In this article, we will delve into the details of how to resolve the “snap has install-snap change in progress” error in Ubuntu 18.04. This error typically arises when you are trying to install an application from Ubuntu Software and there is an ongoing installation process for the specified package.
Understanding the Error
Before we dive into the solutions, let’s first understand what this error means. The Snap package manager in Ubuntu is designed to handle one installation process at a time for each package. When you see the “snap has install-snap change in progress” error, it means that there is already an ongoing installation or update process for the same package.
Solution 1: Wait for the Installation to Complete
The simplest solution to this error is to wait. It is possible that the installation process is running in the background without any visible progress. You can check the status of ongoing changes by running the following command in the terminal:
snap changesThis command lists all the ongoing changes along with their IDs. If you see the package you’re trying to install in the list, it means the installation is still in progress.
Solution 2: Abort the Ongoing Change
If waiting doesn’t resolve the issue, you can manually abort the ongoing change using the snap abort command. Here’s how to do it:
- Identify the ID of the ongoing change by running
snap changes. - Use the command
sudo snap abort <CHANGE_ID>to abort the change. Replace<CHANGE_ID>with the ID of the change you want to abort. For example, if the ID is 123, you would runsudo snap abort 123.
After aborting the change, you should be able to install the package again.
Solution 3: Reboot Your System
Sometimes, a system reboot can help resolve installation issues. After rebooting, try installing the package again and see if the error persists.
Solution 4: Install the Package via Command Line
If the Ubuntu Software Center is not working, you can try installing the package through the command line using the snap install command. For example, to install VLC, you would run the following command in the terminal:
sudo snap install vlcThe sudo command is used to run the following command with administrative privileges, while snap install is the command to install a snap package, and vlc is the name of the package to install.
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve covered four potential solutions to the “snap has install-snap change in progress” error in Ubuntu 18.04. If none of these solutions work, it is possible that there may be an issue with the snap package itself or with your system configuration. In such cases, you may need to seek further assistance or consider alternative installation methods.
Remember, the key to resolving this error is understanding that the Snap package manager can only handle one installation process at a time for each package. Therefore, you need to either wait for the ongoing process to complete or abort it manually before you can proceed with a new installation.
You can check the status of ongoing changes by running the command snap changes in the terminal. This will list all the ongoing changes along with their IDs.
To abort an ongoing change, you need to identify the ID of the change using snap changes command and then use the command sudo snap abort <CHANGE_ID> to abort the change. Replace <CHANGE_ID> with the actual ID of the change you want to abort.
If waiting doesn’t resolve the error, you can try manually aborting the ongoing change using the snap abort command as mentioned in Solution 2.
Yes, sometimes a system reboot can help resolve installation issues. After rebooting, try installing the package again and see if the error persists.
If the Ubuntu Software Center is not working, you can install a package through the command line using the snap install command. For example, to install VLC, you would run sudo snap install vlc in the terminal.
If none of the solutions work, there may be an issue with the snap package itself or with your system configuration. In such cases, you may need to seek further assistance or consider alternative installation methods.
