"sudo update-initramfs -u -k all" doesn't show error if /boot/efi runs out of space!

[Mikko Rantalainen]

When one uses UEFI boot and /boot/efi runs out of space, executing

    sudo update-initramfs -u -k all

will silently fail even though the output looks like everything went okay. The generated initrd files may be missing the end of the file and boot obviously fails as a result!

To reproduce, try filling the EFI partition to less than 10 MB free and then install a new kernel using apt and try to boot to it. The initrd file would need more than 10 MB disk space but you'll get no errors about the problem and the boot simply fails.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 24.04
Package: initramfs-tools 0.142ubuntu25.5
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.14.0-32.32~24.04.1-generic 6.14.11
Uname: Linux 6.14.0-32-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.28.1-0ubuntu3.8
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: unknown
CurrentDesktop: XFCE
Date: Thu Nov 27 13:02:44 2025
InstallationDate: Installed on 2022-03-25 (1343 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20220223)
PackageArchitecture: all
RebootRequiredPkgs: Error: path contained symlinks.
SourcePackage: initramfs-tools
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to noble on 2025-08-14 (105 days ago)