Public bug reported: I have an encrypted setup such that I need a separate `/boot` partition. The Ubuntu installer created one such with the space of 236M on a 450G drive. Using `unattended-upgrades`, all updates are installed automatically in the background. Every now and then, the package management gets stuck in a limbo state because `/boot` is full and the new kernel cannot be configured.
This is only really noticed when I tried to install a new package manually and the package management failes during the `initramfs` or `depmod` step, I am not too sure about the details of that process. Anyway, I have to read through all those errors and find the one line which has the error about missing disk space. Then I have to figure out which kernels are not needed any more and uninstall those. There are really ugly `sed`-`xargs` constructs on websites which are supposed to allow you to remove the unused kernels. I wrote a Python script myself which justs lists the packages, I do not really like those fragile pipe chains. My point: Ubuntu is supposed to be a distribution that is aimed at casual users which do not use the command line. The default installer offers a fully encrypted setup with LVM. Those kind of people will run out of space on `/boot` eventually and their package management seems to be broken. They will not receive updates, which could be also a security implication. They will probably think about reinstalling it to get it fixed. I think leaving users with the problem is allowed on Arch Linux, but Ubuntu should gracefully remove old kernels when it runs out of space. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.10 Package: unattended-upgrades 0.82.8ubuntu0.2 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-33.44-generic 3.16.7-ckt7 Uname: Linux 3.16.0-33-generic x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.14.7-0ubuntu8.2 Architecture: amd64 CurrentDesktop: KDE Date: Fri Mar 27 10:06:45 2015 InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-10-07 (170 days ago) InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140416.1) PackageArchitecture: all SourcePackage: unattended-upgrades UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to utopic on 2014-11-26 (120 days ago) modified.conffile..etc.apt.apt.conf.d.10periodic: [modified] modified.conffile..etc.apt.apt.conf.d.50unattended.upgrades: [modified] mtime.conffile..etc.apt.apt.conf.d.10periodic: 2014-12-10T16:42:26.217212 mtime.conffile..etc.apt.apt.conf.d.50unattended.upgrades: 2014-12-18T14:19:12.837444 ** Affects: unattended-upgrades (Ubuntu) Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Tags: amd64 apport-bug utopic -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Touch seeded packages, which is subscribed to unattended-upgrades in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1437218 Title: Old kernels will fill up /boot and let upgrades fail Status in unattended-upgrades package in Ubuntu: New Bug description: I have an encrypted setup such that I need a separate `/boot` partition. The Ubuntu installer created one such with the space of 236M on a 450G drive. Using `unattended-upgrades`, all updates are installed automatically in the background. Every now and then, the package management gets stuck in a limbo state because `/boot` is full and the new kernel cannot be configured. This is only really noticed when I tried to install a new package manually and the package management failes during the `initramfs` or `depmod` step, I am not too sure about the details of that process. Anyway, I have to read through all those errors and find the one line which has the error about missing disk space. Then I have to figure out which kernels are not needed any more and uninstall those. There are really ugly `sed`-`xargs` constructs on websites which are supposed to allow you to remove the unused kernels. I wrote a Python script myself which justs lists the packages, I do not really like those fragile pipe chains. My point: Ubuntu is supposed to be a distribution that is aimed at casual users which do not use the command line. The default installer offers a fully encrypted setup with LVM. Those kind of people will run out of space on `/boot` eventually and their package management seems to be broken. They will not receive updates, which could be also a security implication. They will probably think about reinstalling it to get it fixed. I think leaving users with the problem is allowed on Arch Linux, but Ubuntu should gracefully remove old kernels when it runs out of space. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.10 Package: unattended-upgrades 0.82.8ubuntu0.2 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-33.44-generic 3.16.7-ckt7 Uname: Linux 3.16.0-33-generic x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.14.7-0ubuntu8.2 Architecture: amd64 CurrentDesktop: KDE Date: Fri Mar 27 10:06:45 2015 InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-10-07 (170 days ago) InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140416.1) PackageArchitecture: all SourcePackage: unattended-upgrades UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to utopic on 2014-11-26 (120 days ago) modified.conffile..etc.apt.apt.conf.d.10periodic: [modified] modified.conffile..etc.apt.apt.conf.d.50unattended.upgrades: [modified] mtime.conffile..etc.apt.apt.conf.d.10periodic: 2014-12-10T16:42:26.217212 mtime.conffile..etc.apt.apt.conf.d.50unattended.upgrades: 2014-12-18T14:19:12.837444 To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/unattended-upgrades/+bug/1437218/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages Post to : touch-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp