Automatic updates take very long to complete

Start with the automatic-update sequence in the reproduction steps and compare Logs and Logs 2, especially the repeated cache refreshes and the installation gap. Done means identifying why automatic installation is delayed and demonstrating that the same update completes promptly through the automatic path.

Describe the bug
Automatic updates for Linux Mint Cinnamon 22.3 take a very long time to complete. I have a fast broadband connection and I've enabled mirrors close to me. I'm trying to install a 400 MB Nvidia drivers update. When installed manually, this would take me 2 minutes at most. Now that it's trying to update it automatically, the update has taken 30 minutes, and it is not completed yet. I very much doubt that this is a connection speed or mirror issue. I noticed this issue in previous versions of Linux Mint.

Edit 1: the update finished on 8.26 AM, two minutes ago.
Edit 2: Why is update manager detecting the update three times, and not updating it right away?

Screenshots
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To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Have automatic updates enabled
2. Wait for an update to appear
3. Do not update, let automatic updates kick in
4. Slow update

Expected behavior
A clear and concise description of what you expected to happen.

Distribution:

• [x ] Linux Mint
• LMDE
• Other (please specify)

Software version:
7.1.4

Logs:
2026.03.10@07:22 ++ Launching Update Manager
2026.03.10@07:22 ++ Initial refresh will happen in 0 day(s), 0 hour(s) and 10 minute(s)
2026.03.10@07:22 ++ Inhibited power management
2026.03.10@07:22 ++ Checking for updates
2026.03.10@07:22 ++ System is up to date
2026.03.10@07:22 ++ Refresh finished
2026.03.10@07:22 ++ Resumed power management
2026.03.10@07:22 ++ Tracker: Mintupdate update button was pressed recently: 1 days ago
2026.03.10@07:32 ++ Update Manager is in tray mode; performing initial refresh
2026.03.10@07:32 ++ Auto refresh will happen in 0 day(s), 0 hour(s) and 1 minute(s)
2026.03.10@07:32 ++ Inhibited power management
2026.03.10@07:32 ++ Refreshing cache
2026.03.10@07:32 ++ Refreshing cache for Cinnamon updates
2026.03.10@07:32 ++ Refreshing cache for Flatpak updates
2026.03.10@07:32 ++ Checking for updates
2026.03.10@07:32 ++ Found 1 software updates
2026.03.10@07:32 ++ Refresh finished
2026.03.10@07:32 ++ Resumed power management
2026.03.10@07:33 ++ Update Manager is in tray mode; performing auto refresh
2026.03.10@07:33 ++ Auto refresh will happen in 0 day(s), 1 hour(s) and 59 minute(s)
2026.03.10@07:33 ++ Inhibited power management
2026.03.10@07:33 ++ Refreshing cache
2026.03.10@07:33 ++ Refreshing cache for Cinnamon updates
2026.03.10@07:33 ++ Refreshing cache for Flatpak updates
2026.03.10@07:33 ++ Checking for updates
2026.03.10@07:33 ++ Found 1 software updates
2026.03.10@07:33 ++ Refresh finished
2026.03.10@07:33 ++ Resumed power management
2026.03.10@07:35 ++ Inhibited power management
2026.03.10@07:35 ++ Checking for updates
2026.03.10@07:35 ++ Found 1 software updates
2026.03.10@07:35 ++ Refresh finished
2026.03.10@07:35 ++ Resumed power management
2026.03.10@08:26 ++ Changes to the package cache detected; triggering refresh
2026.03.10@08:26 ++ Inhibited power management
2026.03.10@08:26 ++ Checking for updates
2026.03.10@08:26 ++ System is up to date
2026.03.10@08:26 ++ Refresh finished
2026.03.10@08:26 ++ Resumed power management

11 MB update took 30 minutes to install

Logs 2
2026.03.14@09:05 ++ Launching Update Manager
2026.03.14@09:05 ++ Initial refresh will happen in 0 day(s), 0 hour(s) and 10 minute(s)
2026.03.14@09:05 ++ Inhibited power management
2026.03.14@09:05 ++ Checking for updates
2026.03.14@09:05 ++ System is up to date
2026.03.14@09:05 ++ Refresh finished
2026.03.14@09:05 ++ Resumed power management
2026.03.14@09:05 ++ Tracker: Mintupdate update button was pressed recently: 1 days ago
2026.03.14@09:15 ++ Update Manager is in tray mode; performing initial refresh
2026.03.14@09:15 ++ Auto refresh will happen in 0 day(s), 0 hour(s) and 1 minute(s)
2026.03.14@09:15 ++ Inhibited power management
2026.03.14@09:15 ++ Refreshing cache
2026.03.14@09:15 ++ Refreshing cache for Cinnamon updates
2026.03.14@09:15 ++ Refreshing cache for Flatpak updates
2026.03.14@09:15 ++ Checking for updates
2026.03.14@09:15 ++ Found 2 software updates
2026.03.14@09:15 ++ Refresh finished
2026.03.14@09:15 ++ Resumed power management
2026.03.14@09:16 ++ Update Manager is in tray mode; performing auto refresh
2026.03.14@09:16 ++ Auto refresh will happen in 0 day(s), 1 hour(s) and 59 minute(s)
2026.03.14@09:16 ++ Inhibited power management
2026.03.14@09:16 ++ Refreshing cache
2026.03.14@09:16 ++ Refreshing cache for Cinnamon updates
2026.03.14@09:16 ++ Refreshing cache for Flatpak updates
2026.03.14@09:16 ++ Checking for updates
2026.03.14@09:16 ++ Found 2 software updates
2026.03.14@09:16 ++ Refresh finished
2026.03.14@09:16 ++ Resumed power management
2026.03.14@09:46 ++ Inhibited power management
2026.03.14@09:46 ++ Refreshing cache
2026.03.14@09:46 ++ Refreshing cache for Flatpak updates
2026.03.14@09:46 ++ Refreshing cache for Cinnamon updates
2026.03.14@09:46 ++ Checking for updates
2026.03.14@09:46 ++ System is up to date
2026.03.14@09:46 ++ Refresh finished
2026.03.14@09:46 ++ Resumed power management
2026.03.14@09:46 ++ Inhibited power management
2026.03.14@09:46 ++ Refreshing cache
2026.03.14@09:46 ++ Refreshing cache for Cinnamon updates
2026.03.14@09:46 ++ Refreshing cache for Flatpak updates
2026.03.14@09:46 ++ Checking for updates
2026.03.14@09:46 ++ System is up to date
2026.03.14@09:46 ++ Refresh finished
2026.03.14@09:46 ++ Resumed power management

Screenshot