docker build error (apt-utils is not installed, cannot remove '/var/lib/apt/lists': Directory not empty)

Question

I'm trying to build a docker image using the following command

docker build -t blog .

and the Dockerfile:

FROM ruby:2.4


RUN apt-get update -yqq \
    && apt-get install -yqq --no-install-recommends \
      postgresql-client \
      && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists


WORKDIR /usr/src/app
COPY Gemfile* .
RUN bundle install
COPY . .

EXPOSE 3000
CMD rails server -b 0.0.0.0

the result I get is the following:

Step 1 : FROM ruby:2.4
 ---> ef296fcb8c7c
Step 2 : RUN apt-get update -yqq     && apt-get install -yqq --no-install-recommends       postgresql-client       && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists
 ---> Running in 18bfd303925d
debconf: delaying package configuration, since apt-utils is not installed
Selecting previously unselected package postgresql-client-common.
(Reading database ... 21168 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../postgresql-client-common_165+deb8u2_all.deb ...
Unpacking postgresql-client-common (165+deb8u2) ...
Selecting previously unselected package postgresql-client-9.4.
Preparing to unpack .../postgresql-client-9.4_9.4.10-0+deb8u1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking postgresql-client-9.4 (9.4.10-0+deb8u1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package postgresql-client.
Preparing to unpack .../postgresql-client_9.4+165+deb8u2_all.deb ...
Unpacking postgresql-client (9.4+165+deb8u2) ...
Setting up postgresql-client-common (165+deb8u2) ...
Setting up postgresql-client-9.4 (9.4.10-0+deb8u1) ...
update-alternatives: using /usr/share/postgresql/9.4/man/man1/psql.1.gz to provide /usr/share/man/man1/psql.1.gz (psql.1.gz) in auto mode
Setting up postgresql-client (9.4+165+deb8u2) ...
rm: cannot remove '/var/lib/apt/lists': Directory not empty
The command '/bin/sh -c apt-get update -yqq     && apt-get install -yqq --no-install-recommends       postgresql-client       && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists' returned a non-zero code: 1

what is red are the 2 lines:

debconf: delaying package configuration, since apt-utils is not installed

rm: cannot remove '/var/lib/apt/lists': Directory not empty

Why it cannot remove the directory since I'm using -rf?

Thank you!

Solution

A few comments:

• Do not remove those files. Just run apt-get update again. I'm part of the Rocker project of (official) Dockerfiles for R, and we do see these timeouts. They are harmless.

• If you insist (and I still recommend against) do rm /var/lib/apt/lists/* for the content within the directory.

• As for apt-utils missing, you could just install it.

Comments

[Nanne]

As I read it, the command is rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists, so you rfirst bullet seems strange?

[Dirk Eddelbuettel]

No that is the same thing. On a directory, without -r, you get the error the OP got. With -r added to rm -r it works. The -f just "forces".

[Nanne]

I might be really thick, but I really don't get you. The OP uses -rf. I know that -f means force, but the fact it says -rf means the OP (also) uses -r. So saying "with -r added it works", doesn't help: OP says they use -rf, which means that -r is supplied.

[Dirk Eddelbuettel]

Yep. My bad. He does. I still recommend against (it will upset apt and friends) but hey, his Dockerfile.... Thanks for catching that. Answer edited.

[Radu Artene]

I removed the "rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists" line. It executes now. I'm still not clear although on why it does not work since -rf means recursive force. Thank you for your help.