Hello,
Getting an error when attempting to install a template:
ERROR: Permissions denied: ‘/var/tmp/qvm-template.lck’
Explain the process of what you are doing in the Terminal Emulator, what template you are trying to install, and any further error logs.
Just trying to re-install the whonix-ws-16 template.
I assume that you’re following the instructions in the documentation. Are you attempting the automatic, or the manual method?
well both the qvm-template-gui and terminal methods were attempted and both seemed to fail the same way.
Since it is likely that you’re making a mistake in the process, it would still be useful if you described the steps you’re taking when following the docs. Anyhow…
I’m guessing here, but have you restarted dom0 since getting that error?
Details on why am I asking if you've restarted dom0.
The name of the file in the error message (/var/tmp/qvm-template.lck) suggests to me that it is a lock file, which (still guessing) I suppose would be used to prevent two qvm-template commands from running at the same time.
If that’s the case, the file would typically be created when qvm-template starts and be removed when it finishes. And any time qvm-template starts, it would check that the file is absent before performing any actual work, and terminate early otherwise.
If for some unknown reason the lock file hadn’t been removed when the last qvm-template command finished, I suppose any subsequent could calls to qvm-template could print an error like the one above.
With all that in mind (and assuming my guess is roughly correct), considering that the file is ostensibly a temporary file (it was created in /var/tmp) it is not impossible that it could be cleared by a restart.
Even if that wasn’t the case, a restart would ensure that any qvm-template process that might have created the file is terminated. (In my hypothesis, we don’t know why the lock file is still there, and it is a possibility that the qvm-template command that created it simply still running for some reason. I wouldn’t attempt to remove the lock file before making sure that’s not the case, and a restart seems like a less-than-subtle but simple way to do that.)
Once the restart done, if the error persists when runnig qvm-template, I would try (re-)moving the lock file, run qvm-template again and see what happens:
mv /var/tmp/qvm-template.lck /var/tmp/qvm-template.lck.bak
Of course, there is a risk that the lock is there for a reason that is not what I guessed, and that removing it before running qvm-template again causes issues that the initial error was designed to prevent. Only proceed if the reasoning makes sense to you and you’re comfortable with taking the risk. Waiting for others to give advice is always an option, remember that mine is an educated guess only, and that your risk assessment when it comes to incur further troubleshooting is probably different than mine! 
Last but no least, even if this works it wouldn’t explained why the lock file was left behind. I assume you’d rather work around the issue and be able to reinstall the template you’re after, even if that means not getting to the bottom of what caused the issue in the first place. Of course, I may be very wrong and you are the only one who can make that decision!
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Will the process show up when trying a command like top?
I think it should, yes, if it is indeed running.
what’s the proc name any idea?