[opensuse] Unlocking a locked file

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Stan Goodman

16 Mar 2010 16 Mar '10

07:45

My VirtualBox program has become corrupted, and I wish to remove it and start over again from scratch. At the moment, it won't start at all. I find that reinstalling over what is there is not permitted, because there is a locked file. How can I unlock this file? This is not the ose version of the program, I downloaded it from the VBox site. This is what happens when I try to uninsstall: # rpm -e VirtualBox* error: package VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm is not installed # On the other hand, here is what happens when I try to reinstall: # rpm -U VirtualBox* warning: VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm: Header V4 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 6dfbcbae package VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64 is already installed # When I try to reinstall from the user prompt, the response is: rpm -U VirtualBox* warning: VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm: Header V4 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 6dfbcbae error: can't create transaction lock on /var/lib/rpm/__db.000 How can I remove VirtualBox from the system completely, so that I can install a clean program? -- Stan Goodman Qiryat Tiv'on Israel -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org

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Ed Greshko

16 Mar 16 Mar

08:01

Stan Goodman wrote:

...

My VirtualBox program has become corrupted, and I wish to remove it and start over again from scratch. At the moment, it won't start at all. I find that reinstalling over what is there is not permitted, because there is a locked file. How can I unlock this file?

This is not the ose version of the program, I downloaded it from the VBox site.

This is what happens when I try to uninsstall: # rpm -e VirtualBox* error: package VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm is not installed #

On the other hand, here is what happens when I try to reinstall: # rpm -U VirtualBox* warning: VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm: Header V4 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 6dfbcbae package VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64 is already installed #

When I try to reinstall from the user prompt, the response is: rpm -U VirtualBox* warning: VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm: Header V4 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 6dfbcbae error: can't create transaction lock on /var/lib/rpm/__db.000

How can I remove VirtualBox from the system completely, so that I can install a clean program?

Have you tried "rpm -e VirtualBox-3.1" -- 葛斯克愛德華 / 台北市八德路四段 -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org

C

08:11

On Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 08:45, Stan Goodman wrote:

...

My VirtualBox program has become corrupted, and I wish to remove it and start over again from scratch.

Is it only VirtualBox that is corrupted?

...

At the moment, it won't start at all. I find that reinstalling over what is there is not permitted, because there is a locked file. How can I unlock this file?

I don't see anything about a lock file in what you've posted here.

...

This is what happens when I try to uninsstall: # rpm -e VirtualBox* error: package VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm is not installed #

On the other hand, here is what happens when I try to reinstall: # rpm -U VirtualBox* warning: VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm: Header V4 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 6dfbcbae package VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64 is already installed #

This looks a bit like an RPM database that needs a rebuild. Try rpm --rebuilddb Then try removing VirtualBox with rpm -e Just as an aside, if you want feedback on a clean install... rpm -ivh and on an update, rpm -Uvh.

...

When I try to reinstall from the user prompt, the response is: rpm -U VirtualBox* warning: VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm: Header V4 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 6dfbcbae error: can't create transaction lock on /var/lib/rpm/__db.000

That's an expected error. You cannot install RPMs as user. The requires root permissions. When you attempt to install an RPM as a user, you cannot lock the RPM database for the update. Try again as root and it'll work - assuming your other issues are sorted out.

...

How can I remove VirtualBox from the system completely, so that I can install a clean program?

What really broke though? The VirtualBox binaries (which is really unusual since that is installed as root, and is "protected" from any mucking about by a user) or the user config in the user /home? I've been using Linux a long time (as have you) and I've never seen an installed and previously working app get corrupted (where a reinstall fixes it) without there being more fundamental issues like failing hardware. C. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org

Stan Goodman

11:24

At 10:11:19 on Tuesday Tuesday 16 March 2010, C wrote:

...

On Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 08:45, Stan Goodman wrote:

...
My VirtualBox program has become corrupted, and I wish to remove it and start over again from scratch.

Is it only VirtualBox that is corrupted?

...
At the moment, it won't start at all. I find that reinstalling over what is there is not permitted, because there is a locked file. How can I unlock this file?

I don't see anything about a lock file in what you've posted here.

...
This is what happens when I try to uninsstall: # rpm -e VirtualBox* error: package VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm is not installed #

On the other hand, here is what happens when I try to reinstall: # rpm -U VirtualBox* warning: VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm: Header V4 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 6dfbcbae package VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64 is already installed #

This looks a bit like an RPM database that needs a rebuild. Try rpm --rebuilddb Then try removing VirtualBox with rpm -e

Just as an aside, if you want feedback on a clean install... rpm -ivh and on an update, rpm -Uvh.

