/boot full caused kernel dependency problems Ubuntu 12.04

Question

I let the auto security update fill /boot. I deleted some files, but apparently there were other issues.

This is a similar problem that I have seen in this forum over and over but I have tried all the solutions I have seen and nothing seems to work.

root@mail:~# apt-get dist-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
You might want to run 'apt-get -f install' to correct these.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 linux-generic-pae : Depends: linux-headers-generic-pae (= 3.2.0.51.61) but 3.2.0.52.62 is installed
 linux-image-generic-pae : Depends: linux-image-3.2.0-51-generic-pae but it is not installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try using -f.

So I try then next logical step and I get the following.

root@mail:~# apt-get -f install
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  linux-headers-3.2.0-38-generic-pae linux-headers-3.2.0-41-generic-pae
  linux-headers-3.2.0-40 linux-headers-3.2.0-41 linux-headers-3.2.0-38
  linux-headers-3.2.0-44 linux-headers-3.2.0-39 linux-headers-3.2.0-45
  linux-headers-3.2.0-48 linux-headers-3.2.0-44-generic-pae
  linux-headers-3.2.0-39-generic-pae linux-headers-3.2.0-48-generic-pae
  linux-headers-3.2.0-45-generic-pae linux-headers-3.2.0-40-generic-pae
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following extra packages will be installed:
  linux-generic-pae linux-image-generic-pae
The following packages will be upgraded:
  linux-generic-pae linux-image-generic-pae
2 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 49 not upgraded.
2 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/4,074 B of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-image-generic-pae:
 linux-image-generic-pae depends on linux-image-3.2.0-51-generic-pae; however:
  Package linux-image-3.2.0-51-generic-pae is not installed.
dpkg: error processing linux-image-generic-pae (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-generic-pae:No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure.

 linux-generic-pae depends on linux-image-generic-pae (= 3.2.0.51.61); however:
  Package linux-image-generic-pae is not configured yet.
 linux-generic-pae depends on linux-headers-generic-pae (= 3.2.0.51.61); however:
  Version of linux-headers-generic-pae on system is 3.2.0.52.62.
dpkg: error processing linux-generic-pae (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure.
                          Errors were encountered while processing:
 linux-image-generic-pae
 linux-generic-pae
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

I've tried purge, clean, reinstall, etc, etc. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

My problem isn't about freeing up space in /boot. That was easy to clear. The problem is that apt is not letting me do anything. Please read. — Greg, Aug 23 '13 at 00:55
How about running autoremove first? Failing that, have you tried the solution suggested here? http://askubuntu.com/questions/304360/error-running-sudo-apt-get-f-install?rq=1 — Ian N, Aug 23 '13 at 02:28

score 2 · Answer 1 · edited Sep 13 '13 at 01:17

I followed these instructions to fix this problem on my machine. http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2169901&p=12778972#post12778972

Not sure if all these steps are needed but doing these fixed my issue

1) sudo aptitude update

2) sudo aptitude safe-upgrade => from this command I still get the same error

3) sudo aptitude build-dep => was prompted to removed a package. Answer Y

4) sudo apt-get update

5) sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Problem fixed! All my packages are up to date now.

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Sep 04 '13 at 19:26

After trying

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt-get install -f

if the problem of a broken package still exist... the solution is to edit the dpkg status file manually.

sudo gedit /var/lib/dpkg/status

(you can use any editor to edit file/and if using GUI -file manager to find it)

Locate the corrupt package, and remove the whole block of information about it and save the file.

if no help u may read these...

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1642173

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/debian-26/sub-process-usr-bin-dpkg-returned-an-error-code-1-a-171107/

/boot full caused kernel dependency problems Ubuntu 12.04

2 Answers2