Re: Linux image package install failure

[Erwan David <erwan@rail.eu.org>]

On Mon, Mar 24, 2025 at 04:56:33PM CET, Felix Miata <mrmazda@stanis.net> said:
> Barry Newberger composed on 2025-03-24 08:05 (UTC-0500):
> ...
> > update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-6.1.0-32-amd64
> > cpio: write error: No space left on device
> > E: mkinitramfs failure cpio 2
> > update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-6.1.0-32-amd64 with 1.
> > run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1
> > dpkg: error processing package linux-image-6.1.0-32-amd64 (--configure):
> >  installed linux-image-6.1.0-32-amd64 package post-installation script
> > subprocess returned error exit status 1
> > Setting up linux-image-6.1.0-31-amd64 (6.1.128-1) ...
> > /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms:
> > dkms: running auto installation service for kernel 6.1.0-31-amd64.
> > dkms: autoinstall for kernel: 6.1.0-31-amd64.
> > /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools:
> > update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-6.1.0-31-amd64
> > cpio: write error: No space left on device
> ...
> 
> It's not uncommon that one discovers he has let freespace get too low by
> encountering a failure to install that leaves the new package's contents on disk
> taking up valuable space without completing associated setup tasks. One then
> logically tries to free some space by removing no longer needed packages. However,
> apt* blocks the process of removal by refusing to remove without first completing
> the installation task that cannot be completed due to lack of space. It's a
> circular problem. Thus space must be freed by other means.

when this happens in initramfs it is frequently the /boot partition which is full.
In that cas, I had to use dpkg to purge old kernels and old initramfs files.

Beware that some firmware packages include huge data and are by
default included in initramfs (since firmwares may be necessary to
boot.


-- 
Erwan David