This error may strike your Ubuntu at any point at the moment. A few days ago when I was doing my routine work in my Ubuntu laptop, suddenly I encountered with an error “Segmentation fault ( core dumped)” then I got to know that, this error can strike you Ubuntu or any other operating system at any point of the moment as binaries crashing doesn’t depend on us.
Segmentation fault is when your system tries to access a page of memory that doesn’t exist. Core dumped means when a part of code tries to perform read and write operation on a read-only or free location. Segfaults are generally associated with the file named core and It generally happens during up-gradation.
While running some commands during the core-dump situation you may encounter with “Unable to open lock file” this is because the system is trying to capture a bit block which is not existing, This is due to the crashing of binaries of some specific programs.
You may do backtracking or debugging to resolve it but the solution is to repair the broken packages and we can do it by performing the below-mentioned steps:
Command-line:
Step 1: Remove the lock files present at different locations.
sudo rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/lock /var/cache/apt/archives/lock /var/lib/dpkg/lock and restart your system h.cdccdc
Step 2: Remove repository cache.
sudo apt-get clean all
Step 3: Update and upgrade your repository cache.
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade
Step 4: Now upgrade your distribution, it will update your packages.
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
Step 5: Find the broken packages and delete them forcefully.
sudo dpkg -l | grep ^..r | apt-get purge
Apart from the command line, the best way which will always work is:
Step 1: Run Ubuntu in startup mode by pressing the Esc key after the restart.
Step 2: Select Advanced options for Ubuntu
Step 3: Run Ubuntu in the recovery mode and you will be listed with many options.
Step 4: First select “Repair broken packages”
Step 5: Then select “Resume normal boot”
So, we have two methods of resolving segmentation fault: CLI and the GUI. Sometimes, it may also happen that the “apt” command is not working because of segfault, so our CLI method will not work, in that case also don’t worry as the GUI method gonna work for us always.
Nicely put up.. keep it up
Good ✌
Thank You very much for this understandable explanation!
You know, if it were that simple i would not be looking for help. Sudo crashes. so I cannot sudo to fix sudo. It crashes. Man, your answer and of ALL the people ive read so far, is the same use sudo to fix sudo crashind. Is like using a broken hammer to create another hammer. good god.
What exactly are “lock” files and why do they matter? What have broken packages got to do with it.? There’s no point in upgrading since I’m already running the latest software. Why is is always assumed that new software will fix the problem? In my experience it often creates the problem.
I couldn’t get GNU Radio Companion to run no matter what I did and then I stumbled across your site and I thought “Well, I’ve tried everything else why not this?” After I rebooted, ran Ubuntu in Recovery mode and selected “Repair broken packages” GNU Radio Companion booted up without issue. Thanks for the help. There’s always something out there that will work but the trick is finding it.