Completely agree with @grey - it is unacceptable that such a simple
thing will consistently create problems for ALL ubuntu users, many of
which will not be comfortable with entering "sudo apt-get -y autoremove"
or whatever in terminal.

I do understand the issue though - each kernel is a separate package,
and as such, apt can't just uninstall it without asking.

So I suggest that as default, instead of linux-image-generic depending on the 
latest kernel package, create a new pakcage, perhaps called 
"linux-image-generic-current", which does not /depend/ on the latest kernel 
package, but /is/ the latest kernel package (or a copy at least). This way. 
when a new kernel is released, this package will get a new version and the 
kernel will be downloaded and *replace* the old one. There may be a catch here, 
but I am sure if there is someone knowledgeable will tell me :)
It's important that this is the default, as less knowledgeable users will then 
avoid the issue without having to do anything.

Yes, I know that this way, you can't boot on an older kernel. This is rarely an 
issue though, as most people don't do that. For the few cases it is needed, 
maybe one could add another package "linux-image-generic-previous" for the 
second to the last version and/or "linux-image-generic-original" for the first 
kernel to be released for the current version of Ubuntu?
Of course it's completely possible for a user to install one specific kernel 
separately, which they can use in case the latest one can't boot.

For people who genuinely needs the current way of always retaining the
previous kernels, linux-image-generic could continue to be maintained as
well as linux-image-generic-current, and either of the two can be
installed, but not both. I believe this is possible with apt?

I also suggest the default boot partition size to be 5% of total disk space, 
min 250MB (current default), max 2GB.
But no matter how big you make it, eventually it will run out of space anyway, 
so only increasing the size of the /boot partition is just delaying the issue.

Alternatively, can a cron or startup job be set up as default (on all
new installations of Ubuntu), that runs "apt-get -y autoremove", perhaps
only for linux-kernel packages (if possible) at boot or every month or
so?

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/798414

Title:
  update-initramfs should produce a more helpful error when there isn't
  enough  free space

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/initramfs-tools/+bug/798414/+subscriptions

-- 
ubuntu-bugs mailing list
[email protected]
https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs

Reply via email to