/boot full could be handled more gracefully? -- package linux-image-3.16.0-53-generic 3.16.0-53.72~14.04.1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2

[Michael Vorburger]

/boot was full yesterday, then I did a sudo apt-get autoremove, then first boot entry in grub menu led to kernel panic, second boot entry booted normally OK, but on boot this error keeps popping up about half a million times.. ;-) In an ideal world, it would be nice if this scenario could be handled more gracefully.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: linux-image-3.16.0-53-generic 3.16.0-53.72~14.04.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-51.69~14.04.1-generic 3.16.7-ckt17
Uname: Linux 3.16.0-51-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.18
Architecture: amd64
Date: Tue Nov 10 11:46:27 2015
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-12-21 (689 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.10 "Saucy Salamander" - Release amd64 (20131016.1)
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.17.5ubuntu5.4
 apt 1.0.1ubuntu2.10
SourcePackage: linux-lts-utopic
Title: package linux-image-3.16.0-53-generic 3.16.0-53.72~14.04.1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to trusty on 2014-08-11 (456 days ago)

[Michael Vorburger (mike-vorburger)]

I don't understand as much as I'd like about this stuff, BUT isn't the problem here "just" that my /boot is too small (OK, shit happens says Forrest Gump) and that the system automatically tries to keep more previous kernel versions on /boot than there is space for? Glancing over http://askubuntu.com/questions/620266/how-does-apt-decide-how-many-old-kernels-to-keep, I'm wondering if whatever setting determines how many old kernels versions to keep around on /boot couldn't auto-tune itself more appropriately based on real actual free disk space on /boot? In a perfectly ideal world, of course; I certainly fully respect you may have other higher priorities than this kind of nice to have end-user usability gimmick.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[spike speigel (frail-knight)]

Not sure if using dkms, but if so may be related to bug 1515513