[Bug 798414] Re: update-initramfs should produce a more helpful error when there isn't enough free space

[markling]

To confuse matters, when I do 'uname -r' I get: 3.8.0-27-generic. Yet
the list above suggests -28 is the latest. I might easily have deleted
all but -28, effectively deleting the current kernel.

This really is a horrid state of affairs. As Andy Balaam wrote:
"Warning: removing kernel packages can be dangerous, and might even
leave your system unable to boot, so please don't do this if you don't
understand what is going on". The problem with this error is you are
left with no choice.

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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” 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 or manually free space on
  your partition containing the /boot file system.

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