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

[Ian Nicholson]

On 07/29/2013 06:38 PM, Enrique Latorres wrote:
> Most likely is that you have a separate boot partition because you are using lvm or an encrypted filesystem. Most kernel updates add a new kernel but do not erase old versions. This way boot partition gets full. The solution is simply to uninstall unused kernel images...
> if possible install aptitude, run "sudo aptitude search ~ilinux-image". This will show you the installed kernels
> Just remove the older versions, keep two of the newest.
> Run "sudo apt-get autoremove linux-image-3.8.0-23-generic" for each of the older kernels. Put your version here.
> This should free space on boot partition...
>
That's definitely the reason, but it's not a long-term solution. It's 
not 1995, we shouldn't expect users to have to manually remove packages 
just because they want an encrypted FS.

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Foundations Bugs, 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” 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.

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