/boot is almost full preventing Software Updates

Question

I can't do a software update because /boot is almost full. I, as root deleted unneeded files, but it didn't change the space problem. Trash shows that it's empty, and I can't get run gksudo nautilus to access roots trash to empty it. So basically, I can't do any more upgrades if they involve /boot.

How do I empty root's trash?

Can't you just use terminal as root to delete the files with commands? — aastefanov, Jul 06 '15 at 22:37
I have tried, with no luck. Can you tell me what the command line is to empty roots trash? — Darby Gallagher, Jul 06 '15 at 22:40

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 06 '15 at 23:09

Try this:

Open a terminal,

Press Ctrl+Alt+T

Run it:

$ sudo -i
# OLDCONF=$(dpkg -l|grep "^rc"|awk '{print $2}')
# CURKERNEL=$(uname -r|sed 's/-*[a-z]//g'|sed 's/-386//g')
# LINUXPKG="linux-(image|headers|ubuntu-modules|restricted-modules)"
# METALINUXPKG="linux-(image|headers|restricted-modules)-(generic|i386|server|common|rt|xen)"
# OLDKERNELS=$(dpkg -l|awk '{print $2}'|grep -E $LINUXPKG |grep -vE $METALINUXPKG|grep -v $CURKERNEL)
# apt-get clean
# apt-get remove --purge $OLDCONF
# apt-get remove --purge $OLDKERNELS
# rm -rf /home/*/.local/share/Trash/*/** &> /dev/null
# rm -rf /root/.local/share/Trash/*/** &> /dev/null

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 06 '15 at 23:18

/boot usually fills up because Ubuntu keeps old kernel versions around in case the new ones fail, so that you can go back to a working kernel. You'll need to delete old kernel versions to free up space on /boot.

Automatic method

Reboot to ensure you're using the latest kernel version.
Follow the instructions to use Ubuntu Tweak to remove old kernel versions (scroll down to the Ubuntu Tweak section).

Manual method

Reboot to ensure you're using the latest kernel version.
Open a terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T.
Find out what kernel version you're using:
```
uname -r
```
Type the following and press tab twice instead of enter:
```
sudo apt-get purge linux-
```
In the output, find a kernel version other than what you're using. For example, if your kernel version is 3.19.0-22 and you see linux-headers-3.19.0-21, you can remove version 3.19.0-21.
Remove linux-headers-VERSION, linux-headers-VERSION-generic, linux-image-VERSION-generic, and linux-image-extra-VERSION-generic. For example, if you're removing version 3.19.0-21, run:
```
sudo apt-get purge linux-headers-3.19.0-21 linux-headers-3.19.0-21-generic linux-image-3.19.0-21-generic linux-image-extra-3.19.0-21-generic
```
Go back to step 4 and repeat until you only see the kernel version you're using.

I did this and now only have the kernel I am currently using. However, I have not changed the fact that /boot drive is still mostly full. I need (I think) to somehow get the root users trash to empty, and I can't seem to. — Darby Gallagher, Jul 07 '15 at 01:44

score -1 · Answer 3 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:23

-1

According to this topic the root's trash has to be in `/root/.local/share/Trash'

Just open a terminal and type (after sudo -s enter your password, no characters will be shown):

sudo -s
rm -rf /root/.local/share/Trash

It's going to delete the Trash folder too.

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:23

Community

1

answered Jul 06 '15 at 22:40

aastefanov

1,391
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16

Just did that, but when I run the software update it still says I have no more room on /boot. – Darby Gallagher Jul 06 '15 at 22:44
How big your /boot partition actually is? – aastefanov Jul 06 '15 at 22:46
The drive is 200 mb – Darby Gallagher Jul 06 '15 at 22:57
Isn't that too small? – aastefanov Jul 06 '15 at 22:59
I would say so. its the size Ubuntu made it. Can I change the size? I have loads of space on the disk. – Darby Gallagher Jul 06 '15 at 23:01

/boot is almost full preventing Software Updates

3 Answers3

Automatic method

Manual method