Issues with dpkg, stumped.

[ashesh0326]

Hey guys,

I'm running Ubuntu 8.04 on my machine and here's my problem:

While updating last night using the package manager GUI, my internet played up and some packages got missing. Foolishly enough, I continued with the installation of the packages, and the installation was aborted midway.

I got this message as the error message:


E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem.

Now, I immediately rushed to a terminal and ran the command as told to, but no go, instead, I got this message:


Setting up initramfs-tools (0.85eubuntu39.3) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)

dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-ubuntu-modules-2.6.24-24-generic:
linux-ubuntu-modules-2.6.24-24-generic depends on linux-image-2.6.24-24-generic; however:
Package linux-image-2.6.24-24-generic is not installed.
dpkg: error processing linux-ubuntu-modules-2.6.24-24-generic (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic

gzip: stdout: No space left on device
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic
dpkg: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1


Now, the thing is, I can't install anything. I keep getting the first error message on trying to install.

Can anyone help please?

Thanks!

[Partyboi2]

Hi, looks like you have ran out of space. Can you post the output to

df -h

[ashesh0326]

Hi, thanks for replying.

Here's the output:


Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda7 19G 2.9G 15G 17% /
varrun 248M 284K 248M 1% /var/run
varlock 248M 0 248M 0% /var/lock
udev 248M 64K 248M 1% /dev
devshm 248M 48K 248M 1% /dev/shm
lrm 248M 38M 210M 16% /lib/modules/2.6.24-19-generic/volatile
/dev/sda6 16M 13M 2.2M 85% /boot
/dev/sda8 128G 10G 112G 9% /home
/dev/sdb1 45G 26G 17G 61% /home/indiashare/barracuda1
/dev/sdb2 29G 23G 5.0G 83% /home/indiashare/barracuda2
gvfs-fuse-daemon 19G 2.9G 15G 17% /home/ashesh/.gvfs

[Partyboi2]

Open Synaptic Package Manager and do a search for 'linux-image' and remove all the old kernels that you don't need, keep your current one and the one before you current one as backup.
After you have removed the ones you don't need run

sudo dpkg --configure -aAnother option if you still have problems with not enough space, is to use gparted to increase the size of your /boot partition.

[ashesh0326]

Synaptic Package Manager fails to run.


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

[Partyboi2]

try

sudo apt-get -f install and then see if you are able to open up synaptic.
If not post the output to

dpkg --list | grep linux-image

[ashesh0326]

sudo apt-get -f install throws:


E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem.


and

dpkg --list | grep linux-image


ii linux-image-2.6.24-19-generic 2.6.24-19.34 Linux kernel image for version 2.6.24 on x86
ii linux-image-generic 2.6.24.19.21 Generic Linux kernel image

[Partyboi2]

I would suggest booting a Ubuntu live cd and using gparted (System>Admin>Partition Editor) and use the resize option to shrink down your /dev/sda7 by about 500mb to 1 gig. Then resize your /boot (/dev/sda6) to use that extra space. Then reboot into Ubuntu and run

sudo dpkg --configure -aBecause your /dev/sda6 (/boot) is only 16 mb you will keep having this problem unless you increase the size of your /dev/sda6 ( /boot) partition.

[ashesh0326]

Is there any alternative to that? I mean, can't I run gparted from somewhere else?

[Partyboi2]

Is there any alternative to that? I mean, can't I run gparted from somewhere else?
If you don't have a Ubuntu cd you can go to the gparted (http://gparted.sourceforge.net/download.php) site and download gparted for cd or usb. Or have I miss understood?

[ashesh0326]

okay, will do that and let you know how things go from there.

Thank you so much!

[ashesh0326]

Thanks guys, worked like a charm!