/boot is full?

[ReeferMac]

I'm a rusty gentoo user who's trying Kubuntu out on my new laptop. Don't have the time to mess around w/ the computer the way I used to when I started using Linux. Reason I mention is, my HD is configured for a gentoo-style installation. I have a small /boot partition (~64 MB's). The reason for my post is, I'm having some weird errors updating and using apt-get, and it keeps telling me it can't write /boot/initrd.bzimage....
A quick check told me that /boot is indeed 98% full, and there's a whole bunch of stuff I don't recognize on the partition:

mac@lappy:/boot$ ls -Fla
total 58312
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root  2048 2010-04-12 17:24 ./
drwxr-xr-x 26 root root  4096 2010-04-06 20:07 ../
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 634369 2010-03-09 14:55 abi-2.6.32-16-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 634728 2010-03-26 20:37 abi-2.6.32-18-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 634728 2010-04-01 10:03 abi-2.6.32-19-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 635226 2010-04-01 11:06 abi-2.6.32-19-preempt
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 634801 2010-04-01 10:34 abi-2.6.32-19-server
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 110238 2010-03-09 14:55 config-2.6.32-16-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 110248 2010-03-26 20:37 config-2.6.32-18-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 110365 2010-04-01 10:03 config-2.6.32-19-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 110424 2010-04-01 11:06 config-2.6.32-19-preempt
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 110473 2010-04-01 10:34 config-2.6.32-19-server
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root  4096 2010-04-06 20:07 grub/
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 7956601 2010-03-27 13:47 initrd.img-2.6.32-16-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 8188413 2010-04-02 17:16 initrd.img-2.6.32-18-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 8188517 2010-04-06 20:08 initrd.img-2.6.32-19-generic
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root  12288 2010-03-27 10:02 lost+found/
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 160280 2010-03-23 05:40 memtest86+.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2183444 2010-03-09 14:55 System.map-2.6.32-16-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2151452 2010-03-26 20:37 System.map-2.6.32-18-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2151452 2010-04-01 10:03 System.map-2.6.32-19-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2166835 2010-04-01 11:06 System.map-2.6.32-19-preempt
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2172533 2010-04-01 10:34 System.map-2.6.32-19-server
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  1336 2010-03-09 14:58 vmcoreinfo-2.6.32-16-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  1336 2010-03-26 20:40 vmcoreinfo-2.6.32-18-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  1336 2010-04-01 10:06 vmcoreinfo-2.6.32-19-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  1336 2010-04-01 11:10 vmcoreinfo-2.6.32-19-preempt
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  1335 2010-04-01 10:37 vmcoreinfo-2.6.32-19-server
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4098720 2010-03-09 14:55 vmlinuz-2.6.32-16-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4037344 2010-03-26 20:37 vmlinuz-2.6.32-18-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4036768 2010-04-01 10:03 vmlinuz-2.6.32-19-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4092832 2010-04-01 11:06 vmlinuz-2.6.32-19-preempt
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4091904 2010-04-01 10:34 vmlinuz-2.6.32-19-server

I'm using the 10.something kubuntu builds, but was thinking it's safe to clear out all the previous versions to make some space, right? Why are there so many kernel images (generic, preempt, server, etc.).
FWIW, I'm on a Toshiba Satellite (so really want a power-conscious laptop config, which I haven't had success getting working exactly yet).

So can I safely delete the older-versioned files on me /boot partition to make room, or should I just drop-back and punt now (reformat the drive, make it all one big flat HD)?
Thanks.

- Mac

[vinnywright]

Re: /boot is full?

well 64 Mb is prity small for a boot partiion.

if you dont have to mutch invested in your install I'd redo it ...............or remove/purge all but your latest kernel and initrd.img ...........I like to keep at least the last 2 but with just 64Mb that may not be an option.

if you are going to re do post your drive size and what you nead and mabey you will get some sugjeshtons for a partitioning sceem......

VINNY

[toad]

Re: /boot is full?

Number of options:

a) full reinstall
b) get rid of /boot in fstab , create /boot under / and copy everything over
c) get rid of everything younger than 2.6.32-19 and you should be okay again

Choice is yours

[oshunluvr]

Re: /boot is full?

