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I have already seen that this page as well as the ubuntu forum itself has quite some similar questions, but none of the solutions has helped me yet, so I'll try it here as well:

The general problem is that my boot is full and it all started because I wanted to update my Skype (4.2. it doesn't want to connect) as well as install the newest updates of the OS.

Here's how the space situation looks like:

daniel@daniel-SVS1512Z9EB:~$ df -h 
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-root 909G 803G 61G 93% /
none 4,0K 0 4,0K 0% /sys/fs/cgroup
udev 3,9G 4,0K 3,9G 1% /dev
tmpfs 787M 1,2M 786M 1% /run
none 5,0M 0 5,0M 0% /run/lock
none 3,9G 1,2M 3,9G 1% /run/shm
none 100M 36K 100M 1% /run/user
/dev/sda1 228M 226M 0 100% /boot

As I have read that 228MB should normally be enough for a /boot space as well as to increase the /boot space is a bit tricky. The next thing I read was to see which kernels I have, which looks like this:

daniel@daniel-SVS1512Z9EB:~$ ls /boot/
abi-3.11.0-13-generic config-3.8.0-19-generic initrd.img-3.8.0-32-generic      
System.map-3.8.0-32-generic
abi-3.11.0-14-generic config-3.8.0-31-generic lost+found vmlinuz-3.11.0-13-generic
abi-3.11.0-15-generic config-3.8.0-32-generic memtest86+.bin vmlinuz-3.11.0-14-generic
abi-3.8.0-19-generic grub memtest86+_multiboot.bin vmlinuz-3.11.0-15-generic
abi-3.8.0-31-generic initrd.img-3.11.0-13-generic System.map-3.11.0-13-generic     
vmlinuz-3.8.0-19-generic
abi-3.8.0-32-generic initrd.img-3.11.0-14-generic System.map-3.11.0-14-generic     
vmlinuz-3.8.0-31-generic
config-3.11.0-13-generic initrd.img-3.11.0-15-generic System.map-3.11.0-15-generic 
vmlinuz-3.8.0-32-generic
config-3.11.0-14-generic initrd.img-3.8.0-19-generic System.map-3.8.0-19-generic
config-3.11.0-15-generic initrd.img-3.8.0-31-generic System.map-3.8.0-31-generic

as well as:

total 224112
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 2048 Aug 12 17:41 .
drwxr-xr-x 23 root root 4096 Aug 12 17:41 ..
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1006439 Okt 23 2013 abi-3.11.0-13-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1006439 Nov 12 2013 abi-3.11.0-14-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1006496 Dez 9 2013 abi-3.11.0-15-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 918917 Mai 1 2013 abi-3.8.0-19-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 919745 Sep 10 2013 abi-3.8.0-31-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 919745 Okt 2 2013 abi-3.8.0-32-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 163255 Okt 23 2013 config-3.11.0-13-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 163255 Nov 12 2013 config-3.11.0-14-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 163245 Dez 9 2013 config-3.11.0-15-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 154942 Mai 1 2013 config-3.8.0-19-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 154960 Sep 10 2013 config-3.8.0-31-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 154961 Okt 2 2013 config-3.8.0-32-generic
drwxr-xr-x 5 root root 1024 Jan 18 2014 grub
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 26820066 Nov 27 2013 initrd.img-3.11.0-13-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 26825891 Dez 22 2013 initrd.img-3.11.0-14-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 27013824 Jan 18 2014 initrd.img-3.11.0-15-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 32026464 Sep 28 2013 initrd.img-3.8.0-19-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 32097611 Sep 28 2013 initrd.img-3.8.0-31-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 24683897 Okt 25 2013 initrd.img-3.8.0-32-generic
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 12288 Sep 28 2013 lost+found
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 176500 Jun 17 2013 memtest86+.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 178680 Jun 17 2013 memtest86+_multiboot.bin
-rw------- 1 root root 3286187 Okt 23 2013 System.map-3.11.0-13-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 3286278 Nov 12 2013 System.map-3.11.0-14-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 3293845 Dez 9 2013 System.map-3.11.0-15-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 3060094 Mai 1 2013 System.map-3.8.0-19-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 3062541 Sep 10 2013 System.map-3.8.0-31-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 3062477 Okt 2 2013 System.map-3.8.0-32-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 5600496 Okt 23 2013 vmlinuz-3.11.0-13-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 5601072 Nov 12 2013 vmlinuz-3.11.0-14-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 5631184 Dez 9 2013 vmlinuz-3.11.0-15-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 5356528 Mai 1 2013 vmlinuz-3.8.0-19-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 5362320 Sep 10 2013 vmlinuz-3.8.0-31-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 5363184 Okt 2 2013 vmlinuz-3.8.0-32-generic

