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

[Jarno Suni]

Bill Meier, I think GUI application is not necessary. Text-based
application may have checklist, too, so it is pretty easy to make a
selection. Initramfs-tools may not run the application, but it could
give hint to run one in its error message. The script I was talking
about in #140 is such a script: 'sudo linux-purge --fix' would do that
(interactively with you). The advantage of text-based application is
that it can be used via ssh remotely. Your server might not even have
GUI. In case of this bug, fixing of broken packages is always needed, so
removing some kernels is not enough.

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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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