# Failed to lock apt for exclusive operation **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [April 18, 2020, 12:05pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/failed-to-lock-apt-for-exclusive-operation/32725 "2020-04-18T12:05:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![George\_James](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5e9695/32.png) [@George\_James](https://forum.ansible.com/u/George_James)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 12:05pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/failed-to-lock-apt-for-exclusive-operation/32725/1 "2020-04-18T12:05:02Z")
I create a new user using ansible called `nginx`, `nginx` is part of the sudo group a, but when I try to do an apt install with this user I get the below error ```auto : FAILED! => {"changed": false, "msg": "Failed to lock apt for exclusive operation"} ``` What is the cause of the error and how can it be fixed? ---
**Author:** ![racke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/racke/32/4767_2.png) [@racke](https://forum.ansible.com/u/racke)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 12:41pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/failed-to-lock-apt-for-exclusive-operation/32725/2 "2020-04-18T12:41:48Z")
> I create a new user using ansible called `nginx`, `nginx` is part of the sudo group a, but when I try to do an apt > install with this user I get the below error > > ```auto > : FAILED! => {"changed": false, "msg": "Failed to lock apt for exclusive operation"} > > ``` > > What is the cause of the error and how can it be fixed? Please show your playbook. Regards           Racke ---
**Author:** ![George\_James](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5e9695/32.png) [@George\_James](https://forum.ansible.com/u/George_James)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 1:13pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/failed-to-lock-apt-for-exclusive-operation/32725/3 "2020-04-18T13:13:20Z")
Hi Stefan, I have attached my playbook below ` - name: Install Nginx Ubuntu hosts: web remote\_user: “{{ NGINX\_USER }}” become: yes become\_method: sudo become\_user: “{{ NGINX\_USER }}” connection: ssh gather\_facts: no vars: NGINX\_VERSION: nginx-1.17.10 NGINX\_SBIN\_PATH: /usr/sbin/ NGINX\_ERROR\_LOG\_PATH: /var/log/nginx/error.log NGINX\_HTTP\_LOG\_PATH: /var/log/nginx/access.log NGINX\_PID\_PATH: /var/run/nginx.pid vars\_files: - …/vars/global.yaml tasks: - name: Check if Nginx Exists stat: path=/etc/init.d/nginx register: nginx\_status become: yes - name: Stop nginx Service service: name=nginx state=stopped when: nginx\_status.stat.exists register: service\_stopped - name: Make sure a systemd is not running systemd: state: stopped name: nginx - name: Install aptitude using apt apt: name: aptitude state: latest update\_cache: yes force\_apt\_get: yes - name: Update apt repo apt: update\_cache: yes cache\_valid\_time: 3600 - name: Install required system packages apt: name={{ item }} state=latest update\_cache=yes loop: [ “build-essential”, “libpcre3”, “libpcre3-dev”, “zlib1g”, “zlib1g-dev”, “libssl-dev”, ] ` ---
**Author:** ![racke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/racke/32/4767_2.png) [@racke](https://forum.ansible.com/u/racke)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 1:24pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/failed-to-lock-apt-for-exclusive-operation/32725/4 "2020-04-18T13:24:36Z")
> Hi Stefan, I have attached my playbook below Hello George, you need to be superuser to install APT packages, but your become\_user is "{{ NGINX\_USER }}" which is probably not root. Regards        Racke ---
**Author:** ![George\_James](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5e9695/32.png) [@George\_James](https://forum.ansible.com/u/George_James)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 1:41pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/failed-to-lock-apt-for-exclusive-operation/32725/5 "2020-04-18T13:41:35Z")
Okay, sorry I am new to Ansible and all this is a bit confusing. How do I set the super password, because now I change it to root, and even though I use the flag --ask-pass and pass in the password I now get the error `Missing sudo password` ` - name: Install Nginx Ubuntu hosts: web remote\_user: “{{ NGINX\_USER }}” become: yes become\_method: sudo become\_user: root connection: ssh gather\_facts: no vars: NGINX\_VERSION: nginx-1.17.10 NGINX\_SBIN\_PATH: /usr/sbin/ NGINX\_ERROR\_LOG\_PATH: /var/log/nginx/error.log NGINX\_HTTP\_LOG\_PATH: /var/log/nginx/access.log NGINX\_PID\_PATH: /var/run/nginx.pid vars\_files: - …/vars/global.yaml tasks: - name: Check if Nginx Exists stat: path=/etc/init.d/nginx register: nginx\_status become: yes - name: Stop nginx Service service: name=nginx state=stopped when: nginx\_status.stat.exists register: service\_stopped - name: Make sure a systemd is not running systemd: state: stopped name: nginx - name: Install aptitude using apt apt: name: aptitude state: latest update\_cache: yes force\_apt\_get: yes ` And I run with this playbook with the command `ansible-playbook nginx_ubuntu_18_04/playbook.yaml -i hosts --ask-pass` But I now get the error ` TASK [Check if Nginx Exists] \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* fatal: [142.93.15.195]: FAILED! =\> {“msg”: “Missing sudo password”} ` ---
**Author:** ![racke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/racke/32/4767_2.png) [@racke](https://forum.ansible.com/u/racke)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 1:59pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/failed-to-lock-apt-for-exclusive-operation/32725/6 "2020-04-18T13:59:13Z")
> Okay, sorry I am new to Ansible and all this is a bit confusing. > > How do I set the super password, because now I change it to root, and even though I use the flag --ask-pass and pass in > the password I now get the error `Missing sudo password` Hello George, --ask-pass is for the SSH connection, --ask-become-pass for Sudo password. Regards          Racke ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Visser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@Dick\_Visser](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Dick_Visser)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 2:56pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/failed-to-lock-apt-for-exclusive-operation/32725/7 "2020-04-18T14:56:00Z")
Not sure what a "super password" is - but it indicates that you might not have read the dedicated web page on Privilege escalation. I would suggest doing that though: [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/user\_guide/become.html](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/user_guide/become.html).