At least four users, including myself, are having an issue with update-initramfs hanging while updating ubuntu 16.04. The bug has been documented while attempting an update to multiple kernel versions ( 4.4.0-24, 4.4.0-62, 4.4.0-63). The bug causes any apt-get update or install to fail, and may also lead to an unbootable system. User #1 (me): $ uname -a Linux 4.4.0-62-generic #83-Ubuntu SMP Wed Jan 18 14:10:15 UTC 2017 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux $ sudo apt-get upgrade Fetched 1,571 MB in 2min 9s (12.2 MB/s) Extracting templates from packages: 100% Preconfiguring packages ... (Reading database ... 344634 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack .../base-files_9.4ubuntu4.4_amd64.deb ... Unpacking base-files (9.4ubuntu4.4) over (9.4ubuntu4.3) ... Processing triggers for plymouth-theme-ubuntu-text (0.9.2-3ubuntu13.1) ... update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated) Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.5-1) ... Processing triggers for cracklib-runtime (2.9.2-1build2) ... Processing triggers for install-info (6.1.0.dfsg.1-5) ... Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.122ubuntu8.8) ... update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-63-generic Uh oh! Let's try to troubleshoot. $ sudo killall dpkg $ sudo dpkg --configure -a Setting up initramfs-tools (0.122ubuntu8.8) ... update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated) Setting up base-files (9.4ubuntu4.4) ... Installing new version of config file /etc/issue ... Installing new version of config file /etc/issue.net ... Installing new version of config file /etc/lsb-release ... Setting up linux-image-4.4.0-63-generic (4.4.0-63.84) ... Running depmod. update-initramfs: deferring update (hook will be called later) initrd.img(/boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-63-generic ) points to /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-63-generic (/boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-63-generic) -- doing nothing at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-4.4.0-63-generic.postinst line 491. vmlinuz(/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-63-generic ) points to /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-63-generic (/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-63-generic) -- doing nothing at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-4.4.0-63-generic.postinst line 491. Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d. run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 4.4.0-63-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-63-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 4.4.0-63-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-63-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 4.4.0-63-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-63-generic update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-63-generic ^CFailed to process /etc/kernel/postinst.d at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-4.4.0-63-generic.postinst line 1052. dpkg: error processing package linux-image-4.4.0-63-generic (--configure): subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2 dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-image-generic: linux-image-generic depends on linux-image-4.4.0-63-generic; however: Package linux-image-4.4.0-63-generic is not configured yet. dpkg: error processing package linux-image-generic (--configure): dependency problems - leaving unconfigured dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-signed-image-4.4.0-63-generic: linux-signed-image-4.4.0-63-generic depends on linux-image-4.4.0-63-generic (= 4.4.0-63.84); however: Package linux-image-4.4.0-63-generic is not configured yet. dpkg: error processing package linux-signed-image-4.4.0-63-generic (--configure): dependency problems - leaving unconfigured dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-signed-image-generic: linux-signed-image-generic depends on linux-signed-image-4.4.0-63-generic; however: Package linux-signed-image-4.4.0-63-generic is not configured yet. dpkg: error processing package linux-signed-image-generic (--configure): dependency problems - leaving unconfigured dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-image-extra-4.4.0-63-generic: linux-image-extra-4.4.0-63-generic depends on linux-image-4.4.0-63-generic; however: Package linux-image-4.4.0-63-generic is not configured yet. dpkg: error processing package