Unable to lock the list directory

Something is running in the background and is connecting to the Internet.Please help me salvage it.

shekhar@shekhar-laptop:~$ sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/status /var/lib/dpkg/status-old
mv: cannot stat `/var/lib/dpkg/status': No such file or directory

shekhar@shekhar-laptop:~$ sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/status-old /var/lib/dpkg/status-old
cp: `/var/lib/dpkg/status-old' and `/var/lib/dpkg/status-old' are the same file

"sudo apt-get update"

That did not help either.

E: Could not open file /var/lib/dpkg/status - open (2 No such file or directory)
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.
E: _cache->open() failed, please report.

That happens when synaptic or another package update / installation application is already running. Close any other package managers (including Add/Remove application, language pack installer, etc.) and retry.

sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock
sudo apt-get update

if this doesn't work:

sudo killall apt-get

Unfortunately, Of No help.

shekhar@shekhar-laptop:~$ sudo killall apt-get
apt-get: no process killed

please: sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock
sudo apt-get update

As mentioned,Of no use again.
Output
shekhar@shekhar-laptop:~$ sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock
[sudo] password for shekhar:
shekhar@shekhar-laptop:~$

The update works well but the the problem stays on.Even I am surprised why is it happening.And yes, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

try uninstall googleearth: sudo dpkg --remove --force-remove-reinstreq googleearth
if you are/were stuck in the license part of the install process in this the way to remove googleearth.
and prob. a working -apt.

shekhar@shekhar-laptop:~$ sudo dpkg --remove --force-remove-reinstreq googleearth
[sudo] password for shekhar:
dpkg: failed to open package info file `/var/lib/dpkg/status' for reading: No such file or directory

Synaptic fails to start.Notification says:

Could not initialize the package information

An unresolvable problem occurred while initializing the package information.

Please report this bug against the 'update-manager' package and include the following error message:

'E:Could not open file /var/lib/dpkg/status - open (2 No such file or directory), E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.'

shekhar@shekhar-laptop:~$ sudo dpkg --remove --force-remove-reinstreq googleearth
[sudo] password for shekhar:
dpkg: failed to open package info file `/var/lib/dpkg/status' for reading: No such file or directory

sudo apt-get install update && sudo apt-get install upgrade works from terminal BUT
Synaptic fails to start.Notification says:

Could not initialize the package information

An unresolvable problem occurred while initializing the package information.

Please report this bug against the 'update-manager' package and include the following error message:

'E:Could not open file /var/lib/dpkg/status - open (2 No such file or directory), E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.'

Also
shekhar@shekhar-laptop:~$ sudo dpkg --purge -a
dpkg: failed to open package info file `/var/lib/dpkg/status' for reading: No such file or directory
shekhar@shekhar-laptop:~$ sudo apt-get autoremove
Reading package lists... Error!
E: Could not open file /var/lib/dpkg/status - open (2 No such file or directory)
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.

or sudo apt-get install synaptic

Hey Leoquant
Worked like a charm for me!! Thanks a lot!!! Really appreciate it.I am new to Ubuntu.This support has encouraged me to go ahead with this great OS.

Thanks leoquant, that solved my question.

hey guys...tried that solution to but no luck form me :((

here's the output from the terminal... :(

---------------------------------------------------------------------
bogo@Prometeus-U:~$ sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/status-old /var/lib/dpkg/status

bogo@Prometeus-U:~$ ping google.com

PING google.com (74.125.43.99) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from bw-in-f99.1e100.net
(74.125.43.99): icmp_seq=1 ttl=54 time=37.8 ms
64 bytes from bw-in-f99.1e100.net
(74.125.43.99): icmp_seq=2 ttl=54 time=38.2 ms
64 bytes from bw-in-f99.1e100.net
(74.125.43.99): icmp_seq=3 ttl=54 time=38.0 ms
64 bytes from bw-in-f99.1e100.net
(74.125.43.99): icmp_seq=4 ttl=54 time=38.4 ms

^C
--- google.com ping statistics ---
4 packets transmitted, 4 received, 0% packet loss, time 3004ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 37.883/38.171/38.480/0.217 ms

bogo@Prometeus-U:~$ sudo apt-get install synaptic

Reading package lists... Done

Building dependency tree

Reading state information... Done

synaptic is already the newest version.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

bogo@Prometeus-U:~$ sudo apt-get update --fix-missing

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

E: Unable to lock the list directory

bogo@Prometeus-U:~$ sudo dpkg clear-avail
dpkg: need an action option

Type dpkg --help for help about installing and deinstalling packages [*];
Use `dselect' or `aptitude' for user-friendly package management;

Type dpkg -Dhelp for a list of dpkg debug flag values;

Type dpkg --force-help for a list of forcing options;
Type dpkg-deb --help for help about manipulating *.deb files;

Type dpkg --license for copyright license and lack of warranty (GNU GPL) [*].

Options marked [*] produce a lot of output - pipe it through `less' or `more' !
bogo@Prometeus-U:~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a

bogo@Prometeus-U:~$ sudo apt-get -f install

Reading package lists... Done

Building dependency tree

Reading state information... Done

0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

bogo@Prometeus-U:~$ sudo apt-get --fix-missing install

Reading package lists... Done

Building dependency tree

Reading state information... Done

0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

bogo@Prometeus-U:~$ sudo apt-get clean

bogo@Prometeus-U:~$ sudo apt-get update

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

E: Unable to lock the list directory

bogo@Prometeus-U:~$ sudo apt-get upgrade

Reading package lists... Done

Building dependency tree

Reading state information... Done

0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

bogo@Prometeus-U:~$ sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Reading package lists... Done

Building dependency tree

Reading state information... Done

Calculating upgrade... Done

0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

bogo@Prometeus-U:~$ sudo apt-get clean

bogo@Prometeus-U:~$ sudo apt-get autoremove

Reading package lists... Done

Building dependency tree

Reading state information... Done

0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

bogo@Prometeus-U:~$ sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/status /var/lib/dpkg/status-old

bogo@Prometeus-U:~$ sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/status-old /var/lib/dpkg/status-old
cp: `/var/lib/dpkg/status-old' and `/var/lib/dpkg/status-old' are the same file
bogo@Prometeus-U:~$ sudo apt-get update

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

E: Unable to lock the list directory

bogo@Prometeus-U:~$
-------------------------------------

sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/lock will help u try this.