...
When I try to reinstall from the user prompt, the response is: rpm -U VirtualBox* warning: VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm: Header V4 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 6dfbcbae error: can't create transaction lock on /var/lib/rpm/__db.000

That's an expected error. You cannot install RPMs as user. The requires root permissions. When you attempt to install an RPM as a user, you cannot lock the RPM database for the update. Try again as root and it'll work - assuming your other issues are sorted out.

...
How can I remove VirtualBox from the system completely, so that I can install a clean program?

What really broke though? The VirtualBox binaries (which is really unusual since that is installed as root, and is "protected" from any mucking about by a user) or the user config in the user /home? I've been using Linux a long time (as have you) and I've never seen an installed and previously working app get corrupted (where a reinstall fixes it) without there being more fundamental issues like failing hardware.

What seems to have made the problem is (surprise!) my own forgetfulness. When I installed this version of VB (after carefully removing the earlier (ose) version, I neglected to reboot, and straightaway installed a guest. I have read that this is a known cause of misery. This kind of thing is not, as has been opined here, entirely a function of advancing age; I had a mini-stroke about a year ago, that fortunately left few traces (and none physically visible) but has left me with some trouble in retrieving words in real time -- in conversation (in any language), and a small deficit in short-term memory, the latter of which, I am sure,was the problem in this case, and which makes me appear a worse klunk than I am (or was formerly). Bottom line, I cannot blame Linux for what happened to VBox. I am exceedingly grateful for the help I have been getting from this group. -- Stan Goodman Qiryat Tiv'on Israel -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org

Carlos E. R.

20:15

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA256 On 2010-03-16 08:45, Stan Goodman wrote:

...

When I try to reinstall from the user prompt, the response is: rpm -U VirtualBox* warning: VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm: Header V4 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 6dfbcbae error: can't create transaction lock on /var/lib/rpm/__db.000

Perhaps you have running some other package manager. Another rpm program running, the updater applet, yast or you... - -- Cheers / Saludos, Carlos E. R. (from 11.2 x86_64 "Emerald" GM (Minas Tirith)) -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.12 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with SUSE - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/ iF4EAREIAAYFAkuf5tsACgkQja8UbcUWM1zfcAEAhKYxX/LGNPkHEgqb/6Xc3+Pb y9Sib9J+vILJkqTs1jMBAII3p9Ev8Cj/BEJnTdXS1weYetMw3BF+nGBJTMADpgrt =JgBa -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org

Pit Suetterlin

19 Mar 19 Mar

20:00

Stan Goodman wrote:

...

My VirtualBox program has become corrupted, and I wish to remove it and start over again from scratch. At the moment, it won't start at all. I find that reinstalling over what is there is not permitted, because there is a locked file. How can I unlock this file?

This is not the ose version of the program, I downloaded it from the VBox site.

This is what happens when I try to uninsstall: # rpm -e VirtualBox* error: package VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm is not installed

You are trying this in the directory where you have the rpm, do you? Thus, the shell expands it to the full name of the rpm, which rpm doesn't like. 'rpm -e VirtualBox' or 'rpm -e VirtualBox-3.1' should work.

...

On the other hand, here is what happens when I try to reinstall: # rpm -U VirtualBox* warning: VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm: Header V4 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 6dfbcbae package VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64 is already installed #

Yup. (but this is different from VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm)

...

When I try to reinstall from the user prompt, the response is: rpm -U VirtualBox* warning: VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm: Header V4 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 6dfbcbae error: can't create transaction lock on /var/lib/rpm/__db.000

Hmm, that's some other rpm action going on. Maybe a database refresh in background?

...

How can I remove VirtualBox from the system completely, so that I can install a clean program?

See above, or try zypper install -f VirtualBox-3.1-3.1.4_57640_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm (or use the --force switch for rpm) Pit -- Dr. Peter "Pit" Suetterlin http://www.astro.su.se/~pit Institute for Solar Physics Tel.: +34 922 405 590 (Spain) P.Suetterlin@royac.iac.es +46 8 5537 8507 (Sweden) Peter.Suetterlin@astro.su.se -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org

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C
Carlos E. R.
Ed Greshko
Pit Suetterlin
Stan Goodman