I can't install packages on my VPS with Debian or Ubuntu

Problem encountered

When trying to update or install a package on Debian or Ubuntu the following error appears:

E: Could not get lock /var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend - open (11: Resource temporarily unavailable)

E: Unable to acquire the dpkg frontend lock (/var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend), is another process using it?

Cause

This message appears when another instance of DPKG is running on your server.

Solution

You have just reinstalled your VPS or your VPS has just been delivered

When a VPS is delivered and reinstalled, it is automatically updated so that you can benefit from an up-to-date system at the time of delivery.

You must wait about 15 minutes for the installation of updates to finish.

You started an operation using DPKG that did not end as expected

Check which process uses DPKG :

sudo lsof /var/lib/dpkg/lock

Retrieve the PID number and kill the process, e.g. the PID number is 2913 :

sudo kill -9 2913

Restart the previous command that did not work

Updated on: 17/10/2022