Ubuntu
linux-azure package

command to remove old headers

Asked by Jolly Man

~$ sudo du -sh /usr/src/*

113M /usr/src/linux-azure-headers-4.13.0-1018
...
(5GB)
...
114M /usr/src/linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1113

Is it possable to clean up that folder?

Our little VM OS disk is full and googling show that some of these headers are from 2018

I can't really find any documentation on what and how to clean.

Question information

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Solved by:
Manfred Hampl
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Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#1

There is a mechanism to mark old kernel and header files as "automatically installed", such that they can be removed with the command

sudo apt --purge autoremove

Before you execute that command, I suggest that you test the function first by running
apt --simulate autoremove

In case that this does not work as desired, it will be necessary to dig further into details, e.g. by checking "apt-mark showmanual" etc.

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#2

What is the output of:

dpkg -l | awk '{print $2}' | grep header; lsb_release -a; uname -a

Thanks

Revision history for this message
Jolly Man (jolly-m) said : 		#3

dpkg -l | awk '{print $2}' | grep header; lsb_release -a; uname -a

linux-azure-headers-4.13.0-1018
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1019
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1021
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1022
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1023
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1025
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1031
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1032
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1035
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1036
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1037
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1041
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1045
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1046
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1047
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1049
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1050
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1051
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1052
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1055
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1056
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1057
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1059
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1060
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1061
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1063
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1064
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1066
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1067
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1069
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1071
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1075
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1077
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1082
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1083
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1089
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1091
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1092
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1093
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1095
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1096
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1098
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1100
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1102
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1103
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1106
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1108
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1109
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1110
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1111
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1112
linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1113
linux-headers-4.13.0-1018-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1013-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1014-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1018-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1019-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1021-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1022-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1023-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1025-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1031-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1032-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1035-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1036-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1037-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1041-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1045-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1046-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1047-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1049-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1050-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1051-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1052-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1055-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1056-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1057-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1059-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1060-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1061-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1063-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1064-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1066-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1067-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1069-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1071-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1075-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1077-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1082-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1083-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1089-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1091-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1092-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1093-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1095-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1096-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1098-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1100-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1102-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1103-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1106-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1108-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1109-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1110-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1111-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1112-azure
linux-headers-4.15.0-1113-azure
linux-headers-azure
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 16.04.4 LTS
Release: 16.04
Codename: xenial
Linux [SERVER NAME] 4.15.0-1103-azure #114~16.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Wed Dec 16 02:39:42 UTC 2020 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#4

What output does the command

apt --simulate autoremove

produce?

