Boot drive full

[Overkill]

I was doing some updates on my laptop, and I get a message saying my 500mb boot drive is almost full How do I fix this? Should I make my boot drive bigger?

EDIT:
I was searching in the forums, and found this script so will this help in my situation?

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OLDCONF=$(dpkg -l|grep "^rc"|awk '{print $2}')
CURKERNEL=$(uname -r|sed 's/-*[a-z]//g'|sed 's/-386//g')
LINUXPKG="linux-(image|headers|ubuntu-modules|restricted-modules)"
METALINUXPKG="linux-(image|headers|restricted-modules)-(generic|i386|server|common|rt|xen)"
OLDKERNELS=$(dpkg -l|awk '{print $2}'|grep -E $LINUXPKG |grep -vE $METALINUXPKG|grep -v $CURKERNEL)
YELLOW="\033[1;33m"
RED="\033[0;31m"
ENDCOLOR="\033[0m"
sudo apt-get purge $OLDKERNELS

[LanceM]

If you want to remove old kernels, run

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sudo apt autoremove

Or you can do it with the Update Manager>View>Kernels>Remove Old Kernels.

[Overkill]

If you want to remove old kernels, run

Code: Select all

sudo apt autoremove

Or you can do it with the Update Manager>View>Kernels>Remove Old Kernels.

How many old kernels should I leave if any?

Problem!

[LanceM]

If you can't boot at all, you need to enter the grub menu at boot and go to Advanced. There you will see root. Use it to get to a command prompt. Then try

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sudo apt autoremove

I don't know if it will free space in your boot partition. I never create that partition, and am puzzled why a beginner would want that.

[Overkill]

I never create that partition, and am puzzled why a beginner would want that.

Mint said I had to create a boot partition when installing.


Fixed!
I had to delete a few kernels in recovery mode.
Thanks Lance

[LanceM]

You do not need a boot partition. Not in the official documentation. Besides that, a default install doesn't create one either. Generally it't just a bad idea unless you know why you want or need to. Guide: https://linuxmint-installation-guide.re ... stall.html

[Overkill]

You do not need a boot partition. Not in the official documentation. Besides that, a default install doesn't create one either. Generally it't just a bad idea unless you know why you want or need to. Guide: https://linuxmint-installation-guide.re ... stall.html

Then why does it always say I need an EFI Boot partition?

[LanceM]

That will be created by a default install. It is different than a boot partition. The EFI partition It is needed on an EFI system, but not Legacy (older systems)

[DPM]

Fixed!

Then please edit the title of your first posting in this thread and add <SOLVED> before the title (use the leftmost of the four buttons on the right side of the start posting).

I had to delete a few kernels in recovery mode.

You should leave at least one older kernel than the current kernel so that you can switch back if need be. To prevent the problem from happening again, you can go to Mint's Update Manager where you go to Edit->Preferences->Automation, then activate the switch "Remove obsolete kernels and dependencies". Make sure you have set up your Timeshift properly before activating that switch.

[LanceM]

I did a test. An offline install of Mint 20.1 Cinnamon. I created a 600MB Boot partition plus the 512MB EFI partition. I updated only one kernel, and it added about 100MB to the boot partition. Obviously it wouldn't take many to fill it.

4.jpg

[Overkill]

That will be created by a default install. It is different than a boot partition. The EFI partition It is needed on an EFI system, but not Legacy (older systems)

That's what my system is, uefi 2013 Laptop

[Overkill]

That will be created by a default install. It is different than a boot partition. The EFI partition It is needed on an EFI system, but not Legacy (older systems)

That's what my system is, uefi 2013 Laptop

So I should add both a boot and efi from now on?

[Moem]

Why do you want a boot partition? I've never had one.

[ricardogroetaers]

Then why does it always say I need an EFI Boot partition?

EFI partition is only needed on GPT disks and or firmware in UEFI mode only for booting.

Summary:
Has GPT disk -> mandatory EFI partition to boot (BIOS or UEFI mode) -> CORRECTION: disregard BIOS
It has UEFI mode enabled -> mandatory EFI partition to boot (MBR or GPT disk)

[AndyMH]

Then why does it always say I need an EFI Boot partition?

EFI partition is only needed on GPT disks and or firmware in UEFI mode only for booting.

Summary:
Has GPT disk -> mandatory EFI partition to boot (BIOS or UEFI mode)
It has UEFI mode enabled -> mandatory EFI partition to boot (MBR or GPT disk)

Wrong in that you don't need an EFI partition on a GPT format drive if you want to boot legacy, you do need a bios_grub partition. You do need an EFI partition if you want to boot UEFI on either a legacy or GPT drive.

[Overkill]

Why do you want a boot partition? I've never had one.

So you just create a root and that's it? Do you manually partition or let Linux do all of the work?

[DAMIEN1307]

let the installer do all of the work...If this is the only operating system on this computer and not requireing a dual boot situation...just let the installer overwrite the disk and do its own thing...Thats how mine is configured and everything has always worked perfectly for me...DAMIEN

[ricardogroetaers]

Wrong in that you don't need an EFI partition on a GPT format drive if you want to boot legacy, you do need a bios_grub partition.

Perfect, thanks for the correction.

[Moem]

So you just create a root and that's it? Do you manually partition or let Linux do all of the work?

I create a root and a home. But that's because I like my home as a separate partition which is a preference.
I believe the second question has been answered, too.

[AndyMH]

Wrong in that you don't need an EFI partition on a GPT format drive if you want to boot legacy, you do need a bios_grub partition.

Perfect, thanks for the correction.

This was linux only, I've no idea how windows behaves, suspect that it will sulk if you try and install in legacy on a gpt drive.

Note there are problems with the mint installer (ubiquity taken from ubuntu):

• UEFI - if installing to separate drives in dual boot, it will use the first EFI partition it finds irrespective of what you tell it. Fixable by either disconnecting the first drive before install or disabling the esp & boot flags on the EFI partition you don't want it to use (and re-enabling after install).

• Legacy - in the 'erase and install' and 'install alongside' options it will create a useless EFI partition and put everything else in an extended partition. The solution is to pre-partition your drive and use the 'something else' option. This is new to LM20, LM19 was okay.