update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-21-generic

[JustAnotherVagueAnon]

Hello, I've had problems like this before, but usually they were easier to fix.



bbraun@bbraun-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get install -f
E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem.
bbraun@bbraun-desktop:~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
Setting up initramfs-tools (0.85eubuntu39.3) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)

Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-21-generic

gzip: stdout: No space left on device
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-21-generic
dpkg: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1


In the past, I could fix this by running Synaptic and removing old kernels, but now when I try to run it it tells me to first use "dpkg --configur -a" which won't work until I make space. How can I manually remove free space on /boot?

[Partyboi2]

Looks like you have ran out of room, what is the output to

df -h

[JustAnotherVagueAnon]

bbraun@bbraun-desktop:~$ df -h
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sdb6 75G 4.0G 67G 6% /
varrun 1004M 104K 1004M 1% /var/run
varlock 1004M 0 1004M 0% /var/lock
udev 1004M 84K 1004M 1% /dev
devshm 1004M 24K 1004M 1% /dev/shm
lrm 1004M 44M 960M 5% /lib/modules/2.6.24-19-generic/volatile
/dev/sdb2 54M 47M 4.0M 93% /boot
/dev/sda1 294G 28G 267G 10% /media/SHARED
gvfs-fuse-daemon 75G 4.0G 67G 6% /home/bbraun/.gvfs

Yes, I am out of room but the problem is I'm not sure how to free it up... Synaptic won't run without first fixing this problem.

[Partyboi2]

You can open up synaptic and do a search for linux-image and remove all the ones you know longer need, I would suggest keeping your current one and the previous version as a backup kernel. Then back in a terminal

sudo apt-get install -fthen

sudo dpkg --configure -aAnother option you have is to increase the size of your /boot partition

[JustAnotherVagueAnon]

It won't even let me run Synaptic :(
It gives me


E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem.
E: _cache->open() failed, please report.

and then closes right away. I can't just use rm in the terminal, can I? What is the best way to remove old kernels from the terminal?

is it safe for me to move certain contents of /boot somewhere else, run synaptic, and then replace whatever I had moved?

[Partyboi2]

To remove old kernels from the terminal you would type (replacing the * with the correct numbers)

sudo apt-get remove linux-image-2.6.**-*-generic
I am not sure what would happen if you were to move things out of /boot but I would say you could run into problems.
You could always use gparted to increase the size of your boot partition by another 50 mb and then rerun

sudo dpkg --configure -a Then if that is successful remove your old kernels you know longer use and either keep the increase size of /boot partition or resize again back to its previous size.

[rogers320]

Resolved on my Ubuntu 9.10 amd64. It looks I or Computer Janitor deleted old/customized kernels in /boot and /lib/modules folders. However, there're state files left in /var/lib/initramfs-tools/ that mislead update-initramfs. So I do the following steps:

1, Delete only broken files in /var/lib/initramfs-tools/. (Be careful)
2, sudo dpkg --configure -a
3, sudo dpkg --configure initramfs-tools (make sure no errors, otherwise repeat step 1 & 2).
4, sudo update-initramfs -u (Maybe not neccessary).

Hope this helps.

[Contrast]

Big thanks for sharing this vital information, rogers320. A few days ago, I had built and installed (and subsequently removed) a stock kernel in a vain attempt to resolve a suspend/resume issue I'm having. Apparently, when I removed it, just enough got left behind to throw initramfs for a loop when it was trying to update, preventing me from doing any package management tasks. Your post just saved me from a reinstall, so again, thank you. :)

[H_a_D_3_z]

Hey thanks Rogers, I just deleted everything in the initramfs file. I got an error when I processed #3 and didn't even make it to #4. But, it updates now. :popcorn::popcorn:

[Helix7]

YES! THANKS Alot This thread helped me out...