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I've been very stupid and while trying to free space on /boot, I think I've accidentally deleted my current kernel.

How it happened: 

>>uname -i
linux-image-extra-4.4.0-24-generic

now uname -i only gives: 

x86_64

I already tried freeing more space on boot: sudo apt-get autoclean sudo apt-get clean sudo apt-get autoremove

Still has 0 space available.

ls -l \boot gives: 

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  1271765 Dec 18  2015 abi-3.19.0-42-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  1312645 Mar 11 00:11 abi-4.2.0-34-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  1313029 Mar 16 00:45 abi-4.2.0-35-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  1239577 Apr 18 23:21 abi-4.4.0-21-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  1239612 May 13 00:55 abi-4.4.0-22-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  1239732 Jun  8 22:39 abi-4.4.0-24-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  1240018 Jun 24 13:03 abi-4.4.0-28-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   177800 Dec 18  2015 config-3.19.0-42-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   184888 Mar 11 00:11 config-4.2.0-34-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   184888 Mar 16 00:45 config-4.2.0-35-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   189412 Apr 18 23:21 config-4.4.0-21-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   189520 May 13 00:55 config-4.4.0-22-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   189521 Jun  8 22:39 config-4.4.0-24-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   189533 Jun 24 13:03 config-4.4.0-28-generic
drwxr-xr-x 5 root root     1024 Jun 16 13:35 grub
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 12326390 Feb 28 20:40 initrd.img-3.19.0-42-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 12634086 May  3 18:44 initrd.img-4.2.0-34-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 12645647 May 23 23:23 initrd.img-4.2.0-35-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 37145299 May  3 18:38 initrd.img-4.4.0-21-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 37147186 May 29 12:11 initrd.img-4.4.0-22-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 37147471 Jun 16 13:35 initrd.img-4.4.0-24-generic
drwx------ 2 root root    12288 Sep 21  2015 lost+found
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   182704 Jan 28 12:44 memtest86+.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   184380 Jan 28 12:44 memtest86+.elf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   184840 Jan 28 12:44 memtest86+_multiboot.bin
-rw------- 1 root root  3622861 Dec 18  2015 System.map-3.19.0-42-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  3744589 Mar 11 00:11 System.map-4.2.0-34-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  3745312 Mar 16 00:45 System.map-4.2.0-35-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  3853719 Apr 18 23:21 System.map-4.4.0-21-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  3855781 May 13 00:55 System.map-4.4.0-22-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  3855383 Jun  8 22:39 System.map-4.4.0-24-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  3859655 Jun 24 13:03 System.map-4.4.0-28-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  6625664 Dec 18  2015 vmlinuz-3.19.0-42-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  6808528 Mar 11 00:11 vmlinuz-4.2.0-34-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  6829104 Mar 16 00:45 vmlinuz-4.2.0-35-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  7013968 Apr 18 23:21 vmlinuz-4.4.0-21-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  7015440 May 13 00:55 vmlinuz-4.4.0-22-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  7020176 Jun  8 22:39 vmlinuz-4.4.0-24-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  7026864 Jun 24 13:03 vmlinuz-4.4.0-28-generic

I tried doing: 

sudo apt-get upgrade

but it keeps gettings stuck on no memory. Same with: 

sudo apt-get install --reinstall linux-image-4.4.0-24-generic 

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED
  linux-image-extra-4.4.0-21-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-22-generic
0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 1 reinstalled, 2 to remove and 135 not to upgrade.
8 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/18.7 MB of archives.
After this operation, 324 MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] Y
(Reading database ... 507715 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing linux-image-extra-4.4.0-21-generic (4.4.0-21.37) ...
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 4.4.0-21-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-21-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 4.4.0-21-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-21-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 4.4.0-21-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-21-generic
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-21-generic

gzip: stdout: No space left on device
E: mkinitramfs failure cpio 141 gzip 1
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-21-generic with 1.
run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1
dpkg: error processing package linux-image-extra-4.4.0-21-generic (--remove):
 subprocess installed post-removal script returned error exit status 1
Removing linux-image-extra-4.4.0-22-generic (4.4.0-22.40) ...
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 4.4.0-22-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-22-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 4.4.0-22-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-22-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 4.4.0-22-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-22-generic
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-22-generic

gzip: stdout: No space left on device
E: mkinitramfs failure cpio 141 gzip 1
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-22-generic with 1.
run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1
dpkg: error processing package linux-image-extra-4.4.0-22-generic (--remove):
 subprocess installed post-removal script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 linux-image-extra-4.4.0-21-generic
 linux-image-extra-4.4.0-22-generic
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

I don't really understand why my /boot is still full. There are no linux headers in there anymore. Are they cached somewhere?

Any help is greatly appreciated. I don't have a cd drive or something here, so hopefully I can solve this fairly simple...

Otherwise, this might be time for a fresh install. Obviously I am currently backing up my hard drive...

dorien
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  • 1
    No, I posted the commands I got and tried from that page, but those did not work, as the problem is that the apt-get progress is stuck and I need to be able to reinstall my kernel before shutting down. – dorien Jul 20 '16 at 19:48
  • WIth the addition that the root memory was still full after the deletion (how was that even possible...) – dorien Jul 20 '16 at 20:14

2 Answers2

3

I manually deleted a few config files and initrd files with an old version number.

Then I ran:

sudo apt-get -f install linux-header... NEW VERSION

Worked!

Then to be sure: 

sudo apt-get upgrade
dorien
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0

Try booting from a bootable usb stick or recovery CD then try to find problems or repair disk. If you happen to be using a bootable USB then I would recommend having a look at what "disks" and "Gparted" bring up as issues. After that post what happened and any output errors so that the community can help.

Gadgetroid
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