From 9.04 to 9.10 upgrade failed due to lack of space

Hi,

Open a terminal (Applications > Accessories > Terminal)

Enter the following command (you can do a copy + paste to be accurate)

sudo fdisk -l

(you will need to enter your own password - no characters will show up however)

and paste back the output here, along with the output of the following command:

df

This is to know what the current state of your disk drive is (df = disk free) in terms of free space. The first command was to know how it is partitioned.

Disk /dev/sda: 40.0 GB, 40020664320 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4865 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xb15db15d

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 1201 9647001 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 1202 3648 19655527+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda3 3649 4742 8787555 83 Linux
/dev/sda4 4743 4863 971932+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda5 2433 3036 4851598+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 1202 2373 9414027 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 2374 2432 473886 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda8 3037 3614 4642753+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda9 3615 3648 273073+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order
denisep@denisep-desktop:~$

denisep@denisep-desktop:~$ df
Filesystem 1K-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda8 4606112 3318032 1055944 76% /
tmpfs 253892 0 253892 0% /lib/init/rw
varrun 253892 96 253796 1% /var/run
varlock 253892 0 253892 0% /var/lock
udev 253892 164 253728 1% /dev
tmpfs 253892 12 253880 1% /dev/shm
lrm 253892 2192 251700 1%
/lib/modules/2.6.28-18-generic/volatile
denisep@denisep-desktop:~$

On 6/1/10, Vu Do Quynh <email address hidden> wrote:
> Your question #113055 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/113055
>
> Status: Open => Needs information
>
> Vu Do Quynh requested for more information:
> Hi,
>
> Open a terminal (Applications > Accessories > Terminal)
>
> Enter the following command (you can do a copy + paste to be accurate)
>
> sudo fdisk -l
>
> (you will need to enter your own password - no characters will show up
> however)
>
> and paste back the output here, along with the output of the following
> command:
>
> df
>
> This is to know what the current state of your disk drive is (df = disk
> free) in terms of free space. The first command was to know how it is
> partitioned.
>
> --
> To answer this request for more information, you can either reply to
> this email or enter your reply at the following page:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/113055
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

Can you give the output of:

dpkg -l | grep linux-image-2

Thanks

denisep@denisep-desktop:~$ dpkg -l | grep linux-image-2
ii linux-image-2.6.24-19-generic 2.6.24-19.34
Linux kernel image for version 2.6.24 on x86
ii linux-image-2.6.24-27-generic 2.6.24-27.69
Linux kernel image for version 2.6.24 on x86
ii linux-image-2.6.27-17-generic 2.6.27-17.46
Linux kernel image for version 2.6.27 on x86
ii linux-image-2.6.28-18-generic 2.6.28-18.60
Linux kernel image for version 2.6.28 on x86
denisep@denisep-desktop:~$

On 6/1/10, actionparsnip <email address hidden> wrote:
> Your question #113055 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/113055
>
> Status: Open => Needs information
>
> actionparsnip requested for more information:
> Can you give the output of:
>
> dpkg -l | grep linux-image-2
>
> Thanks
>
> --
> To answer this request for more information, you can either reply to
> this email or enter your reply at the following page:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/113055
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

Hi,

You have a 40 GB HDD and you have apparently installed 4 linux distributions on the partitions sda3, sda5, sda6 and sda8

You are currently using the one installed on sda8 (~4.5 GB) which is being used up to 76%, with only about 1 GB free.

However you have 3 linux swap partitions, while you actually need only one. Thus you could reclaim the space on those swap partitions and add them to the actual Linux distributions installed. But your two last swap partitions are not that much, altogether < 1 GB (about 700 MB).

I am just wondering if it is worthwhile to do anything else than repartitioning your hard drive by deleting some linux partitions and then installing freshly over one larger partitions.

How to proceed from now will depends on what you want to do. With only 4-5 GB to your present Linux distribution (on sda8), you won't go too far else than testing the distribution. To work with, you would need around 8-10 GB.

Hi again,

You could actually gain some space by purging the older kernels 2.6.24 and 2.6.27 (maybe altogether something like 100-150 MB ?). To know the one kernel you are actually using, in a terminal enter the following command:

uname -r

It will return you the kernel you are using right now. If it works well you could get rid with older versions and free space. For that you could start the synaptic package manager, search for the string linux-image-header and check for removal the ones installed with a number different from the version currently running.

But, again, with such little free space and such small partitions, you won't go far. The best thing would be, IMO, to merge all your linux distributions into 1 or 2, each with about 8-10 GB size.

You are absolutely correct in everything you said. The reason behind
the multiple installations is due to the fact I was trying to upgrade
and during the upgrade I was working on something else and
accidentally rebooted my pc during the upgrade so after this happened
my pc acted funny and would not load right, so then I reinstalled
ubuntu from the start I believe 2 more times. I am just unclear as
to how fix it all and start over. I thought I noticed each time I
reinstalled it it was taking more space but did not know how to fix
it. If you can help great, I also have Windows 2000 professional
loaded on this machine too.

