Cannot update Ubuntu 16.04 - get message box that says no space in boot - not sure how to proceed

Asked by Michael Doran

When went to update, the software the software updater gave me a message box that said,
"The upgrade needs a total of 107 M free space on disk '/boot'. Please free at least an additional 16.0 M of disk space on '/boot'. Empty your trash and remove temporary packages of former installations using 'sudo apt-get clean'. "
 I tried this much and it did nothing so I figured it needed more.

So at this point I don't know how to do this and need some instruction. I see older files in the boot file but how do I get rid of the appropriate ones?

I recall there being an issue with backups clogging the system and since the system has encryption which on start up I have to enter before I can enter my password... wondered if this is cramping space somehow.

If not then I wonder why the older obsolete files aren't just scrubbed as part of the update?

Thanks,
Mike

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
Ubuntu apt Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Solved by:
Michael Doran
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#1

For diagnostic purposes please provide the output of the following commands (to be executed in a terminal window)

uname -a
lsb_release -crid
df -h
df -i
dpkg -l | grep ' linux-i'
sudo dpkg --audit
sudo apt-get --purge autoremove

Revision history for this message
Michael Doran (mdoran) said :
#2

Manfred – Here are the commands and responses as requested. I went as far as getting information but not deciding to continue with the autopurge. Do I go ahead or should I proceed another way? Thanks! Michael :

uname -a
Linux mainttwo-Vostro-270s 4.4.0-57-generic #78-Ubuntu SMP Fri Dec 9 23:50:32 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

lsb_release -crid
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS
Release: 16.04
Codename: xenial

df -h
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
udev 1.9G 0 1.9G 0% /dev
tmpfs 383M 11M 372M 3% /run
/dev/mapper/ubuntu—vg-root 913G 7.5G 859G 1% /
tmpfs 1.9G 380K 1.9G 1% /dev/shm
tmpfs 5.0M 4.0K 5.0M 1% /run/lock
tmpfs 1.9G 0 1.9G 0% /sys/fs/cgroup
/dev/sda1 472M 411M 37M 92% /boot
tmpfs 383M 56K 383M 1% /run/user/1000
/dev/sdb1 3.8G 2.1G 1.7G 55% /media/mainttwo/88DD-BF2A

df -i
Filesystem Inodes Iused Ifree Iuse% Mounted on
udev 484081 575 483506 1% /dev
tmpfs 489406 811 488595 1% /run
/dev/mapper/ubuntu—vg-root 60768256 430102 60338154 1% /
tmpfs 489406 10 489396 1% /dev/shm
tmpfs 489406 6 489400 1% /run/lock
tmpfs 489406 16 489390 1% /sys/fs/cgroup
/dev/sda1 124928 338 124590 1% /boot
tmpfs 489406 29 489377 1% /run/user/1000
/dev/sdb1 0 0 0 - /media/maint-two/88DD-BF2A

dpkg -l | grep ‘ linux-i’
ii linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic 4.4.0-31.50
    amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-38-generic 4.4.0-38.57
    amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-43-generic 4.4.0-43.63
    amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-45-generic 4.4.0-45.66
    amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-47-generic 4.4.0-47.68
    amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-53-generic 4.4.0-53.74
    amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-57-generic 4.4.0-57.78
    amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-59-generic 4.4.0-59.80
    amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-31-generic 4.4.0-31.50
    amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-38-generic 4.4.0-38.57
    amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-43-generic 4.4.0-43.63
    amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-45-generic 4.4.0-45.66
    amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-47-generic 4.4.0-47.68
    amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-53-generic 4.4.0-53.74
    amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-57-generic 4.4.0-57.78
    amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-59-generic 4.4.0-59.80
    amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-generic
    amd64 Generic Linux kernel image

sudo dpkg --audit
(Password asked for & after password the response was a blank or nothing)
Reading package lists… Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information… Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  linux-headers-4.4.0-31* linux-headers-4.4.0-31-generic*
  linux-headers-4.4.0-38* linux-headers-4.4.0-38-generic*
  linux-headers-4.4.0-43* linux-headers-4.4.0-43-generic*
  linux-headers-4.4.0-45* linux-headers-4.4.0-45-generic*
  linux-headers-4.4.0-47* linux-headers-4.4.0-47-generic*
  linux-headers-4.4.0-53* linux-headers-4.4.0-53-generic*
  linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic* linux-image-4.4.0-38-generic*
  linux-image-4.4.0-43-generic* linux-image-4.4.0-45-generic*
  linux-image-4.4.0-47-generic* linux-image-4.4.0-53-generic*
  linux-image-extra-4.4.0-31-generic* linux-image-extra-4.4.0-38-generic*
  linux-image-extra-4.4.0-43-generic* linux-image-extra-4.4.0-45-generic*
  linux-image-extra-4.4.0-47-generic* linux-image-extra-4.4.0-53-generic*
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 24 to remove and 3 not upgraded.
After this operation, 1,775 MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#3

You have configured your system to have a separate /boot partition with 472MB size.
The files for one version of the kernel occupy approximately 55MB on the /boot partition, so your /boot partition can hold 8 different versions at the same time, but not 9.

You currently have 8 versions installed, and no new one can be installed before you have cleaned up old ones.

Running the command

sudo apt-get --purge autoremove

and confirming the question "Do you want to continue? [Y/n]" by hitting the enter key will (as shown in your previous output) remove the six oldest versions of the kernel and leave just two in place. After that installing a new version should work.

P.S.: 1. It was a good idea to stop processing of that command and asking first.
2. Also in future you should periodically run that autoremove command to remove obsolete versions of the kernel packages.
3. The autoremove command will also uninstall outdated kernel header packages.

Revision history for this message
Michael Doran (mdoran) said :
#4

Thanks!

On Thu, Jan 19, 2017 at 2:32 PM, Manfred Hampl <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #438907 on apt in Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt/+question/438907
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Manfred Hampl proposed the following answer:
> You have configured your system to have a separate /boot partition with
> 472MB size.
> The files for one version of the kernel occupy approximately 55MB on the
> /boot partition, so your /boot partition can hold 8 different versions at
> the same time, but not 9.
>
> You currently have 8 versions installed, and no new one can be installed
> before you have cleaned up old ones.
>
> Running the command
>
> sudo apt-get --purge autoremove
>
> and confirming the question "Do you want to continue? [Y/n]" by hitting
> the enter key will (as shown in your previous output) remove the six
> oldest versions of the kernel and leave just two in place. After that
> installing a new version should work.
>
> P.S.: 1. It was a good idea to stop processing of that command and asking
> first.
> 2. Also in future you should periodically run that autoremove command to
> remove obsolete versions of the kernel packages.
> 3. The autoremove command will also uninstall outdated kernel header
> packages.
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt/+question/
> 438907/+confirm?answer_id=2
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt/+question/438907
>
> You received this question notification because you asked the question.
>

Revision history for this message
Michael Doran (mdoran) said :
#5

 This Solved My Problem.