman/db.lck

Fix unable to lock database error in Arch linux

The beauty of Linux distros is sometimes they will the explicitly display the solution along with the error message. As you can see in the to a higher place output, it says: ".. you tin remove /var/lib/pacman/db.lck".

So, I simply deleted the aforementioned file with command:

$ sudo rm /var/lib/pacman/db.lck

Voila! Information technology worked. I tin and then able to update, install and remove without whatever problems.

$ pacman -Syu

Sample output:

:: Synchronizing package databases...  cadre 122.8 KiB 162K/due south 00:01 [######################] 100%  extra 1771.8 KiB 249K/s 00:07 [######################] 100%  community 3.iii MiB 256K/s 00:13 [######################] 100%  multilib 163.5 KiB 265K/southward 00:01 [######################] 100% :: Starting full organization upgrade... resolving dependencies... looking for conflicting packages...  Packages (viii) ca-certificates-mozilla-three.22-1 coreutils-8.25-ane curl-7.47.1-1  gcc-5.iii.0-iv gcc-libs-5.3.0-4 libgcrypt-i.half-dozen.v-1 nano-ii.five.ii-i  pacman-mirrorlist-20160208-ii  Full Download Size: 42.79 MiB Full Installed Size: 187.ninety MiB Net Upgrade Size: 0.91 MiB  :: Go along with installation? [Y/n] y :: Retrieving packages ...  gcc-libs-5.3.0-4-x86_64 12.vii MiB 261K/due south 00:50 [######################] 100%  coreutils-viii.25-1-x86_64 2.1 MiB 262K/s 00:08 [######################] 100%  ca-certificates-moz... 363.0 KiB 241K/s 00:02 [######################] 100%  curl-7.47.1-i-x86_64 798.3 KiB 263K/s 00:03 [######################] 100%  gcc-v.three.0-4-x86_64 26.one MiB 247K/s 01:48 [######################] 100%  libgcrypt-1.6.5-ane-ten... 403.5 KiB 244K/s 00:02 [######################] 100%  nano-ii.5.2-1-x86_64 407.0 KiB 262K/southward 00:02 [######################] 100%  pacman-mirrorlist-2... 5.3 KiB 408K/s 00:00 [######################] 100% (viii/8) checking keys in keyring [######################] 100% (eight/eight) checking parcel integrity [######################] 100% (8/8) loading package files [######################] 100% (8/8) checking for file conflicts [######################] 100% (8/8) checking bachelor disk infinite [######################] 100% :: Processing bundle changes... (ane/8) upgrading gcc-libs [######################] 100% (2/8) upgrading coreutils [######################] 100% (3/viii) upgrading ca-certificates-mozilla [######################] 100% (iv/eight) upgrading curl [######################] 100% (5/8) upgrading gcc [######################] 100% (6/8) upgrading libgcrypt [######################] 100% (vii/eight) upgrading nano [######################] 100% (8/eight) upgrading pacman-mirrorlist [######################] 100% warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed equally /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew

Hope this helps.

25 comments

Deepak August 11, 2018 - eight:11 am

hey yard unable to delete db.lck file. it showing even deceit open.
plz help me.

sk August 11, 2018 - 10:30 am

If your user has sudo permissions, you lot can definitely delete that file.

Alessandro Dec 14, 2018 - 10:13 pm

Thank yous, this article is helpful!

Answer

I utilise arch btw... February 15, 2019 - six:25 am

Excellent piece of work! My Manjaro install didn't bear witness the location of the lock file, and then thanks for the guide!

islamux June 30, 2019 - 6:58 pm

Thank you , it's helpful.

Answer

mahi July 22, 2019 - one:21 am

now (21.07.2019) it does not(((

[… ~]$ sudo pacman -Syu
[sudo] password for …:
:: Synchronizing bundle databases…
error: failed to update core (unable to lock database)
error: failed to update extra (unable to lock database)
error: failed to update community (unable to lock database)
error: failed to update multilib (unable to lock database)
error: failed to synchronize all databases
EOF

Sebastian September 27, 2019 - 12:39 am

Give thanks you, that brought my system dorsum!

Answer

jes July 27, 2021 - 10:22 pm

Thanks a lottttt human . It workssss

IgorT Nov 4, 2019 - x:56 pm

Thank you sir!

Jesus Hernandez December fifteen, 2019 - 7:57 pm

I just had the same problem just without information technology saying the solution you got at the buttom. I still tried running your command to delete that file and information technology worked. Thanks!

Respond

annonoymous March eleven, 2020 - half-dozen:24 am

THANK YOU And so MUCH IVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH THIS FOR HOURS :)

Respond

Manish March 20, 2020 - 10:28 pm

$ sudo rm /var/lib/pacman/db.lck
[sudo] password for xyz:
rm: cannot remove '/var/lib/pacman/db.lck': No such file or directory
$ pacman -Syu
error: you cannot perform this operation unless you are root.
$ pacman -Syu
error: you cannot perform this operation unless you are root.
$ sudo rm /vr/lib/pacman/db.lck
rm: cannot remove '/vr/lib/pacman/db.lck': No such file or directory
$

Answer

sk March 21, 2020 - 11:43 am

Bank check if your user is in sudoers list and then delete the file. There is a typo in this line – "/vr/lib/pacman/db.lck". It is var, not vr.