generating initrd too often
| Affects | Status | Importance | Assigned to | Milestone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| linux-ports-meta (Ubuntu) |
Won't Fix
|
Wishlist
|
Unassigned | ||
Bug Description
Binary package hint: linux-image
Hi,
I have a quite slow computer and generating initrd takes several minutes on it. So it is really painful when this process is launched several times in a row or when not necessary.
For example, I have just upgraded from 8.04 to 8.10 today, and after the process, their were an old kernel left, so I decided to remove it. This removes the associated linux-ubuntu-
-------------
$ sudo apt-get remove --purge linux-image-
root@alibaba's password:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
linux-
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 2 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
After this operation, 77.0MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]?
(Reading database ... 23090 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing linux-ubuntu-
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.
Purging configuration files for linux-ubuntu-
Removing linux-image-
Examining /etc/kernel/
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/
Running postrm hook script /usr/sbin/
Searching for GRUB installation directory ... found: /boot/grub
Searching for default file ... found: /boot/grub/default
Testing for an existing GRUB menu.lst file ... found: /boot/grub/menu.lst
Searching for splash image ... none found, skipping ...
Found kernel: /boot/vmlinuz-
Found kernel: /boot/memtest86
Replacing config file /var/run/
Updating /boot/grub/menu.lst ... done
Purging configuration files for linux-image-
Running postrm hook script /usr/sbin/
Searching for GRUB installation directory ... found: /boot/grub
Searching for default file ... found: /boot/grub/default
Testing for an existing GRUB menu.lst file ... found: /boot/grub/menu.lst
Searching for splash image ... none found, skipping ...
Found kernel: /boot/vmlinuz-
Found kernel: /boot/memtest86
Updating /boot/grub/menu.lst ... done
-------------
The important part is this:
Removing linux-ubuntu-
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.
Purging configuration files for linux-ubuntu-
Removing linux-image-
Clearly the update-initramfs is called when not useful. Is it possible move this process to the triggers executed only at the end of the process ? This would greatly reduce the processing time necessary at end kernel changes.
Thank you in advance
| Martyn Ranyard (ranyardm) wrote | #1 |
| Peter Antoniac (pan1nx) wrote | #2 |
| Changed in linux-ports-meta (Ubuntu): | |
| importance: | Undecided → Wishlist |
| status: | New → Confirmed |
| tags: | added: bitesize packaging |
| Changed in linux-ports-meta (Ubuntu): | |
| status: | Confirmed → Won't Fix |
+1 here, I agree, especially working with older or virtual machines.
For instance, I installed LTS (hardy) server - and had to install the -virtual kernel. This went fine, so I went to remove the -server kernel but was worried by a list of held back software, so cancelled it, leaving it half-installed. I then had to reinstall the -server kernel, which picked a later version than was on the CD... so I had to also install the specific version again to remove both and ended up with 6 or 7 mkinitrds in total from start to finish!