For those that can no longer run autoremove (like me, above), and don't like messing around int he /boot drive without someone else giving them reassurance, here's what I did:
# figure out what the oldest kernel files are named (version) so you can delete them: (tp)hobson@hobs-dell:/boot$ ls -al total 224219 drwxr-xr-x 5 root root 3072 May 14 10:47 . drwxr-xr-x 23 root root 4096 May 10 08:50 .. -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1312643 Feb 25 19:17 abi-4.2.0-30-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1312645 Mar 10 16:11 abi-4.2.0-34-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1313029 Mar 15 17:45 abi-4.2.0-35-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1313407 Apr 18 12:49 abi-4.2.0-36-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 184888 Feb 25 19:17 config-4.2.0-30-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 184888 Mar 10 16:11 config-4.2.0-34-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 184888 Mar 15 17:45 config-4.2.0-35-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 184888 Apr 18 12:49 config-4.2.0-36-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 945 Mar 15 18:07 crontab -u root drwx------ 3 root root 4096 Dec 31 1969 efi drwxr-xr-x 5 root root 1024 May 10 08:51 grub -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 9392125 Feb 12 08:29 initrd.img-4.2.0-21-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 35759751 Feb 29 09:07 initrd.img-4.2.0-30-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 35783679 Mar 15 17:57 initrd.img-4.2.0-34-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 35807230 Apr 12 08:32 initrd.img-4.2.0-35-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 35808742 May 10 08:51 initrd.img-4.2.0-36-generic drwx------ 2 root root 12288 Nov 9 2015 lost+found -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 182704 Aug 27 2015 memtest86+.bin -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 184380 Aug 27 2015 memtest86+.elf -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 184840 Aug 27 2015 memtest86+_multiboot.bin -rw------- 1 root root 3744565 Feb 25 19:17 System.map-4.2.0-30-generic -rw------- 1 root root 3744589 Mar 10 16:11 System.map-4.2.0-34-generic -rw------- 1 root root 3745312 Mar 15 17:45 System.map-4.2.0-35-generic -rw------- 1 root root 3745958 Apr 18 12:49 System.map-4.2.0-36-generic -rw------- 1 root root 6808720 Feb 25 19:17 vmlinuz-4.2.0-30-generic -rw------- 1 root root 6810648 Feb 29 09:07 vmlinuz-4.2.0-30-generic.efi.signed -rw------- 1 root root 6808528 Mar 10 16:11 vmlinuz-4.2.0-34-generic -rw------- 1 root root 6810456 Mar 14 08:58 vmlinuz-4.2.0-34-generic.efi.signed -rw------- 1 root root 6829104 Mar 15 17:45 vmlinuz-4.2.0-35-generic -rw------- 1 root root 6831032 Apr 5 09:02 vmlinuz-4.2.0-35-generic.efi.signed -rw------- 1 root root 6830512 Apr 18 12:49 vmlinuz-4.2.0-36-generic -rw------- 1 root root 6832440 May 10 08:51 vmlinuz-4.2.0-36-generic.efi.signed # insert your oldest kernel version number here: (tp)hobson@hobs-del:/boot$ sudo rm *4.2.0-30* # that should give you enough breathing room for gzip and autoremove to operate: (tp)hobson@hobs-del:/boot$ sudo apt-get autoremove -y Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done 0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 69 not upgraded. 5 not fully installed or removed. After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used. Setting up linux-image-extra-4.2.0-36-generic (4.2.0-36.41) ... run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 4.2.0-36-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-36-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 4.2.0-36-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-36-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 4.2.0-36-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-36-generic update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-36-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/pm-utils 4.2.0-36-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-36-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/unattended-upgrades 4.2.0-36-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-36-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/update-notifier 4.2.0-36-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-36-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-update-grub 4.2.0-36-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-36-generic Generating grub configuration file ... Warning: Setting GRUB_TIMEOUT to a non-zero value when GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT is set is no longer supported. Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-36-generic Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-36-generic Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-35-generic Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-35-generic Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-34-generic Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-34-generic Adding boot menu entry for EFI firmware configuration done Setting up linux-image-generic (4.2.0.36.39) ... Setting up linux-generic (4.2.0.36.39) ... Setting up linux-signed-image-generic (4.2.0.36.39) ... Setting up linux-signed-generic (4.2.0.36.39) ... -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Touch seeded packages, which is subscribed to initramfs-tools in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/798414 Title: update-initramfs should produce a more helpful error when there isn't enough free space Status in initramfs-tools: Confirmed Status in initramfs-tools package in Ubuntu: Triaged Bug description: Binary package hint: initramfs-tools When generating a new initramfs there is no check for available free space, subsequently its possible for update-initramfs to fail due to a lack of free space. This is resulting in package installation failures for initramfs-tools. For example: Setting up initramfs-tools (0.98.8ubuntu3) ... update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated) Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ... update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic gzip: stdout: No space left on device E: mkinitramfs failure cpio 141 gzip 1 update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic dpkg: error processing initramfs-tools (--configure): subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1 WORKAROUND: Remove unused kernels using computer janitor (not in repositories for 14.04 or later) or manually free space on your partition containing the /boot file system. To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/initramfs-tools/+bug/798414/+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
