Purge Old Linux Headers/Images with aptitude
If there is limited space on /boot, this becomes a necessity. Identify what packages are installed and what is current with the following commands:
dpkg -l linux-image-\* | grep ^ii uname -a
Sample output
ii linux-image-3.2.0-38-generic 3.2.0-38.61 Linux kernel image for version 3.2.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP ii linux-image-3.2.0-39-generic 3.2.0-39.62 Linux kernel image for version 3.2.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP ii linux-image-3.2.0-40-generic 3.2.0-40.64 Linux kernel image for version 3.2.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP ii linux-image-3.2.0-43-generic 3.2.0-43.68 Linux kernel image for version 3.2.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP ii linux-image-server 3.2.0.43.51 Linux kernel image on Server Equipment. Linux ub4 3.2.0-43-generic #68-Ubuntu SMP Wed May 15 03:33:33 UTC 2013 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
Considering that 3.2.0-43 is installed we can remove 3.2.0-38,39,40. To remove 40 (run one at a time):
PACKAGE="linux-image-3.2.0-40-generic" aptitude search $PACKAGE aptitude remove $PACKAGE aptitude -y purge $PACKAGE
Outputs
# aptitude search $PACKAGE i A linux-image-3.2.0-40-generic - Linux kernel image for version 3.2.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP p linux-image-3.2.0-40-generic:i386 - Linux kernel image for version 3.2.0 on 32 bit x86 SMP p linux-image-3.2.0-40-generic-pae:i386 - Linux kernel image for version 3.2.0 on 32 bit x86 SMP
# aptitude search $PACKAGE i A linux-image-3.2.0-40-generic - Linux kernel image for version 3.2.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP p linux-image-3.2.0-40-generic:i386 - Linux kernel image for version 3.2.0 on 32 bit x86 SMP p linux-image-3.2.0-40-generic-pae:i386 - Linux kernel image for version 3.2.0 on 32 bit x86 SMP [07:49:46 AM][root@ub4]:/etc/cron.d[0]# aptitude remove $PACKAGE The following packages will be REMOVED: linux-image-3.2.0-40-generic 0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 78 not upgraded. Need to get 0 B of archives. After unpacking 150 MB will be freed. (Reading database ... 111084 files and directories currently installed.) Removing linux-image-3.2.0-40-generic ... Examining /etc/kernel/postrm.d . run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/initramfs-tools 3.2.0-40-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-40-generic update-initramfs: Deleting /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-40-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-update-grub 3.2.0-40-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-40-generic Generating grub.cfg ... Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-57-generic Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-57-generic Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-54-generic Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-54-generic Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-52-generic Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-52-generic Found memtest86+ image: /memtest86+.bin done
# aptitude -y purge $PACKAGE
The following packages will be REMOVED:
linux-image-3.2.0-40-generic{p}
0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 78 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B of archives. After unpacking 0 B will be used.
(Reading database ... 106946 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing linux-image-3.2.0-40-generic ...
Purging configuration files for linux-image-3.2.0-40-generic ...
Examining /etc/kernel/postrm.d .
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/initramfs-tools 3.2.0-40-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-40-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-update-grub 3.2.0-40-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-40-generic
Repeat for 39 and 38 as well. I usually leave a few versions behind and not remove all of them.
Update to Latest Kernel
aptitude update aptitude install linux-headers-generic
Script
Create the list of existing images
dpkg -l linux-image-\* | grep ^ii | awk '{print "/tmp/pimage " $2}' > /tmp/pimage_list chmod 755 /tmp/pimage_list
DELETE the last few lines before running to avoid deleting recent/current image!!!
Create file /tmp/pimage as:
#!/bin/bash # PACKAGE=$1 aptitude -y remove $PACKAGE aptitude -y purge $PACKAGE # exit
Change permissions on /tmp/pimage
chmod 755 /tmp/pimage
