how do i free up space in Ubuntu? strugling to do so. the package manager don't help. want to use update manager, but it tells me there is not enough space. please help,new on linux.

Asked by oros

search through google, the package manager doesn't provide help. i have ubuntu and xp installed. the update manager says there is not enough space, it needs around 300mb to update. struggling to free up space. also tried in terminal to use cleaning command, don't help.

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Ville Aine (ville-aine) said :
#1

Have you gone through the steps described in this document:

  https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoverLostDiskSpace

Particularly useful sections might be

  * Disk Usage Analyzer
     https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoverLostDiskSpace#Disk%20Usage%20Analyzer

  * Gain Just a Bit of Space
     https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoverLostDiskSpace#Gain Just a Bit of Space

  * Install Apps When the Disk is Full
     https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoverLostDiskSpace#Install%20Apps%20When%20the%20Disk%20is%20Full

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Tom (tom6) said :
#2

Hi :)

In a terminal try the commands

sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get autoclean
sudo apt-get autoremove

In 9.04 try
System - Administration - Computor janitor

In any OS try emptying your wastebin on the desktop but also go into your emailing program and empty the wastebin in there. On your web-browser try
Tools - Clear Private Data

In any Ubuntu when you boot up do you get just 1 choice for Windows and just 1 for Ubuntu? If you get losts of options for Ubuntu then the 2nd one should have "recovery mode" near the end of it's line and choosing this one should get you to a blue menu with "Clear some space" option and a "Resume normal boot".

Good luck with all this
Regards from
Tom :)

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oros (thomasvanschalkwyk) said :
#3

i tried the safe mode option. what is the best option or a command or a app to download to clean up some space? Linux is all new to me.

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Carroarmato0 (carroarmato0) said :
#4

With the latest versions of Ubuntu, there is a program called "Disk Usage Analyser", it's bundled with the system.

You can tell it to analyse your Home directory, or the entire system, and you'll get a nice circular diagram on the right, displaying proportionately the biggest chunks on your system. It's your responsibility to know if you can delete something.

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Tom (tom6) said :
#5

Hi :)

Yes i like Disk Usage Analyser too. To help you get to a command-line
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UsingTheTerminal

sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get autoclean
sudo apt-get autoremove

Also please try this command and give us the output

sudo fdisk -l

where " -l" is a lower-case " -L". The "sudo" command will ask for your normal user password, not your SuperUser/Root one. Also i was wondering if you have an Ubuntu Cd and which version you have there?

Thanks, good luck and regards from
Tom :)

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Tom (tom6) said :
#6
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masesi (m1h9m1h9) said :
#7

I have lots ofabi ,config,system.map,vmlinuz and others,and don#T know how to eliminate them. purge, clean don'T work.

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Tom (tom6) said :
#8

Hi :)
UbuntuTweaks and it's "Janitor" app usually cleans a lot of stuff.

Have you tried getting to a command-line (sorry!) (Ctrl Alt T often brings
one up) and done the 4 commands;

sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get autoclean
sudo apt-get autoremove
sudo apt-get remove

Note that if you use the keyboard up arrow after entering the 1st command
then it brings that previous command back onto the new line, so then Ctrl
and left arrow skips to the beginning of the last word. So it doesn't take
much typing to do all 4 commands.
Regards from
Tom :)

On 19 December 2014 at 14:51, masesi <email address hidden>
wrote:
>
> Question #79653 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/79653
>
> masesi proposed the following answer:
> I have lots ofabi ,config,system.map,vmlinuz and others,and don#T know
> how to eliminate them. purge, clean don'T work.
>
> --
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

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Tom (tom6) said :
#9

Hi :)
Ahh, i guess i gave all the same advice all those years ago! The Janitor got removed but you can get it back by installing "Ubuntu Tweaks". To get it you will need to add a new "repo" (=repository), a PPA.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:tualatrix/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-tweak

However installing something in order to free-up space will take up more space and it's not certain whether it clears more space than it uses up. Maybe clear a bit of space first, then install it and use the Janitor and then uninstall UbuntuTweaks. Adding the repo is only 2 lines of text in a text-file so it takes up less than 20kB or 0.020 Mb. It's the program itself that takes up more space.

Also it might be good to open-up programs such as your emailer (Thunderbird?) and empty the wastebin in there. I can't think of any other programs that have their own wastebin but people often have tons of stuff deleted in their email client and clearing that can do tons. Web-browser caches can have a lot of stuff too.

Errr, in the original question it is possible that they had installed Ubuntu inside Windows as though Ubuntu is a normal program. This type of install is called the "Wubi" and is usually excellent. The Wubi team have done a fantastic job. However it still largely relies on various Microsoft technologies co-operating well so it's sometimes best to migrate to a proper Ubuntu dual-boot. "A change is as good as a rest".

Regards from
Tom :)

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masesi (m1h9m1h9) said :
#10

did not help, i am only concerned with boot. got another helpful answertnanks

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Tom (tom6) said :
#11

Hi :)
Were you able to run the commands?
Regards from
Tom :)

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masesi (m1h9m1h9) said :
#12

Can you help with this problem?

Provide an answer of your own, or ask oros for more information if necessary.

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