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When I run software updater in Ubunutu 22.04 it gives a low disk space in /boot error and fails to update. When I run sudo apt upgrade (after sudo apt update), I get warnings of possible missing firmware, write errors and errors processing packages. I checked if these firmware files are missing, but they are in that directory.

I checked other answers on askubuntu and the most common cause I can find is that there are lots of kernels installed,I only have three installed (including the one in use). I followed the answers on this askubuntu page and tried using sudo apt autoremove which gives the same errors as sudo apt upgrade. I also tried to install ubuntu-tweaks but it states it doesn't have a release file and is unable to locate package (after adding the repository).

I would prefer not to remove the other kernels due to an earlier issue I had once, when my system wouldn't boot with the most recent kernel after an update, but did on an older kernel. I am also using LUKS to encrypt my hard drive, so as I understand I need a separate boot partition. My /boot partition is 500mb in size with 25 mb free according to disks, although system updater says 0 bytes are free in the error.

Can anyone recommend the best way to resolve this? Do I have to remove the other kernels, or can I safely resize my boot partition?

Output from the upgrade, autoremove commands and the list of kernels installed are below, currently 5.15.0-37-generic is being used.

sudo apt upgrade output

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
2 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Setting up linux-firmware (20220329.git681281e4-0ubuntu3.2) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-5.15.0-37-generic
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/yellow_carp_gpu_info.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/vangogh_gpu_info.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_rlc.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_mec2.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_mec.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_me.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_pfp.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_ce.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_sdma1.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_sdma.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_mes.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi10_mes.bin for module amdgpu
zstd: error 25 : Write error : No space left on device (cannot write compressed block) 
E: mkinitramfs failure zstd -q -1 -T0 25
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-5.15.0-37-generic with 1.
dpkg: error processing package linux-firmware (--configure):
 installed linux-firmware package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Setting up linux-image-5.15.0-37-generic (5.15.0-37.39) ...
Processing triggers for linux-image-5.15.0-37-generic (5.15.0-37.39) ...
/etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms:
 * dkms: running auto installation service for kernel 5.15.0-37-generic
   ...done.
/etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools:
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-5.15.0-37-generic
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/yellow_carp_gpu_info.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/vangogh_gpu_info.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_rlc.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_mec2.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_mec.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_me.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_pfp.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_ce.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_sdma1.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_sdma.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_mes.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi10_mes.bin for module amdgpu
zstd: error 25 : Write error : No space left on device (cannot write compressed block) 
E: mkinitramfs failure zstd -q -1 -T0 25
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-5.15.0-37-generic with 1.
run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1
dpkg: error processing package linux-image-5.15.0-37-generic (--configure):
 installed linux-image-5.15.0-37-generic package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 linux-firmware
 linux-image-5.15.0-37-generic
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

dpkg -l linux-image-* | grep ^ii output


ii  linux-image-5.15.0-27-generic          5.15.0-27.28 amd64        Signed kernel image generic
ii  linux-image-5.15.0-33-generic          5.15.0-33.34 amd64        Signed kernel image generic
ii  linux-image-generic-hwe-22.04          5.15.0.37.39 amd64        Generic Linux kernel image

sudo apt autoremove output

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
2 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Setting up linux-firmware (20220329.git681281e4-0ubuntu3.2) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-5.15.0-37-generic
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/yellow_carp_gpu_info.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/vangogh_gpu_info.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_rlc.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_mec2.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_mec.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_me.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_pfp.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_ce.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_sdma1.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_sdma.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_mes.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi10_mes.bin for module amdgpu
zstd: error 25 : Write error : No space left on device (cannot write compressed block) 
E: mkinitramfs failure zstd -q -1 -T0 25
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-5.15.0-37-generic with 1.
dpkg: error processing package linux-firmware (--configure):
 installed linux-firmware package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Setting up linux-image-5.15.0-37-generic (5.15.0-37.39) ...
Processing triggers for linux-image-5.15.0-37-generic (5.15.0-37.39) ...
/etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms:
 * dkms: running auto installation service for kernel 5.15.0-37-generic
   ...done.
/etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools:
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-5.15.0-37-generic
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/yellow_carp_gpu_info.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/vangogh_gpu_info.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_rlc.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_mec2.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_mec.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_me.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_pfp.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_ce.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_sdma1.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/cyan_skillfish_sdma.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_mes.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi10_mes.bin for module amdgpu
zstd: error 25 : Write error : No space left on device (cannot write compressed block) 
E: mkinitramfs failure zstd -q -1 -T0 25
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-5.15.0-37-generic with 1.
run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1
dpkg: error processing package linux-image-5.15.0-37-generic (--configure):
 installed linux-image-5.15.0-37-generic package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 linux-firmware
 linux-image-5.15.0-37-generic
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Output of lsblk -e 7 -o name,fstype,size,fsused,label,partlabel,mountpoint,uuid

NAME FSTYPE   SIZE FSUSED LABEL PARTLABEL MOUNTPOINT UUID
sda         931.5G                                   
├─sda1
│              16M              Microsoft reserved partition
│                                                    
├─sda2
│           466.6G                             
├─sda3
│    vfat     512M              EFI System Partition
│                                                    79FC-D483
├─sda4
│    crypto   464G                                   d64463f7-a3f2-4e6d-aa20-24502db38777
│ └─sda4_crypt
│    ext4   463.9G  37.8G                 /          5adad8d4-88aa-48ef-a789-9b042a566764
└─sda5
     ext4   476.7M 261.9M                 /boot      fe57f9a0-e2fe-4330-96c5-0be9299de1cc
stanley
  • 231
  • this may be more useful: lsblk -e 7 -o name,fstype,size,fsused,label,partlabel,mountpoint,uuid – oldfred Jun 09 '22 at 02:36
  • Can you tell me what it does first please? – stanley Jun 09 '22 at 05:17
  • See man lsblk It lists drives and many details. – oldfred Jun 09 '22 at 12:51
  • I did, and I ran it, I am not sure how it helps me, the information I got from it was that it confirms that my /boot partition is indeed full – stanley Jun 09 '22 at 21:11
  • How large is /boot? Are you using LVM? Posting the lsblk would answer those questions. Until you remove something from /boot to make room, updates will not work. Can you boot recovery mode, second line in grub to use command line or boot live installer and use chroot? https://askubuntu.com/questions/89710/how-do-i-free-up-more-space-in-boot & https://askubuntu.com/questions/976327/again-boot-is-full Current versions of Ubuntu should only be keeping 2 kernels. – oldfred Jun 10 '22 at 03:39
  • I have edited the response with the output of lsblk. My /boot is 500mb, I don't think I am using LVM, I don't remember setting up that or doing anything with it. I had three kernels installed, I removed one, and I changed the setting compress=zstd to xz in the initramfs.conf file. This seems to have reduced the size of /boot dramatically. Before it was close to 500 and now it is about 260, and updates are working again. Thanks for your help – stanley Jun 16 '22 at 22:55

0 Answers0