Old kernels no longer automtically removed

Support and Help
1

Ubuntu Version:
20.04 LTS

Problem Description:
I have been using 20.04 for over 4 years. Whenever software updater informs me of a new kernel, I always accept it, and usually that is followed by a further request to remove old kernel versions, which I also accept (it usually leaves the new and previous ones).

However, for the last 6 kernel updates I have no longer received a request to remove the old versions. Is there any reason for this? (See current list of kernels below)

I am intending to install 24.04 soon, but would like to leave 20.04 in place ‘just in case’, so would like to tidy it up.

reg:~$ uname -r
5.4.0-208-generic
reg:~$ ls -l /boot
total 585948
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   237778 Aug  2  2024 config-5.4.0-195-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   237778 Aug 29  2024 config-5.4.0-196-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   237778 Sep 27 17:59 config-5.4.0-198-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   237778 Sep 27 13:40 config-5.4.0-200-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   237778 Nov  8 14:14 config-5.4.0-202-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   237778 Dec  5 11:35 config-5.4.0-204-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   237778 Jan 10 21:28 config-5.4.0-205-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   237889 Feb  7 17:31 config-5.4.0-208-generic
drwx------ 6 root root     4096 Jan  1  1970 efi
drwxr-xr-x 5 root root     4096 Feb 25 09:12 grub
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       28 Feb 25 09:12 initrd.img -> initrd.img-5.4.0-208-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 55816141 Sep 11  2024 initrd.img-5.4.0-195-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 55816157 Oct 12 20:06 initrd.img-5.4.0-196-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 55816238 Oct 21 15:43 initrd.img-5.4.0-198-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 55835250 Dec 11 10:03 initrd.img-5.4.0-200-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 55835644 Dec 13 09:13 initrd.img-5.4.0-202-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 55835689 Dec 17 14:27 initrd.img-5.4.0-204-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 57379340 Feb 18 12:21 initrd.img-5.4.0-205-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 57379956 Feb 25 09:12 initrd.img-5.4.0-208-generic
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       28 Feb 25 09:12 initrd.img.old -> initrd.img-5.4.0-205-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   182704 Aug 18  2020 memtest86+.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   184380 Aug 18  2020 memtest86+.elf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   184884 Aug 18  2020 memtest86+_multiboot.bin
-rw------- 1 root root  4761900 Aug  2  2024 System.map-5.4.0-195-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  4761900 Aug 29  2024 System.map-5.4.0-196-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  4761900 Sep 27 17:59 System.map-5.4.0-198-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  4762321 Sep 27 13:40 System.map-5.4.0-200-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  4762385 Nov  8 14:14 System.map-5.4.0-202-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  4762473 Dec  5 11:35 System.map-5.4.0-204-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  4762524 Jan 10 21:28 System.map-5.4.0-205-generic
-rw------- 1 root root  4766192 Feb  7 17:31 System.map-5.4.0-208-generic
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       25 Feb 25 09:12 vmlinuz -> vmlinuz-5.4.0-208-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 13701896 Aug  2  2024 vmlinuz-5.4.0-195-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 13701896 Aug 29  2024 vmlinuz-5.4.0-196-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 13701896 Sep 27 18:25 vmlinuz-5.4.0-198-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 13701896 Sep 27 13:56 vmlinuz-5.4.0-200-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 13705992 Nov  8 14:31 vmlinuz-5.4.0-202-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 13705992 Dec  5 11:37 vmlinuz-5.4.0-204-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 13705992 Jan 10 21:40 vmlinuz-5.4.0-205-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 13710088 Feb  7 17:53 vmlinuz-5.4.0-208-generic
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       25 Feb 25 09:12 vmlinuz.old -> vmlinuz-5.4.0-205-generic
2

If you open a terminal and type: sudo apt autoremove
and then press enter, the system will delete any that are not required.

1 Like
3

OK, thanks, but I was wondering if there is any way to reinstate the previous behaviour of the software updater?

4

man apt.conf

I think this is the setting you might be looking for?

NeverAutoRemove::KernelCount

1 Like
5

@regub , could you please try this and post the output? If you don’t want to actually autoremove kernels by this method, running it only as simulation should get enough information:

apt -s autoremove

If this method does not see the “extra” kernels as autoremovable, neither will Software Updater.

6

If apt autoremove doesn’t remove old versions try this one:

sudo apt install byobu
sudo purge-old-kernels

This utility removes old kernels and only keeps currently running kernel and one or two previous versions

7

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