linux-image-extra-4.4.0-63-generic (--configure): dependency problems - leaving unconfigured dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-generic: linux-generic depends on linux-image-generic (= 4.4.0.63.67); however: Package linux-image-generic is not configured yet. dpkg: error processing package linux-generic (--configure): dependency problems - leaving unconfigured dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-signed-generic: linux-signed-generic depends on linux-signed-image-generic (= 4.4.0.63.67); however: Package linux-signed-image-generic is not configured yet. dpkg: error processing package linux-signed-generic (--configure): dependency problems - leaving unconfigured Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.122ubuntu8.8) ... update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-63-generic ^Cdpkg: error processing package initramfs-tools (--configure): subprocess installed post-installation script was interrupted Processing triggers for plymouth-theme-ubuntu-text (0.9.2-3ubuntu13.1) ... update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated) Errors were encountered while processing: linux-image-4.4.0-63-generic linux-image-generic linux-signed-image-4.4.0-63-generic linux-signed-image-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-63-generic linux-generic linux-signed-generic initramfs-tools I verified that /boot has enough space: /dev/nvme0n1p2 496M 314M 157M 67% /boot Here's my /boot: $ ls -l /boot total 325378 -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1244118 Jan 6 16:44 abi-4.4.0-59-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1244118 Jan 18 07:59 abi-4.4.0-62-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1245512 Feb 1 11:39 abi-4.4.0-63-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1245512 Feb 20 05:40 abi-4.4.0-64-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 190047 Jan 6 16:44 config-4.4.0-59-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 190047 Jan 18 07:59 config-4.4.0-62-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 190247 Feb 1 11:39 config-4.4.0-63-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 190247 Feb 20 05:40 config-4.4.0-64-generic drwx------ 3 root root 4096 Dec 31 1969 efi drwxr-xr-x 5 root root 1024 Feb 23 13:23 grub -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 10931153 Feb 23 13:56 initrd.img-4.4.0-57-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 46506399 Feb 9 05:37 initrd.img-4.4.0-59-generic -rw-r--r-- 2 root root 39526162 Feb 23 13:27 initrd.img-4.4.0-62-generic -rw-r--r-- 2 root root 39526162 Feb 23 13:27 initrd.img-4.4.0-62-generic.dpkg-bak -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 Feb 23 13:56 initrd.img-4.4.0-62-generic.new -rw-r--r-- 2 root root 26019417 Feb 23 13:11 initrd.img-4.4.0-63-generic -rw-r--r-- 2 root root 26019417 Feb 23 13:11 initrd.img-4.4.0-63-generic.dpkg-bak -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 Feb 23 13:56 initrd.img-4.4.0-63-generic.new -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 39516686 Feb 23 14:50 initrd.img-4.4.0-64-generic -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 39516505 Feb 23 13:33 initrd.img-4.4.0-64-generic.dpkg-bak drwx------ 2 root root 12288 Jul 31 2016 lost+found -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 182704 Jan 28 2016 memtest86+.bin -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 184380 Jan 28 2016 memtest86+.elf -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 184840 Jan 28 2016 memtest86+_multiboot.bin -rw------- 1 root root 3875594 Jan 6 16:44 System.map-4.4.0-59-generic -rw------- 1 root root 3875553 Jan 18 07:59 System.map-4.4.0-62-generic -rw------- 1 root root 3883990 Feb 1 11:39 System.map-4.4.0-63-generic -rw------- 1 root root 3883990 Feb 20 05:40 System.map-4.4.0-64-generic -rw------- 1 root root 7069136 Jan 6 16:44 vmlinuz-4.4.0-59-generic -rw------- 1 root root 7071064 Jan 11 07:08 vmlinuz-4.4.0-59-generic.efi.signed -rw------- 1 root root 7070992 Jan 18 07:59 vmlinuz-4.4.0-62-generic -rw------- 1 root root 7072920 Feb 3 08:04 vmlinuz-4.4.0-62-generic.efi.signed -rw------- 1 root root 7087088 Feb 1 11:39 vmlinuz-4.4.0-63-generic -rw------- 1 root root 7087152 Feb 20 05:40 vmlinuz-4.4.0-64-generic After uninstall of linux-image-4.4.0-63-generic: $ sudo dpkg --status linux-image-4.4.0-63-genericPackage: linux-image-4.4.0-63-generic Status: deinstall ok config-files Priority: optional Section: kernel Installed-Size: 64800 Maintainer: Ubuntu Kernel Team