Update/Upgrade

[Jeeks]

Hello

After running "sudo apt-get update" where there is absolutely no problem, I run the command that usually follows "sudo apt-get upgrade" and I encounter the following error:

Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
(Reading database ... 180614 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace linux-image-2.6.24-21-generic 2.6.24-21.42 (using .../linux-image-2.6.24-21-generic_2.6.24-21.43_i386.deb) ...
Done.
Unpacking replacement linux-image-2.6.24-21-generic ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.24-21-generic_2.6.24-21.43_i386.deb (--unpack):
 failed in buffer_write(fd) (10, ret=-1): backend dpkg-deb during `./boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-21-generic': No space left on device
dpkg-deb: subprocess paste killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Running postrm hook script /sbin/update-grub.
Searching for GRUB installation directory ... found: /boot/grub
Searching for default file ... found: /boot/grub/default
Testing for an existing GRUB menu.lst file ... found: /boot/grub/menu.lst
Searching for splash image ... none found, skipping ...
Found kernel: /vmlinuz-2.6.24-21-generic
Found kernel: /vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic
Found kernel: /vmlinuz-2.6.24-18-generic
Found kernel: /vmlinuz-2.6.24-17-generic
Found kernel: /vmlinuz-2.6.24-16-generic
Found kernel: /memtest86+.bin
Updating /boot/grub/menu.lst ... done

Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.24-21-generic_2.6.24-21.43_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

What shall I do to fix this?

[Snowhog]

Re: Update/Upgrade

The problem is identified for you in the output in the following two lines:

dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.24-21-generic_2.6.24-21.43_i386.deb (--unpack):
failed in buffer_write(fd) (10, ret=-1): backend dpkg-deb during `./boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-21-generic': No space left on device

You have run out of space in the root directory. In the console, type:

df -hTxtmpfs

Look at the reported percentage of used space ( Use% ) for your root ( / ) partition. It's likely going to show 100% or very close to it. You need to do some house cleaning to remove unneeded files. You can do this with the following commands, also typed in the console:

sudo apt-get autoclean
sudo apt-get autoremove
sudo apt-clean

Then run the df -hTxtmpfs command again and see how much space you regained. You should also note the size ( Size ) of the root partition you created. Mine is set to 8G.

[Jeeks]

Re: Update/Upgrade

Thank you very much.

How much /boot should be in size? What do you recommend?

[cantab]

Re: Update/Upgrade

failed in buffer_write(fd) (10, ret=-1): backend dpkg-deb during `./boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-21-generic': No space left on device

There's your problem - the /boot directory is full.

If you do not have a separate /boot partition, you can free up some disc space any way you like.

If you do have a separate /boot partition, you should uninstall old kernel images to make space (for various reasons this is not done automatically

sudo apt-get remove linux-image-2.6.24-[b]16[/b]-generic

will remove your oldest kernel. You also have ones with the bolded number as 17, 18, and 19; you could ditch them too if you want, you probably don't need them.