package linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic (not installed) failed to install/upgrade: unable to clean up mess surrounding './boot/config-4.4.0-31-generic' before installing another version: Read-only file system

[David]

Install attempted by Ubuntu Mate included Update Manager along with Grub2 update. The Grub2 update failed and according to the pop-up announcement by the Update Manager it also caused the linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic installation failure.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic (not installed)
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-28.47-generic 4.4.13
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-28-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: david 2162 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: david 2162 F.... pulseaudio
Date: Thu Jul 14 20:27:23 2016
DuplicateSignature:
 package:linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic:(not installed)
 Unpacking linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic (4.4.0-31.50) ...
 dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic_4.4.0-31.50_amd64.deb (--unpack):
  unable to clean up mess surrounding './boot/config-4.4.0-31-generic' before installing another version: Read-only file system
ErrorMessage: unable to clean up mess surrounding './boot/config-4.4.0-31-generic' before installing another version: Read-only file system
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=cf771e35-9679-4425-89bc-cdc68ab786e6
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-05-23 (53 days ago)
InstallationMedia: It
MachineType: GizmoSphere Gizmo2
ProcFB: 0 radeondrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-4.4.0-28-generic root=UUID=19bf53ad-e512-4435-bbde-ae92ffe72f2a ro elevator=noop quiet splash
PulseList: Error: command ['pacmd', 'list'] failed with exit code 1: No PulseAudio daemon running, or not running as session daemon.
RelatedPackageVersions: grub-pc 2.02~beta2-36ubuntu3.1
RfKill:

SourcePackage: linux
Title: package linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic (not installed) failed to install/upgrade: unable to clean up mess surrounding './boot/config-4.4.0-31-generic' before installing another version: Read-only file system
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 04/10/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: coreboot
dmi.bios.version: SageBios_Gizmo2-121
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: GizmoSphere
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvncoreboot:bvrSageBios_Gizmo2-121:bd04/10/2014:svnGizmoSphere:pnGizmo2:pvr1.0:cvnGizmoSphere:ct3:cvr:
dmi.product.name: Gizmo2
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: GizmoSphere

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[David (monkeyman-stones)]

Verified that is issue did not occur with another Ubuntu 16.04 64-bit based distro (named for spice which is sometimes used to make tea) which is also using Mate Desktop (but uses a different pre-installed package manager). That distro is using identical user added packages.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

You may need to run the following from a terminal:

sudo apt-get install -f
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get update

Then re-install the package or updates.

If that does not resolve your issue, please mark the bug as "Confirmed"

[David (monkeyman-stones)]

Jsalisbury,
    Your suggetion fits what I first attempted in order to correct the problem. The report presented here, above, followed that correction attempt. I used Bleachbit to clear out the issue after sudo apt-get update -f (-m) [the dash m was added following failure with -f alone] also failed.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]