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

[s frahm]

Ubuntu 16.04 (ubuntu 4.4.0-64) crashed yet again during upgrade to
4.4.0-66 from this same recurring 5+ year old bug - Pray tell, why can't
Ubuntu just tell me there is not enough room to upgrade the kernel (it
used to) and then perhaps even offer to fix it automagically with some
kind of an automated or scripted version of - $ sudo purge-old-kernels
instead of just crashing my whole enchilada? I simply just don't
understand the Ubuntu cultural or technical limitations that have kept
this from happening. First I have to install Janitor with Ubuntu Tweaks
on 12.04 - 14.04 LTS and delete all but the two latest older versions
and now with 16.04 I must install Byobu Terminal (which thing I like
very much anyway on most linux flavors lately) and manually type - $
sudo purge-old-kernels   5x - each time I attempt an upgrade of a base
install and 4 ea. KVM virtual machines. Oops, I forgot the one on the
hypervisor... CRASH! Arrrggghhhh! Grub / advanced / recover to an older
kernel - $ sudo apt-get install -f   Thanks to the entire community for
such an otherwise wonderful thing that Ubuntu, Lubuntu, etc. is!
(...Hmm, ask the Webmin folks to add a script that does this perhaps?)
Thanks!

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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 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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