Ubuntu

Purging kernels are out of whack

Asked by tearsforhari

Hello-- I am running 12.05.4. Here are some specs:

>uname -r
3.2.0-89-generic

>dpkg --list | grep linux-image
ii linux-image-3.2.0-88-generic 3.2.0-88.126 Linux kernel image for version 3.2.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-3.2.0-89-generic 3.2.0-89.127 Linux kernel image for version 3.2.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-server 3.2.0.89.103 Linux kernel image on Server Equipment.

> dpkg -l | egrep 'linux-[hi]'
ii linux-headers-3.2.0-83 3.2.0-83.120 Header files related to Linux kernel version 3.2.0
ii linux-headers-3.2.0-83-generic 3.2.0-83.120 Linux kernel headers for version 3.2.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-headers-3.2.0-84 3.2.0-84.121 Header files related to Linux kernel version 3.2.0
ii linux-headers-3.2.0-84-generic 3.2.0-84.121 Linux kernel headers for version 3.2.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-headers-3.2.0-85 3.2.0-85.122 Header files related to Linux kernel version 3.2.0
ii linux-headers-3.2.0-85-generic 3.2.0-85.122 Linux kernel headers for version 3.2.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-headers-3.2.0-86 3.2.0-86.124 Header files related to Linux kernel version 3.2.0
ii linux-headers-3.2.0-86-generic 3.2.0-86.124 Linux kernel headers for version 3.2.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-headers-3.2.0-87 3.2.0-87.125 Header files related to Linux kernel version 3.2.0
ii linux-headers-3.2.0-87-generic 3.2.0-87.125 Linux kernel headers for version 3.2.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-headers-3.2.0-88 3.2.0-88.126 Header files related to Linux kernel version 3.2.0
ii linux-headers-3.2.0-88-generic 3.2.0-88.126 Linux kernel headers for version 3.2.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-headers-3.2.0-89 3.2.0-89.127 Header files related to Linux kernel version 3.2.0
ii linux-headers-3.2.0-89-generic 3.2.0-89.127 Linux kernel headers for version 3.2.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-headers-server 3.2.0.89.103 Linux kernel headers on Server Equipment.
ii linux-image-3.2.0-88-generic 3.2.0-88.126 Linux kernel image for version 3.2.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-3.2.0-89-generic 3.2.0-89.127 Linux kernel image for version 3.2.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-server 3.2.0.89.103 Linux kernel image on Server Equipment.

>ls /boot
abi-3.2.0-80-generic config-3.2.0-82-generic initrd.img-3.2.0-80-generic memtest86+.bin System.map-3.2.0-89-generic
abi-3.2.0-82-generic config-3.2.0-88-generic initrd.img-3.2.0-82-generic memtest86+_multiboot.bin vmlinuz-3.2.0-80-generic
abi-3.2.0-88-generic config-3.2.0-89-generic initrd.img-3.2.0-88-generic System.map-3.2.0-80-generic vmlinuz-3.2.0-82-generic
abi-3.2.0-89-generic grub initrd.img-3.2.0-89-generic System.map-3.2.0-82-generic vmlinuz-3.2.0-88-generic
config-3.2.0-80-generic initrd.img-3.2.0-60-generic.old.0 lost+found System.map-3.2.0-88-generic vmlinuz-3.2.0-89-generic

Question 1: how do I get rid of the old keneral dependencies 3.2.0-80 and -82? I tried the following, but somehow the purge command didn't get work:

> sudo apt-get purge linux-image-3.2.0.82-generic
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Note, selecting 'linux-image-3.2.0-82-generic' for regex 'linux-image-3.2.0.82-generic'
Note, selecting 'linux-image-3.2.0-82-generic-pae' for regex 'linux-image-3.2.0.82-generic'
Package linux-image-3.2.0-82-generic is not installed, so not removed
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  linux-headers-3.2.0-83-generic linux-headers-3.2.0-86-generic linux-headers-3.2.0-83 linux-headers-3.2.0-84 linux-headers-3.2.0-85 linux-headers-3.2.0-86 linux-headers-3.2.0-87
  linux-headers-3.2.0-84-generic linux-headers-3.2.0-87-generic linux-headers-3.2.0-85-generic
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

Question 2: How do I get rid of the old headers? The purge command doesn't normally get rid of those.

Question information

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Solved by:
Manfred Hampl
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Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

sudo apt-get --purge autoremove

As the system told you...

Revision history for this message
Best Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#2

Please do not confuse the kernel packages and the header packages.

The kernel packages ("...-image-...") contain the files needed for starting the operating system. You have just two versions installed, and that is usually the minimum number recommended (but continue reading to the end of my comment).

The header packages ("...-header-...") are files required for compiling system-related programs. You might be not aware of it, but during package update in some cases there has to be some compilation done, requiring the header files in the same version as the kernel you are running. (This is the case e.g. for certain video drivers, or in case you are using virtualization.)

You will not need the header files for a kernel version that you do not have installed.
sudo apt-get --purge autoremove
will delete the obsolete versions.

There seem to be some more obsolete files on your system:
"ls /boot" shows some kernel files belonging to version 3.2.0-80 and 3.2.0-82, although the package management system does not know about those versions.

You can delete these files manually:

sudo rm /boot/*-3.2.0-80-*
sudo rm /boot/*-3.2.0-82-*
sudo rm /boot/*-3.2.0-60-*
sudo update-grub

Revision history for this message
tearsforhari (tearsforhari) said : 		#3

Thank you.