Revision history for this message
Jolly Man (jolly-m) said : 		#5

Executing both the "simulate" and real call in PROD now

NOTE: It's a huge dump of almost 500 lines so I'm condencing it here

sudo apt --simulate autoremove

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1037 linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1041 linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1045 linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1046 linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1047
...
  linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1108 linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1109 linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1110 linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1111 linux-azure-headers-4.13.0-1018
  linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1013 linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1014 linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1018 linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1019 linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1021 linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1022
...
  linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1096 linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1098 linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1100 linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1102 linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1106 linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1108
  linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1109 linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1110 linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1111 linux-azure-tools-4.13.0-1018 linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1013 linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1014
  linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1018 linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1019 linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1021 linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1022 linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1023 linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1025
...
  linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1100 linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1102 linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1106 linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1108 linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1109 linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1110
  linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1111 linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1037-azure linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1041-azure linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1045-azure linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1046-azure
  linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1047-azure linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1049-azure linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1050-azure linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1051-azure linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1052-azure
...
  linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1106-azure linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1108-azure linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1109-azure linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1110-azure linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1111-azure
  linux-headers-4.13.0-1018-azure linux-headers-4.15.0-1013-azure linux-headers-4.15.0-1014-azure linux-headers-4.15.0-1018-azure linux-headers-4.15.0-1019-azure linux-headers-4.15.0-1021-azure
...
  linux-headers-4.15.0-1108-azure linux-headers-4.15.0-1109-azure linux-headers-4.15.0-1110-azure linux-headers-4.15.0-1111-azure linux-image-4.13.0-1018-azure linux-image-4.15.0-1013-azure
  linux-image-4.15.0-1014-azure linux-image-4.15.0-1018-azure linux-image-4.15.0-1019-azure linux-image-4.15.0-1021-azure linux-image-4.15.0-1022-azure linux-image-4.15.0-1023-azure
...
  linux-image-4.15.0-1098-azure linux-image-4.15.0-1100-azure linux-image-4.15.0-1102-azure linux-image-4.15.0-1106-azure linux-image-4.15.0-1108-azure linux-image-4.15.0-1109-azure
  linux-image-4.15.0-1110-azure linux-image-4.15.0-1111-azure linux-modules-4.15.0-1013-azure linux-modules-4.15.0-1014-azure linux-modules-4.15.0-1018-azure linux-modules-4.15.0-1019-azure
  linux-modules-4.15.0-1021-azure linux-modules-4.15.0-1022-azure linux-modules-4.15.0-1023-azure linux-modules-4.15.0-1025-azure linux-modules-4.15.0-1031-azure linux-modules-4.15.0-1032-azure
...
  linux-modules-4.15.0-1106-azure linux-modules-4.15.0-1108-azure linux-modules-4.15.0-1109-azure linux-modules-4.15.0-1110-azure linux-modules-4.15.0-1111-azure linux-tools-4.13.0-1018-azure
  linux-tools-4.15.0-1013-azure linux-tools-4.15.0-1014-azure linux-tools-4.15.0-1018-azure linux-tools-4.15.0-1019-azure linux-tools-4.15.0-1021-azure linux-tools-4.15.0-1022-azure
...
  linux-tools-4.15.0-1096-azure linux-tools-4.15.0-1098-azure linux-tools-4.15.0-1100-azure linux-tools-4.15.0-1102-azure linux-tools-4.15.0-1106-azure linux-tools-4.15.0-1108-azure
  linux-tools-4.15.0-1109-azure linux-tools-4.15.0-1110-azure linux-tools-4.15.0-1111-azure
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 389 to remove and 91 not upgraded.
Remv linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1037-azure [4.15.0-1037.39~16.04.1]
Remv linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1037 [4.15.0-1037.39~16.04.1]
Remv linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1041-azure [4.15.0-1041.45]
Remv linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1041 [4.15.0-1041.45]
...
Remv linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1077-azure [4.15.0-1077.82]
Remv linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1077 [4.15.0-1077.82]
Remv linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1082-azure [4.15.0-1082.92~16.04.1]
Remv linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1082 [4.15.0-1082.92~16.04.1]
...
Remv linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1089-azure [4.15.0-1089.99~16.04.1]
Remv linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1089 [4.15.0-1089.99~16.04.1]
Remv linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1091-azure [4.15.0-1091.101~16.04.1]
