I am having a tough time committing to some of the solutions for creating room on my boot partition ... I have read about, and understand autoremove -- I have read about, and understand apt-get -f install. But my issue is a little different than all the questions that have answers out there. Everyone says manually remove all but the last 3 kernels. Here is my reservation.
When I issue the command uname -r, I get:
4.4.0-78-generic
When I issue dpkg --list 'linux-image*', I get:
rc linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic 4.4.0-31.50 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
rc linux-image-4.4.0-62-generic 4.4.0-62.83 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
rc linux-image-4.4.0-63-generic 4.4.0-63.84 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
rc linux-image-4.4.0-64-generic 4.4.0-64.85 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
rc linux-image-4.4.0-66-generic 4.4.0-66.87 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
rc linux-image-4.4.0-70-generic 4.4.0-70.91 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
rc linux-image-4.4.0-71-generic 4.4.0-71.92 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
rc linux-image-4.4.0-72-generic 4.4.0-72.93 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
rc linux-image-4.4.0-75-generic 4.4.0-75.96 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-78-generic 4.4.0-78.99 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-79-generic 4.4.0-79.100 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-81-generic 4.4.0-81.104 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-83-generic 4.4.0-83.106 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-87-generic 4.4.0-87.110 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-89-generic 4.4.0-89.112 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-91-generic 4.4.0-91.114 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-92-generic 4.4.0-92.115 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-4.4.0-93-generic 4.4.0-93.116 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
iF linux-image-4.4.0-96-generic 4.4.0-96.119 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
iF linux-image-4.4.0-97-generic 4.4.0-97.120 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
in linux-image-4.4.0-98-generic <none> amd64 (no description available)
rc linux-image-extra-4.4.0-31-generic 4.4.0-31.50 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
rc linux-image-extra-4.4.0-62-generic 4.4.0-62.83 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
rc linux-image-extra-4.4.0-63-generic 4.4.0-63.84 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
rc linux-image-extra-4.4.0-64-generic 4.4.0-64.85 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
rc linux-image-extra-4.4.0-66-generic 4.4.0-66.87 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
rc linux-image-extra-4.4.0-70-generic 4.4.0-70.91 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
rc linux-image-extra-4.4.0-71-generic 4.4.0-71.92 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
rc linux-image-extra-4.4.0-72-generic 4.4.0-72.93 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
rc linux-image-extra-4.4.0-75-generic 4.4.0-75.96 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-78-generic 4.4.0-78.99 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-79-generic 4.4.0-79.100 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-81-generic 4.4.0-81.104 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-83-generic 4.4.0-83.106 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-87-generic 4.4.0-87.110 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-89-generic 4.4.0-89.112 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-91-generic 4.4.0-91.114 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-92-generic 4.4.0-92.115 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
iF linux-image-extra-4.4.0-93-generic 4.4.0-93.116 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
iU linux-image-extra-4.4.0-96-generic 4.4.0-96.119 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
iU linux-image-extra-4.4.0-97-generic 4.4.0-97.120 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
iU linux-image-extra-4.4.0-98-generic 4.4.0-98.121 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
iU linux-image-generic 4.4.0.98.103 amd64 Generic Linux kernel image
I attempted apt-get autoremove, but got:
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-image-extra-4.4.0-98-generic : Depends: linux-image-4.4.0-98-generic but it is not installed
linux-image-generic : Depends: linux-image-4.4.0-98-generic but it is not installed
Recommends: thermald but it is not installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try using -f.
So then I try to resolve the dependencies via sudo apt-get -f install and get:
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-4.4.0-79 linux-headers-4.4.0-79-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-81 linux-headers-4.4.0-81-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-83 linux-headers-4.4.0-83-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-87
linux-headers-4.4.0-87-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-89 linux-headers-4.4.0-89-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-91 linux-headers-4.4.0-91-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-92 linux-headers-4.4.0-92-generic
linux-image-4.4.0-79-generic linux-image-4.4.0-81-generic linux-image-4.4.0-83-generic linux-image-4.4.0-87-generic linux-image-4.4.0-89-generic linux-image-4.4.0-91-generic linux-image-4.4.0-92-generic
linux-image-extra-4.4.0-79-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-81-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-83-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-87-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-89-generic
linux-image-extra-4.4.0-91-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-92-generic
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following additional packages will be installed:
linux-image-4.4.0-98-generic
Suggested packages:
fdutils linux-doc-4.4.0 | linux-source-4.4.0 linux-tools
The following NEW packages will be installed:
linux-image-4.4.0-98-generic
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 99 not upgraded.
12 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/21.9 MB of archives.
After this operation, 67.0 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
(Reading database ... 446621 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../linux-image-4.4.0-98-generic_4.4.0-98.121_amd64.deb ...
Done.
Unpacking linux-image-4.4.0-98-generic (4.4.0-98.121) ...
dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-4.4.0-98-generic_4.4.0-98.121_amd64.deb (--unpack):
cannot copy extracted data for './boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-98-generic' to '/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-98-generic.dpkg-new': failed to write (No space left on device)
No apport report written because the error message indicates a disk full error
dpkg-deb: error: subprocess paste was killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Examining /etc/kernel/postrm.d .
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/initramfs-tools 4.4.0-98-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-98-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-update-grub 4.4.0-98-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-98-generic
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-4.4.0-98-generic_4.4.0-98.121_amd64.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
Here is where I am confused .. I am using version 4.4.0-78-generic according to uname -r. Yet literally all of the answers I have read so far say to remove all but the latest 3! That would mean removing the kernel I am currently utilizing right??
I even attempted: sudo apt-get remove linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic which is the oldest according to dpkg --list 'linux-image*' and I get:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Package 'linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic' is not installed, so not removed
You might want to run 'apt-get -f install' to correct these:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
linux-image-extra-4.4.0-98-generic : Depends: linux-image-4.4.0-98-generic but it is not going to be installed
linux-image-generic : Depends: linux-image-4.4.0-98-generic but it is not going to be installed
Recommends: thermald but it is not going to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a solution).
Not installed?! I am thoroughly confused. After seeing this debacle, what is my next course of action? Can someone explain why there are kernel versions HIGHER than the one I am currently using? And how do I get this straightened out and resolved on a production server?
THIS IS NOT A DUPLICATE OF My /boot partition hit 100% and now I can't upgrade. Can't remove old kernels to make room As:
1) This OP does not answer the conflicting kernels issue .. 2) does not address the safety of doing this in a production environment
sudo apt install -f. You cannot use'apt' because of existing problem, but you *could*sudo dpkg -r linux-image-4.4.0-31 generic` as mentioned here, and repeat to remove the oldest of the kernels. – Charles Green Nov 01 '17 at 22:49dpkgfails, you can certainly resort to directly removing old kernel files as mentioned here. As to why you are booting to an older kernel: Please see this question - I would strongly encourage you to getsudo apt install -fto work first! And I am not good at editing grub - I would suggest grub-customizer – Charles Green Nov 01 '17 at 22:54-f installand the subsequentautoremove. After that, it kept versions 78, 96 and 97. When I do my scheduled reboot in about 2 weeks, I'll boot into 97 and continue with theupgrade. Thanks for your input, your links are informational reads! – Zak Nov 02 '17 at 00:08