Ubuntu
dpkg package

sudo dpkg --configure -a fails

Asked by bgould

Synaptic instructs me to run `dpgk --configure -a`, but this is what happens when I do:

bgould@bgould-laptop:~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
Setting up initramfs-tools (0.85eubuntu39.2) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)

Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic

gzip: stdout: No space left on device
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic
dpkg: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1

Any suggestions?

TIA

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marcobra (Marco Braida)
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marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said : 		#1

Open a Terminal from the menu Applications->Accessories->Terminal and type:

df -h

and

sudo fdisk -l

give your user password when requested, you don't see nothing when you type it, then press enter.

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bgould (ben-bgould) said : 		#2

Thanks marcobra,

bgould@bgould-laptop:~$ sudo df -h
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda6 20G 4.6G 15G 25% /
varrun 976M 116K 976M 1% /var/run
varlock 976M 0 976M 0% /var/lock
udev 976M 60K 976M 1% /dev
devshm 976M 124K 976M 1% /dev/shm
lrm 976M 44M 932M 5% /lib/modules/2.6.24-19-generic/volatile
/dev/sda8 16M 13M 1.6M 90% /boot
/dev/scd0 7.0G 7.0G 0 100% /media/cdrom0
bgould@bgould-laptop:~$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x9e86f523

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 8713 69979140 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 18358 19457 8835750 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 8714 18357 77465430 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 8714 8975 2104483+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 8976 11584 20956761 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 11587 18357 54388026 83 Linux
/dev/sda8 11585 11586 16033+ 83 Linux

Partition table entries are not in disk order
bgould@bgould-laptop:~$

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marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said : 		#3

You have a very very small /boot partition only 16 megabytes

/dev/sda8 16M 13M 1.6M 90% /boot

so you get the above error... on kernel upgrade.

Is this a just installed Ubuntu...?

Thank you

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bgould (ben-bgould) said : 		#4

Argh... I'm not exactly a newbie to Linux, I know just enough to get myself into trouble I guess...

This installation is about 4 weeks old.

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marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said : 		#5

So, you can use gparted coming with Ubuntu live install cd to resize your boot partition...

Boot from Ubuntu live cd, use "Partition editor" menu or press ALT+F2 on a free desktop and into the just opened dialog window type gksudo gparted

and resize partiton... be warned this may take much time...

Hope this helps

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bgould (ben-bgould) said : 		#6

Thanks, that's very helpful... what is a good size for the boot partition though?

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Best marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said : 		#7

You have assigned a lot of space not requested for some partitions, not wrong, but unnecessary.

/dev/sda6 20G used at 25% /
varrun 976M used at 1% /var/run
varlock 976M used at 0% /var/lock
udev 976M used at 1% /dev
devshm 976M used at 1% /dev/shm
lrm 976M 44M 932M 5% /lib/modules/2.6.24-19-generic/volatile

/dev/sda8 16M used at 90% /boot

With today hard-disk please keep partitions space high so i think you get 500 mb for /boot is ok

HTH

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bgould (ben-bgould) said : 		#8

Thanks marcobra, that solved my question.