The image from quick create in hyper-v for Ubuntu 18.04.2 and 19.04 doesn't allow me to install anything

Apparently the seed.yml file specifies apps to install on a fresh OS install.

If we remove the ones that are getting stuck and then manually install them, this works.

Steps:

1. Change your /var/lib/snapd/seed/seed.yaml file to look like this:

   snaps:
   -
   name: core
   channel: stable
   file: core_6673.snap
   -
   name: gtk-common-themes
   channel: stable/ubuntu-18.04
   file: gtk-common-themes_1198.snap
   -
   name: gnome-3-26-1604
   channel: stable/ubuntu-18.04
   file: gnome-3-26-1604_82.snap
   

   Basically I'm removing all the entries that caused the snap tasks to get stuck.

2. Abort the currently running snap tasks and restart the service:

   • snap abort --last=seed
   • sudo systemctl restart snapd
   • Keep running snap tasks --last=seed to see the progress of the snap tasks and wait for all the tasks to be "Done"

3. Manually install any apps that you removed from /var/lib/snapd/seed/seed.yaml, they might include:

   • gnome-calculator
   • gnome-characters
   • gnome-logs
   • gnome-system-monitor

   The command to reinstall these is:

   snap install gnome-calculator gnome-characters gnome-logs gnome-system-monitor`
   

Credit

Thanks to Stefan Jarina for help resolving this issue!