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

[Michael Baker]

On booting I am told that a system program has encountered an error and asked if I want to send a report. On saying yes I'm told that the bug has already been reported and that it is "update-initramfs should produce a more helpful error when there isn't enough free space".
This is so far from what is happening that it is infuriating.
The basis of the problem is that /boot is not being cleaned up automatically.
This was a bug which was supposedly fixed in 16.04 UTS, but apparently not.
As a retired software engineer I know that I can clean up /boot manually, and have done so many times.
However I shouldn't have to.
Please stop classifying the /boot partition being full as "update-initramfs should produce a more helpful error when there isn't enough free space".
This bug (/boot not being cleaned up automatically) should be given the highest possible importance.
It must be a complete turn of to any ubuntu user who does not have computer science skills (and to many who do).

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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:
  Confirmed
Status in Software Updater:
  New
Status in dpkg package in Ubuntu:
  Invalid
Status in initramfs-tools package in Ubuntu:
  In Progress

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.

  See instructions here
  https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RemoveOldKernels

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