So I’ve been trying to update/upgrade my system/applications for the last few days and it has been erroring, I ignored it and now when I try to sudo apt upgrade it tells me that I have “Low Disk Space on “boot” The volume “boot” has only 0 bytes disk space remaining.”

What happens when I run sudo apt upgrade:

user@user:~$ sudo apt upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
4 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Setting up initramfs-tools (0.136ubuntu6.6) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Setting up linux-firmware (1.187.25) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-5.11.0-43-generic
I: The initramfs will attempt to resume from /dev/dm-2
I: (/dev/mapper/data-swap)
I: Set the RESUME variable to override this.
Error 24 : Write error : cannot write compressed block 
E: mkinitramfs failure cpio 141 lz4 -9 -l 24
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-5.11.0-43-generic with 1.
dpkg: error processing package linux-firmware (--configure):
 installed linux-firmware package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Setting up linux-image-5.11.0-44-generic (5.11.0-44.48~20.04.2) ...
I: /boot/initrd.img.old is now a symlink to initrd.img-5.11.0-44-generic
Setting up linux-image-5.11.0-46-generic (5.11.0-46.51~20.04.1) ...
I: /boot/initrd.img is now a symlink to initrd.img-5.11.0-46-generic
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.136ubuntu6.6) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-5.11.0-43-generic
I: The initramfs will attempt to resume from /dev/dm-2
I: (/dev/mapper/data-swap)
I: Set the RESUME variable to override this.
Error 24 : Write error : cannot write compressed block 
E: mkinitramfs failure cpio 141 lz4 -9 -l 24
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-5.11.0-43-generic with 1.
dpkg: error processing package initramfs-tools (--configure):
 installed initramfs-tools package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Processing triggers for linux-image-5.11.0-44-generic (5.11.0-44.48~20.04.2) ...
/etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools:
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-5.11.0-44-generic
I: The initramfs will attempt to resume from /dev/dm-2
I: (/dev/mapper/data-swap)
I: Set the RESUME variable to override this.
Error 24 : Write error : cannot write compressed block 
E: mkinitramfs failure cpio 141 lz4 -9 -l 24
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-5.11.0-44-generic with 1.
run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1
dpkg: error processing package linux-image-5.11.0-44-generic (--configure):
 installed linux-image-5.11.0-44-generic package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Processing triggers for linux-image-5.11.0-46-generic (5.11.0-46.51~20.04.1) ...
/etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools:
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-5.11.0-46-generic
I: The initramfs will attempt to resume from /dev/dm-2
I: (/dev/mapper/data-swap)
I: Set the RESUME variable to override this.
Error 24 : Write error : cannot write compressed block 
E: mkinitramfs failure cpio 141 lz4 -9 -l 24
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-5.11.0-46-generic with 1.
run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1
dpkg: error processing package linux-image-5.11.0-46-generic (--configure):
 installed linux-image-5.11.0-46-generic package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 linux-firmware
 initramfs-tools
 linux-image-5.11.0-44-generic
 linux-image-5.11.0-46-generic
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Screenshot of /boot:

I am running elementary OS 6.1 Jólnir, built on Ubuntu 20.04.3 LTS using the Linux kernel 5.11.0-43-generic.

  • Kromonos
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    12 years ago

    Have you tried apt autoremove to clean up old packages?

    • ghost_laptopOP
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      -22 years ago

      Yes, it gives an error very similar to running sudo apt upgrade, in fact running this command is what triggers the “Low Disk Space on “boot”” warning.