Remv linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1091 [4.15.0-1091.101~16.04.1]
...
Remv linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1111-azure [4.15.0-1111.123~16.04.1]
Remv linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0-1111 [4.15.0-1111.123~16.04.1]
Remv linux-headers-4.13.0-1018-azure [4.13.0-1018.21]
Remv linux-azure-headers-4.13.0-1018 [4.13.0-1018.21]
Remv linux-headers-4.15.0-1013-azure [4.15.0-1013.13~16.04.2]
Remv linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1013 [4.15.0-1013.13~16.04.2]
Remv linux-headers-4.15.0-1014-azure [4.15.0-1014.14~16.04.1]
Remv linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1014 [4.15.0-1014.14~16.04.1]
...
Remv linux-headers-4.15.0-1037-azure [4.15.0-1037.39~16.04.1]
Remv linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1037 [4.15.0-1037.39~16.04.1]
Remv linux-headers-4.15.0-1041-azure [4.15.0-1041.45]
Remv linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1041 [4.15.0-1041.45]
...
Remv linux-headers-4.15.0-1077-azure [4.15.0-1077.82]
Remv linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1077 [4.15.0-1077.82]
Remv linux-headers-4.15.0-1082-azure [4.15.0-1082.92~16.04.1]
Remv linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1082 [4.15.0-1082.92~16.04.1]
...
Remv linux-headers-4.15.0-1089-azure [4.15.0-1089.99~16.04.1]
Remv linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1089 [4.15.0-1089.99~16.04.1]
Remv linux-headers-4.15.0-1091-azure [4.15.0-1091.101~16.04.1]
Remv linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1091 [4.15.0-1091.101~16.04.1]
...
Remv linux-headers-4.15.0-1111-azure [4.15.0-1111.123~16.04.1]
Remv linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1111 [4.15.0-1111.123~16.04.1]
Remv linux-tools-4.13.0-1018-azure [4.13.0-1018.21]
Remv linux-azure-tools-4.13.0-1018 [4.13.0-1018.21]
Remv linux-tools-4.15.0-1013-azure [4.15.0-1013.13~16.04.2]
Remv linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1013 [4.15.0-1013.13~16.04.2]
Remv linux-tools-4.15.0-1014-azure [4.15.0-1014.14~16.04.1]
Remv linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1014 [4.15.0-1014.14~16.04.1]
...
Remv linux-tools-4.15.0-1037-azure [4.15.0-1037.39~16.04.1]
Remv linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1037 [4.15.0-1037.39~16.04.1]
Remv linux-tools-4.15.0-1041-azure [4.15.0-1041.45]
Remv linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1041 [4.15.0-1041.45]
...
Remv linux-tools-4.15.0-1077-azure [4.15.0-1077.82]
Remv linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1077 [4.15.0-1077.82]
Remv linux-tools-4.15.0-1082-azure [4.15.0-1082.92~16.04.1]
Remv linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1082 [4.15.0-1082.92~16.04.1]
...
Remv linux-tools-4.15.0-1089-azure [4.15.0-1089.99~16.04.1]
Remv linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1089 [4.15.0-1089.99~16.04.1]
Remv linux-tools-4.15.0-1091-azure [4.15.0-1091.101~16.04.1]
Remv linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1091 [4.15.0-1091.101~16.04.1]
...
Remv linux-tools-4.15.0-1111-azure [4.15.0-1111.123~16.04.1]
Remv linux-azure-tools-4.15.0-1111 [4.15.0-1111.123~16.04.1]
Remv linux-image-4.13.0-1018-azure [4.13.0-1018.21]
Remv linux-image-4.15.0-1013-azure [4.15.0-1013.13~16.04.2]
Remv linux-image-4.15.0-1014-azure [4.15.0-1014.14~16.04.1]
Remv linux-image-4.15.0-1018-azure [4.15.0-1018.18~16.04.1]
...
Remv linux-image-4.15.0-1036-azure [4.15.0-1036.38~16.04.1]
Remv linux-image-4.15.0-1037-azure [4.15.0-1037.39~16.04.1]
Remv linux-image-4.15.0-1041-azure [4.15.0-1041.45]
Remv linux-image-4.15.0-1045-azure [4.15.0-1045.49]
...
Remv linux-image-4.15.0-1075-azure [4.15.0-1075.80]
Remv linux-image-4.15.0-1077-azure [4.15.0-1077.82]
Remv linux-image-4.15.0-1082-azure [4.15.0-1082.92~16.04.1]
Remv linux-image-4.15.0-1083-azure [4.15.0-1083.93~16.04.1]
Remv linux-image-4.15.0-1089-azure [4.15.0-1089.99~16.04.1]
Remv linux-image-4.15.0-1091-azure [4.15.0-1091.101~16.04.1]
Remv linux-image-4.15.0-1092-azure [4.15.0-1092.102~16.04.1]
...
Remv linux-image-4.15.0-1110-azure [4.15.0-1110.122~16.04.1]
Remv linux-image-4.15.0-1111-azure [4.15.0-1111.123~16.04.1]
Remv linux-modules-4.15.0-1013-azure [4.15.0-1013.13~16.04.2]
Remv linux-modules-4.15.0-1014-azure [4.15.0-1014.14~16.04.1]
Remv linux-modules-4.15.0-1018-azure [4.15.0-1018.18~16.04.1]
...
Remv linux-modules-4.15.0-1036-azure [4.15.0-1036.38~16.04.1]
Remv linux-modules-4.15.0-1037-azure [4.15.0-1037.39~16.04.1]
Remv linux-modules-4.15.0-1041-azure [4.15.0-1041.45]
Remv linux-modules-4.15.0-1045-azure [4.15.0-1045.49]
...
Remv linux-modules-4.15.0-1075-azure [4.15.0-1075.80]
Remv linux-modules-4.15.0-1077-azure [4.15.0-1077.82]
Remv linux-modules-4.15.0-1082-azure [4.15.0-1082.92~16.04.1]
Remv linux-modules-4.15.0-1083-azure [4.15.0-1083.93~16.04.1]
Remv linux-modules-4.15.0-1089-azure [4.15.0-1089.99~16.04.1]
Remv linux-modules-4.15.0-1091-azure [4.15.0-1091.101~16.04.1]
Remv linux-modules-4.15.0-1092-azure [4.15.0-1092.102~16.04.1]
...
Remv linux-modules-4.15.0-1110-azure [4.15.0-1110.122~16.04.1]
Remv linux-modules-4.15.0-1111-azure [4.15.0-1111.123~16.04.1]

Revision history for this message
Jolly Man (jolly-m) said : 		#6

All done

This is soooooooo much better. The little server is happy now.

sudo du -sh /usr/src/*

114M /usr/src/linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1103
114M /usr/src/linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1112
114M /usr/src/linux-azure-headers-4.15.0-1113
16M /usr/src/linux-headers-4.15.0-1103-azure
17M /usr/src/linux-headers-4.15.0-1112-azure
17M /usr/src/linux-headers-4.15.0-1113-azure

I'm good. thanks.

Any last queries before closing?

Revision history for this message
Best Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#7

Just some remarks:

The command did not only remove obsolete header files, but also kernel images (from /boot) and modules (from /lib/modules/).

The command "sudo apt --purge autoremove" removes all versions of the kernel and header packages except the newest two and the package of the kernel version currently in use (if it's not within the newest two). In your case the two newest ones are 4.15.0-1112-azure and 4.15.0-1113-azure and the running kernel is 4.15.0-1103-azure.

It is good practice to periodically run "apt autoremove". You have to decide on the frequency in line with the way of operating your server (e.g. monthly, once a quarter).

Revision history for this message
Jolly Man (jolly-m) said : 		#8

Thanks Manfred Hampl, that solved my question.