In other threads they then go on to propose to remove some of the old kernels, which for example I'm trying to do as a test with one of the older kernels:

daniel@daniel-SVS1512Z9EB:~$ sudo apt-get purge linux-image-3.8.0-19
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree 
Reading state information... Done
Note, selecting 'linux-image-3.8.0-19-generic' for regex 'linux-image-3.8.0-19'
You might want to run 'apt-get -f install' to correct these:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
linux-image-extra-3.11.0-19-generic : Depends: linux-image-3.11.0-19-generic but it is not going to be installed
linux-image-extra-3.11.0-26-generic : Depends: linux-image-3.11.0-26-generic but it is not going to be installed
linux-image-extra-3.8.0-19-generic : Depends: linux-image-3.8.0-19-generic but it is not going to be installed
linux-image-generic : Depends: linux-image-3.11.0-26-generic but it is not going to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

If I'm trying to run apt-get-f install this is what I'm getting:

daniel@daniel-SVS1512Z9EB:~$ sudo apt-get -f install
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree 
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following package was automatically installed and is no longer required:
openjdk-7-jre-lib
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove it.
The following extra packages will be installed:
linux-image-3.11.0-19-generic linux-image-3.11.0-26-generic
Suggested packages:
fdutils linux-doc-3.11.0 linux-source-3.11.0 linux-tools
The following NEW packages will be installed:
linux-image-3.11.0-19-generic linux-image-3.11.0-26-generic
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 272 not upgraded.
5 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/28,9 MB of archives.
After this operation, 79,8 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
(Reading database ... 428373 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking linux-image-3.11.0-26-generic (from .../linux-image-3.11.0-26-generic_3.11.0-26.45_amd64.deb) ...
Done.
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-3.11.0-26-generic_3.11.0-26.45_amd64.deb (--unpack):
cannot copy extracted data for './boot/System.map-3.11.0-26-generic' to '/boot/System.map-3.11.0-26-generic.dpkg-new': failed to write (No space left on device)
No apport report written because the error message indicates a disk full error
dpkg-deb: error: subprocess paste was killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Examining /etc/kernel/postrm.d .
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/initramfs-tools 3.11.0-26-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.11.0-26-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-update-grub 3.11.0-26-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.11.0-26-generic
Unpacking linux-image-3.11.0-19-generic (from .../linux-image-3.11.0-19-generic_3.11.0-19.33_amd64.deb) ...
Done.
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-3.11.0-19-generic_3.11.0-19.33_amd64.deb (--unpack):
cannot copy extracted data for './boot/System.map-3.11.0-19-generic' to '/boot/System.map-3.11.0-19-generic.dpkg-new': failed to write (No space left on device)
No apport report written because the error message indicates a disk full error
dpkg-deb: error: subprocess paste was killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Examining /etc/kernel/postrm.d .
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/initramfs-tools 3.11.0-19-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.11.0-19-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-update-grub 3.11.0-19-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.11.0-19-generic
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-3.11.0-26-generic_3.11.0-26.45_amd64.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-3.11.0-19-generic_3.11.0-19.33_amd64.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

So here it also says there's no space left.

Are there any solutions you propose as to how I can actually free up some space on /boot in this situation? I'm sorry for being so long, but I just thought it is better to give a bit more info and get it done than less. Thanks a lot in advance!

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2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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Consider Using the Janitor Section of Ubuntu Tweak to remove the old kernels and package information no longer needed. It's been around for a long time. It's so good at what it does that the developer, who stopped updating it as of 12.10 restarted after all the positive feedback he got. See his blog

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  • daniel@daniel-SVS1512Z9EB:~$ sudo apt-get install ubuntu-tweak Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done
    – Daniel Sheffer
    Aug 15, 2014 at 15:12
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When I run out of room, I just remove the oldest version of all the generic files, i.e. if N is the number preceding "generic" in the filename: 

sudo rm *N-generic

You can do this for the lowest numbers until you gain enough space. Just be careful with that command and make sure you use the right number.

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  • i tried putting in the right name like 3.8.0-19-generic but doesn't recognize it
    – Daniel Sheffer
    Aug 15, 2014 at 15:18
  • Try sudo rm -r *19-generic to get rid of all files associated with 3.8.0-19 (you could use that full number to be safe but the *19-generic captures all files with the "19-generic" ending)
    – adamconkey
    Aug 15, 2014 at 15:22
  • To be safer you can use sudo rm -r *3.8.0-19-generic
    – adamconkey
    Aug 15, 2014 at 15:25
  • Given your trying to delete a file rather than a directory, I would omit the '-r' in the command. Also, execute uname -a first, so that you know which kernel is operative... After that the command should be sudo rm /boot/initrd.img-3.8.0-19-generic, which would remove only one of the files (but a larger one)
    – Charles Green
    Aug 15, 2014 at 15:35

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