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

[Jarno Suni]

** Description changed:

  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:
+ When installing a kernel, /boot may become full during execution of
+ post-installation script typically when update-initramfs is creating or
+ updating an initrd.img file. This is resulting in kernel installation
+ error.  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:
+ Ideal behavior:
  
- 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.
+ Give a more helpful error message when this unfortunate situation occurs
+ so that user can fix the broken system and keep it going.
  
- See instructions here
+ Workaround:
+ 
+ As the bug reporting system forwards user to this bug report, such instructions can be given here:
  https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RemoveOldKernels

** Summary changed:

- update-initramfs should produce a more helpful error when there isn't enough  free space
+ update-initramfs should produce a more helpful error message when there isn't enough  free space

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/798414

Title:
  update-initramfs should produce a more helpful error message 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 installing a kernel, /boot may become full during execution of
  post-installation script typically when update-initramfs is creating
  or updating an initrd.img file. This is resulting in kernel
  installation error.  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

  Ideal behavior:

  Give a more helpful error message when this unfortunate situation
  occurs so that user can fix the broken system and keep it going.

  Workaround:

  As the bug reporting system forwards user to this bug report, such instructions can be given here:
  https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RemoveOldKernels

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