On 6/1/10, Vu Do Quynh <email address hidden> wrote:
> Your question #113055 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/113055
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Vu Do Quynh proposed the following answer:
> Hi,
>
> You have a 40 GB HDD and you have apparently installed 4 linux
> distributions on the partitions sda3, sda5, sda6 and sda8
>
> You are currently using the one installed on sda8 (~4.5 GB) which is
> being used up to 76%, with only about 1 GB free.
>
> However you have 3 linux swap partitions, while you actually need only
> one. Thus you could reclaim the space on those swap partitions and add
> them to the actual Linux distributions installed. But your two last swap
> partitions are not that much, altogether < 1 GB (about 700 MB).
>
> I am just wondering if it is worthwhile to do anything else than
> repartitioning your hard drive by deleting some linux partitions and
> then installing freshly over one larger partitions.
>
> How to proceed from now will depends on what you want to do. With only
> 4-5 GB to your present Linux distribution (on sda8), you won't go too
> far else than testing the distribution. To work with, you would need
> around 8-10 GB.
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/113055/+confirm?answer_id=4
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/113055
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

Hi again,

OK. If I understand correctly, you accidentally installed many times Ubuntu... Now you wish to have a dual boot installation with your original Windows 2000 system and Ubuntu.

As it seems you're using 9.04, do you wish to use 10.04? If yes you will need a live CD 10.04 (download it, check its md5sum before burning it) and test your system with it before proceeding with installation. If no, then you'll need your 9.04 live CD.

Once you are ready (i.e. after testing successfully with your live CD, and after you have backed up all your essential data in your different /home folders in your different partitions), when you have booted to your desktop with the live CD, then you can launch Gparted (System > Administration > Gparted - Disk partitioner).

One in Gparted, select and delete the following partitions in this order:
sda8, sda7, sda6, sda5, sda4, sda3, sda2

DO NOTdelete or modify the sda1 which holds your Windows 2000 system !

Once you're done you'll have a large free space unpartitioned that you can start to partition as follows:

Select the free space, choose to create a new partition which will be a primary one of type swap and of size twice the amount of your RAM (to know how much RAM you have, in a terminal type the command free which will return you the amount of RAM and the amount of free RAM). This partition will be sda2.

Select the remaining free space and choose to create a new logical partition of size 8 GB, of type ext3 (it will be mounted as / later during the installation process)

Select the remaining free space and choose to create a new logical partition of all the remaining size, of type ext3, (it will be mounted as /home later during the installation process)

You're done with the partitioning.

Check for everything before clicking on the Apply button.

You'lle be done with your partitioning. You can then proceed with the installation. During the partitioning step, everything will be ready, you will just need to select the appropriate partitions sda2 for swap, sda5, to be used as ext3 for mounting as / and sda6, to be used as ext3 for mounting as /home.

Fulfill the installations steps and you're done ...

Hope that helps.

sudo apt-get --purge remove linux-image-2.6.24-19-generic linux-image-2.6.24-27-generic linux-image-2.6.27-17-generic

Will leave you with:
linux-image-2.6.28-18.60-generic

You will also gain 360Mb in space

I performed the command below but when attempting to install 9.10 upgrade I
still need 182 mb more of space.

On Tue, Jun 1, 2010 at 6:56 AM, actionparsnip <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #113055 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/113055
>
> actionparsnip proposed the following answer:
> sudo apt-get --purge remove linux-image-2.6.24-19-generic linux-
> image-2.6.24-27-generic linux-image-2.6.27-17-generic
>
> Will leave you with:
> linux-image-2.6.28-18.60-generic
>
> You will also gain 360Mb in space
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/113055/+confirm?answer_id=8
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/113055
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

try:

sudo apt-get install bleachbit

then run:

gksudo bleachbit

Wipe as much as you can and have as many apps closed as you can, watch your browser settings as it can remove passwords, and avoid the options whic say they will take a long time.

You should then just run:

bleachbit

and do the same again. This will clear a lot of space down for you. You can also uninstall apps you never use like gimp (assuming you don't use it). You can also remove openoffice and install abiword if you only use oowriter. This will save TONNES of space. A default install of Ubuntu is very bloated and can easily be trimmed.

I performed the commands as you stated and the bleachbit program said that
it removed 71.4 mb of space but when I run the upgrade it still says that I
need 119 mb more of free space.

On Sat, Jun 5, 2010 at 2:29 PM, actionparsnip <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #113055 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/113055
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> actionparsnip proposed the following answer:
> try:
>
> sudo apt-get install bleachbit
>
> then run:
>
> gksudo bleachbit
>
> Wipe as much as you can and have as many apps closed as you can, watch
> your browser settings as it can remove passwords, and avoid the options
> whic say they will take a long time.
>
> You should then just run:
>
> bleachbit
>
> and do the same again. This will clear a lot of space down for you. You
> can also uninstall apps you never use like gimp (assuming you don't use
> it). You can also remove openoffice and install abiword if you only use
> oowriter. This will save TONNES of space. A default install of Ubuntu is
> very bloated and can easily be trimmed.
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/113055/+confirm?answer_id=10
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/113055
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

You may want to uninstall openoffice to make room. You can then reinstall it after the upgrade