      user@user:/$ sudo apt autoremove
      Reading package lists... Done
      Building dependency tree       
      Reading state information... Done
      0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
      4 not fully installed or removed.
      After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
      Setting up initramfs-tools (0.136ubuntu6.6) ...
      update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
      Setting up linux-firmware (1.187.25) ...
      update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-5.11.0-43-generic
      I: The initramfs will attempt to resume from /dev/dm-2
      I: (/dev/mapper/data-swap)
      I: Set the RESUME variable to override this.
      Error 24 : Write error : cannot write compressed block 
      E: mkinitramfs failure cpio 141 lz4 -9 -l 24
      update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-5.11.0-43-generic with 1.
      dpkg: error processing package linux-firmware (--configure):
       installed linux-firmware package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
      Setting up linux-image-5.11.0-44-generic (5.11.0-44.48~20.04.2) ...
      I: /boot/initrd.img.old is now a symlink to initrd.img-5.11.0-44-generic
      Setting up linux-image-5.11.0-46-generic (5.11.0-46.51~20.04.1) ...
      I: /boot/initrd.img is now a symlink to initrd.img-5.11.0-46-generic
      Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.136ubuntu6.6) ...
      update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-5.11.0-43-generic
      I: The initramfs will attempt to resume from /dev/dm-2
      I: (/dev/mapper/data-swap)
      I: Set the RESUME variable to override this.
      Error 24 : Write error : cannot write compressed block 
      E: mkinitramfs failure cpio 141 lz4 -9 -l 24
      update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-5.11.0-43-generic with 1.
      dpkg: error processing package initramfs-tools (--configure):
       installed initramfs-tools package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
      Processing triggers for linux-image-5.11.0-44-generic (5.11.0-44.48~20.04.2) ...
      /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools:
      update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-5.11.0-44-generic
      I: The initramfs will attempt to resume from /dev/dm-2
      I: (/dev/mapper/data-swap)
      I: Set the RESUME variable to override this.
      Error 24 : Write error : cannot write compressed block 
      E: mkinitramfs failure cpio 141 lz4 -9 -l 24
      update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-5.11.0-44-generic with 1.
      run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1
      dpkg: error processing package linux-image-5.11.0-44-generic (--configure):
       installed linux-image-5.11.0-44-generic package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
      Processing triggers for linux-image-5.11.0-46-generic (5.11.0-46.51~20.04.1) ...
      /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools:
      update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-5.11.0-46-generic
      I: The initramfs will attempt to resume from /dev/dm-2
      I: (/dev/mapper/data-swap)
      I: Set the RESUME variable to override this.
      Error 24 : Write error : cannot write compressed block 
      E: mkinitramfs failure cpio 141 lz4 -9 -l 24
      update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-5.11.0-46-generic with 1.
      run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1
      dpkg: error processing package linux-image-5.11.0-46-generic (--configure):
       installed linux-image-5.11.0-46-generic package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
      Errors were encountered while processing:
       linux-firmware
       initramfs-tools
       linux-image-5.11.0-44-generic
       linux-image-5.11.0-46-generic
      E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
      
      • Kromonos
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        2
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        2 years ago

        You could try apt remove linux-image-5.11.0-43-generic to delete an old kernel manually. Then upgrade and autoremove again.

        • krolden
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          02 years ago

          Yep either this or expand your boot partition.

          Ive sometimes had to boot into a livecd and then delete the old kernel images cos the system wouldn’t boot

          • ghost_laptopOP
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            -22 years ago
            Removing linux-image-5.11.0-43-generic 
            
            You are running a kernel (version 5.11.0-43-generic) and attempting to remove the same version.                     
            
            This can make the system unbootable as it will remove /boot/vmlinuz-5.11.0-43-generic and all modules under the 
            

            This happens when I run that command, it scares me, will something break? Is it better to expand my boot partition?

            • krolden
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              2 years ago

              You should be OK as long as you rerun apt upgrade and/or update-initramfs so it properly installs the new kernel.

              Be sure to remove any other old kernels you may have installed.

              • ghost_laptopOP
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                -22 years ago

                So, as soon as I run the command to remove that kernel y run sudo apt upgrade or update-initramfs and that’s it? How do I know if I have any other old kernel installed?

        • ghost_laptopOP
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          fedilink
          -22 years ago
          Removing linux-image-5.11.0-43-generic 
          
          You are running a kernel (version 5.11.0-43-generic) and attempting to remove the same version.                     
          
          This can make the system unbootable as it will remove /boot/vmlinuz-5.11.0-43-generic and all modules under the 
          

          This happens when I run that command, it scares me, will something break? Is it better to expand my boot partition?

            • ghost_laptopOP
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              -12 years ago

              Linux device 5.11.0-43-generic #47~20.04.2-Ubuntu SMP Mon Dec 13 11:06:56 UTC 2021 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

              • @libinator@lemmy.ml
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                2 years ago

                This means you run version 5.11.0-43-generic

                Try removing linux-image-5.11.0-40-generic, which is the oldest version in your screenshot

                • @libinator@lemmy.ml
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                  22 years ago

                  sudo apt remove linux-image-5.11.0-40-generic

                  I don’t use a debian based distro now, so you should probably wait until someone else says doing this is safe

                • ghost_laptopOP
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                  -12 years ago

                  Okay, but once I removed what do I do? Because otherwise I will have an OS without its kernel, which is not nice.