[Bug 1460396] [NEW] Old kernels filling up /boot, causing failed updates

[Tyler Dinsmoor]

Public bug reported:

Description:	Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS
Release:	14.04

update-manager:
  Installed: 1:0.196.13
  Candidate: 1:0.196.13
  Version table:
 *** 1:0.196.13 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     1:0.196.11 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages

After running Trusty for about a year, I had easily 3GB worth of old
kernels sitting in my /boot folder.

For users that don't know about pruning old kernel versions, much less
what kernels are, this is a problem since update-manager refuses to
continue the update process when /boot doesn't have enough space.

My friend who I had installed Ubuntu for was complaining about updates
not working, so I took a look and this is what was happening.  His /boot
partition is too small to have so many ~200mb kernel images.

We need a user-friendly way to inform the user that this is happening,
and then suggest an automated course of action (apt-get remove oldest
kernel + ensure at least one previous verified working kernel (such as
purge_old_kernels in https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/bikeshed)),
and if it fails, a link to detailed instructions on how to remove old
kernels manually.

Attachment is updated ~/update-manager-0.196.13/UpdateManager/Core/utils.py that includes function ensure_enough_room_for_kernel() that only informs the user if there isn't enough space for a kernel upgrade.
It has not been implemented in _main_, I figure the main package devs would want to do that themselves, be it to use for removing the oldest kernel version, or having the user pick from a list of installed kernels which to remove.

Thanks.
    -Tyler Dinsmoor <pappad at airmail.cc>

** Affects: update-manager (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: trusty

** Patch added: "update-manger/UpdateManager/Core/utils.py added func. ensure_enough_room_for_kernel() to be used in bugfix."
   https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1460396/+attachment/4407448/+files/utils.py

** Description changed:

  Description:	Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS
  Release:	14.04
  
  update-manager:
-   Installed: 1:0.196.13
-   Candidate: 1:0.196.13
-   Version table:
-  *** 1:0.196.13 0
-         500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main amd64 Packages
-         100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
-      1:0.196.11 0
-         500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages
+   Installed: 1:0.196.13
+   Candidate: 1:0.196.13
+   Version table:
+  *** 1:0.196.13 0
+         500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main amd64 Packages
+         100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
+      1:0.196.11 0
+         500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages
  
  After running Trusty for about a year, I had easily 3GB worth of old
  kernels sitting in my /boot folder.
  
  For users that don't know about pruning old kernel versions, much less
  what kernels are, this is a problem since update-manager refuses to
  continue the update process when /boot doesn't have enough space.
  
  My friend who I had installed Ubuntu for was complaining about updates
  not working, so I took a look and this is what was happening.  His /boot
  partition is too small to have so many ~200mb kernel images.
  
  We need a user-friendly way to inform the user that this is happening,
  and then suggest an automated course of action (apt-get remove oldest
  kernel + ensure at least one previous verified working kernel (such as
  purge_old_kernels in https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/bikeshed)),
  and if it fails, a link to detailed instructions on how to remove old
  kernels manually.
  
  Attachment is updated ~/update-manager-0.196.13/UpdateManager/Core/utils.py that includes function ensure_enough_room_for_kernel() that only informs the user if there isn't enough space for a kernel upgrade.
  It has not been implemented in _main_, I figure the main package devs would want to do that themselves, be it to use for removing the oldest kernel version, or having the user pick from a list of installed kernels which to remove.
  
  Thanks.
-     -Tyler Dinsmoor <pappad at airmail.cc>
+     -Tyler Dinsmoor <pappad at airmail.cc>

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1460396

Title:
  Old kernels filling up /boot, causing failed updates

Status in update-manager package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  Description:	Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS
  Release:	14.04

  update-manager:
    Installed: 1:0.196.13
    Candidate: 1:0.196.13
    Version table:
   *** 1:0.196.13 0
          500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main amd64 Packages
          100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
       1:0.196.11 0
          500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages

  After running Trusty for about a year, I had easily 3GB worth of old
  kernels sitting in my /boot folder.

  For users that don't know about pruning old kernel versions, much less
  what kernels are, this is a problem since update-manager refuses to
  continue the update process when /boot doesn't have enough space.

  My friend who I had installed Ubuntu for was complaining about updates
  not working, so I took a look and this is what was happening.  His
  /boot partition is too small to have so many ~200mb kernel images.

  We need a user-friendly way to inform the user that this is happening,
  and then suggest an automated course of action (apt-get remove oldest
  kernel + ensure at least one previous verified working kernel (such as
  purge_old_kernels in https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/bikeshed)),
  and if it fails, a link to detailed instructions on how to remove old
  kernels manually.

  Attachment is updated ~/update-manager-0.196.13/UpdateManager/Core/utils.py that includes function ensure_enough_room_for_kernel() that only informs the user if there isn't enough space for a kernel upgrade.
  It has not been implemented in _main_, I figure the main package devs would want to do that themselves, be it to use for removing the oldest kernel version, or having the user pick from a list of installed kernels which to remove.

  Thanks.
      -Tyler Dinsmoor <pappad at airmail.cc>

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