Resolved There was an issue with updating system packages and third-party components. pum is called with arguments: ['--list', '--repo-info', '--json']

[PeopleInside]

Server operating system version

Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS

Plesk version and microupdate number

18.0.71 Update 2

Hi, I hope this message finds you well.
Since different days I'm getting an email from Plesk that indicate issues on updating third-party components.
The email say:

There was an issue with updating system packages and third-party components
Reason: 2025-08-02 06:26:21 INFO: pum is called with arguments: ['--list', '--repo-info', '--json']
2025-08-02 06:26:59 ERROR: Apt cache fetch failed. Try to run the `apt-get update` command.
2025-08-02 06:26:59 ERROR:
2025-08-02 06:26:59 ERROR: Exited with returncode 1.

I searched on the Internet for a solution but I was unable to fix and find a solution.
Could you please help me?

IF I run

apt-get update

by SSH I don't get any error.
Thank you in advance!

 

[PeopleInside]

The error can be reproduced using the command:

/usr/local/psa/admin/sbin/pum --list --repo-info --json

Result:

2025-08-02 11:00:20 INFO: pum is called with arguments: ['--list', '--repo-info', '--json']
2025-08-02 11:00:20 ERROR: Update operation was locked by another update process (Plesk installer or pum).
2025-08-02 11:00:20 ERROR: Exited with returncode 100.

 

[PeopleInside]

After this error I run:

ps aux | grep -E 'pum|plesk'

to check if some process was locking the update.

AI helped to understand the result and no process was locking the update.

I checked also for zombie process

sudo lsof /var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend
sudo lsof /var/lib/apt/lists/lock
sudo lsof /var/cache/apt/archives/lock
sudo lsof /opt/psa/var/modules/pum/pum.lock

but everything was fine.

Now running

/usr/local/psa/admin/sbin/pum --list --repo-info --json

it gives a long Json output so everything seems is working fine but is since 4 days I get error email every morning.

Maybe something in the way update work should be improved checking for locking process and retry as soon process are not locked or better management of scheduled process. I hope this issue never happen again in tomorrow morning and I hope Plesk can maybe improve this.

I can read about other users that has reported the same issue and was not finding any solution.

 

[Sebahat.hadzhi]

Regarding:

2025-08-02 11:00:20 ERROR: Update operation was locked by another update process (Plesk installer or pum).

please try running:

plesk installer stop

If the update issue still continues, please double-check /var/log/plesk/systemupdatestool.log and /var/log/plesk/install/autoinstaller3.log for additional details.

 

[PeopleInside]

Hi Sebahat, thank you for your kind reply and for your time.
I hope your day is going well!
I will try and see, for now the error has been stopped but can happen again in the future as maybe Plesk run some update when is running other update.
Thank you!

 

[PeopleInside]

Hi, the issue start to be again present since different days (2).

var/log/plesk/systemupdatestool.log

2025-08-13 06:26:04 INFO: pum completed successfully
2025-08-13 06:26:05 INFO: pum is called with arguments: ['--check']
2025-08-13 06:26:09 INFO: pum is called with arguments: ['--list', '--repo-info', '--json']
2025-08-13 06:26:47 ERROR: Apt cache fetch failed. Try to run the `apt-get update` command.
2025-08-13 06:26:47 ERROR:
2025-08-13 06:26:47 ERROR: Exited with returncode 1.

/var/log/plesk/install

no recent log here

 

[PeopleInside]

As I cannot get in touch with Plesk support because it require to me to pay to access the support, as also the Plesk guide here seems have the same error but not the same cause, as... I looked into the

/var/log/plesk/install/autoinstaller3.log

, I was able to find some row related to the 13 august but nothing as in the plesk guide... so this plesk guide never help me...

There is a way to disable only fail update notification as seems Plesk is not managing well this?

 

[PeopleInside]

If I run

/usr/local/psa/admin/sbin/pum --list --repo-info --json

right now no errors on SSH but is two days that in the morning at 6 AM I get a Plesk email of failed update. This is very annoying.

On my opinion this is not managed well.
I don't see any fix I can apply to resolve this.

Maybe would be useful have a fail email notification only if the error persist after different retry or I don't know why I get disturbed often by this Plesk email.
This kind of update error should not happen and also I don't see how to resolve with the notification email.
Turn off the update email also for successfully update doesn't look a good idea.

 

[PeopleInside]

Unfortunately if I want help and resolve this issue seems I'm forced to contact the Plesk support.

 

[GerdSchrewe]

I have been experiencing exactly this problem for months on two Contabo V-servers running Ubuntu 22.04 and Plesk Obsidian 18.0.71 Update 1, Web Pro Edition. Every 2–3 days I get this message. Most of the time, the updates via Plesk work the next day. Sometimes it takes 2–3 days.

 

[PeopleInside]

It's terrible and seems there is not a real solution.
For now I'm trying to change the update time but even the support seems unable to find a log that motivate the issue.
Seems like a network temporary issue that still disturb me by email ... many different days... sometimes yes, sometimes no.