I think a full re-install is a too drastic step but otherwise; I agree with the above post.

64mb is plenty for /boot unless you have five kernels installed like you do. I would start by removing all except the one you are currently booting to and I'm guessing here: I looks like you're trying to upgrade to the -19 kernel and you've selected all versions of that kernel

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4036768 2010-04-01 10:03 vmlinuz-2.6.32-19-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4092832 2010-04-01 11:06 vmlinuz-2.6.32-19-preempt
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4091904 2010-04-01 10:34 vmlinuz-2.6.32-19-server

I believe you need only one of these, not all three. This is likely why you're getting that disk full error.

If you want to keep all these kernels by moving /boot back onto / you can do this:

Boot up
open a terminal
sudo mkdir /boot2
cp -R /boot /boot2
edit /etc/fstab and remark out the line containing /boot (put an # in front of the line)
reboot

The reboot will fail generating a "cannot find root directory" error and dump you to a command shell. Enter your root password and then

rmdir /boot
mv /boot2 /boot
reboot

This should do it. Have a bootable live cd handy in case something goes wrong. You could try and expand /boot with gparted live cd or other ways.

[ReeferMac]

Re: /boot is full?

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions!
Sorry I didn't respond earlier, something must be wrong w/ my subscription settings (didn't get eMail's notifying me?)
Anyways, thanks for the information/help!

Machine is a Toshiba Satellite M305(something like that?) It's got a 40 GB drive or something, but I setup the /boot partition as tiny because that's how gentoo is usually setup (only need the kernel image and GRUB). I like the idea of simply copying/moving /boot to a new part of the HD, but will GRUB, etc. still work fine? Don't I have to do something to the boot-loader if I'm going to move the partition?

I prefer the idea of keeping the partitions as-is (so long as it doesn't cause me a world of headaches down the road?). I don't hack around much on computers the way I used to, so I don't imagine having too many kernel's installed at one time (although I might have a development one and a stable one to use once I get the hang of Ubuntu). That being said, I'm having some troubles getting the 10.x OS installed and working properly (it _works_, but I've got no laptop features at all, e.g. battery/wireless). Should probably not be running the beta, but... what fun is that, I guess I'm a geek at heart!

So... I guess I need to confirm, if I'm not explicitly trying to run multiple versions of the kernel, that I can nuke anything but the highest-number on /boot? It's also safe for me to nuke anything but whatever kernel type I am running (pre-empt vs. generic vs. server - I only need one of them)? How can I tell which one I'm running? Sorry if some of this is Newbie stuff (but I'm new to Ubuntu). Is there a 'laptop' version of the kernel I can use (would be nice! LOL!).

Thanks again for the help and suggestions!

- Mac

[toad]

Re: /boot is full?

Yes, just move all old kernels to a safe storage place of your choice (~/.kernels?) - both vmlinuz and initrd files. This should free up enough space for everything to run smoothly again. If things go haywire, you can always restore to the previous state and try again...

[hunkirdowne]

Re: /boot is full?

No sense in stopping the advice train.

Is the OP using GRUB-Legacy or GRUB2?

If GRUB-Legacy, then removing the files and hacking /boot/grub/menu.lst accordingly should do the trick. I suppose the update-grub thingy works here as well and I'm probably encouraging a less-than-best-practice bad habit so feel free to nail me on this if anyone thinks so.

If GRUB2 I go more by the book and will probably continue to do so except in extreme cases. While simply moving or removing the files is certainly an option, removing the packages is the way I have been doing this lately. In all actuality I believe the following commands will work for both GRUB2 and GRUB-Legacy.

# This gets the current kernel version (optional)
uname -r 
# This gets the list of versions in /boot
ls -l /boot/vmlinuz*
# Get 2.6.x-y from your 'ls' and do not include uname -r output or you just toasted your running kernel. (Popcorn?)
sudo aptitude remove linux-image-2.6.x-y

The cool thing about the above (at least in GRUB2) is that it takes care of updating GRUB automagically. I use it. I like it. I'm hating GRUB2 less every day!