How to fix E: Archives directory /var/cache/apt/archives/partial is missing. - Acquire (13: Permission denied) in APT

APTBEGINNERMEDIUMUpdated Sep 29, 2026· 259 views

The apt package manager cannot access or find the /var/cache/apt/archives/partial directory, typically due to permission issues or accidental deletion. This error prevents package installations and updates. Recreating the directory and fixing permissions resolves the issue.

Quick fix

Fixes E: Archives directory /var/cache/apt/archives/partial is missing. - Acquire (13: Permission denied)

sudo mkdir -p /var/cache/apt/archives/partial
  1. Recreate the missing partial directory
  2. Fix directory ownership and permissions
  3. Recreate the lock file
  4. Verify the fix by running apt-get commands
apt — error
sudo mkdir -p /var/cache/apt/archives/partial
E: Archives directory /var/cache/apt/archives/partial is missing. - Acquire (13: Permission denied)

What this error means

This error occurs when apt tries to download and cache package files but cannot access the required partial directory. The "partial" directory is a temporary staging area where apt stores incomplete downloads before moving them to the main archives folder. When this directory is missing or has incorrect ownership, apt cannot proceed with package operations, whether installing new packages or cleaning the cache. The error code 13 specifically indicates a permission denial, meaning the current user (or the _apt system user) lacks the necessary access rights to the directory.

Typical symptoms

  • apt-get install commands fail with permission denied error
  • apt-get update or apt-get upgrade fail to complete
  • apt-get clean or apt-get autoclean commands fail
  • Synaptic package manager cannot access cache
  • Cannot install security updates on Debian/Ubuntu systems

Common causes

  1. The /var/cache/apt/archives/partial directory was accidentally deleted while cleaning up disk space
  2. Directory ownership or permissions were changed by a previous operation, blocking access by the _apt system user
  3. Incomplete apt installation or system corruption
  4. Running apt without proper elevated privileges when the directory exists with restrictive permissions
  5. Simultaneous package manager operations causing directory state inconsistency

How to fix "E: Archives directory /var/cache/apt/archives/partial is missing. - Acquire (13: Permission denied)"

1Recreate the missing partial directory

Open a terminal and run the following command with sudo privileges:

bash
sudo mkdir -p /var/cache/apt/archives/partial

The -p flag ensures all parent directories are created if they don't exist. This single command usually resolves the issue immediately.

2Fix directory ownership and permissions

The partial directory must be owned by the _apt system user. Run these commands:

bash
sudo chown -R _apt:root /var/cache/apt/archives/partial
sudo chmod 700 /var/cache/apt/archives/partial

The chown command sets ownership to _apt user and root group. The chmod command sets permissions to 700 (read, write, execute for owner only). This prevents other users from accessing the cache, which is the intended security model.

3Recreate the lock file

Create the lock file that apt uses to prevent simultaneous operations:

bash
sudo touch /var/cache/apt/archives/lock
sudo chmod 640 /var/cache/apt/archives/lock

This ensures apt can properly coordinate multiple operations on the cache.

4Verify the fix by running apt-get commands

Test that apt works again:

bash
sudo apt-get update

If successful, you should see the normal package list update output. You can also verify the cache is working:

bash
sudo apt-get autoclean

This removes old cached package files and demonstrates that apt can now access the archives directory.

Advanced notes

The /var/cache/apt/archives directory is critical to apt's security model. Never use rm -rf to delete files or subdirectories from this location. Always use apt-get clean (removes all cached packages) or apt-get autoclean (removes only outdated cached packages) for proper cache management. On systems with very limited storage (CF cards, small SSDs), some distributions mount /var/cache/apt as a tmpfs (in-memory filesystem). These systems should add mkdir -p /var/cache/apt/partial /var/cache/apt/archives/partial to /etc/rc.local to recreate the directories on each boot. If you regularly run into disk space issues, consider implementing a cron job to periodically run apt-get autoclean instead of manually deleting the cache.

Frequently asked questions

What does "E: Archives directory /var/cache/apt/archives/partial is missing. - Ac" mean?
This error occurs when apt tries to download and cache package files but cannot access the required partial directory. The "partial" directory is a temporary staging area where apt stores incomplete downloads before moving them to the main archives folder. When this directory is missing or has incorrect ownership, apt cannot proceed with package operations, whether installing new packages or cleaning the cache.
How do I fix "E: Archives directory /var/cache/apt/archives/partial is missing. - Ac"?
The apt package manager cannot access or find the /var/cache/apt/archives/partial directory, typically due to permission issues or accidental deletion. This error prevents package installations and updates. Recreating the directory and fixing permissions resolves the issue.
What causes "E: Archives directory /var/cache/apt/archives/partial is missing. - Ac"?
The /var/cache/apt/archives/partial directory was accidentally deleted while cleaning up disk space Directory ownership or permissions were changed by a previous operation, blocking access by the _apt system user Incomplete apt installation or system corruption
Is the "E: Archives directory /var/cache/apt/archives/partial is missing. - Ac" error serious?
It is a medium-severity error — more of a blocker than a risk. The steps above resolve it.

Official resources & further reading