HOWTO: Removing unnecessary entries from the grub menu list

[Rog131]

a.k.a removing old kernel packages and rewriting new menu.lst

I have in the grub's menu list (/boot/grub/menu.lst) entries:

...
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-28-k7
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-28-k7 (recovery mode)
...
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-27-k7
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-27-k7 (recovery mode)
...
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-26-k7
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-26-k7 (recovery mode)
...
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-25-386
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-25-386 (recovery mode)
...
title Ubuntu, memtest86+
...

And in the /boot/

01 2005-10-25 13:32 memtest86+.bin
02 2006-06-14 14:24 config-2.6.15-25-386
03 2006-06-14 15:15 vmlinuz-2.6.15-25-386
04 2006-06-14 15:15 abi-2.6.15-25-386
05 2006-06-14 15:15 System.map-2.6.15-25-386
06 2006-06-29 23:13 initrd.img-2.6.15-25-386
07 2006-09-08 23:35 config-2.6.15-26-k7
08 2006-09-09 00:54 vmlinuz-2.6.15-26-k7
09 2006-09-09 00:54 abi-2.6.15-26-k7
10 2006-09-09 00:54 System.map-2.6.15-26-k7
11 2006-09-14 19:10 initrd.img-2.6.15-26-k7
12 2006-12-08 20:19 config-2.6.15-27-k7
13 2006-12-08 21:36 vmlinuz-2.6.15-27-k7
14 2006-12-08 21:36 abi-2.6.15-27-k7
15 2006-12-08 21:36 System.map-2.6.15-27-k7
16 2006-12-14 10:29 initrd.img-2.6.15-27-k7
17 2007-03-13 23:01 config-2.6.15-28-k7
18 2007-03-13 23:32 vmlinuz-2.6.15-28-k7
19 2007-03-13 23:32 abi-2.6.15-28-k7
20 2007-03-13 23:32 System.map-2.6.15-28-k7
21 2007-04-15 01:42 initrd.img-2.6.15-28-k7

I wan't to remove the oldest (kernel 2.6.15-25-386)


Using Synaptic/Adept package manager:

Search 2.6.15-25-386:
--> Find:
linux-image-2.6.15-25-386
Linux kernel image for version 2.6.15 on 386.

Click Remove:
Synaptic tells (update-grub /1/ ):

Removing linux-image-2.6.15-25-386 ...
Searching for GRUB installation directory ... found: /boot/grub
Testing for an existing GRUB menu.list file ... found: /boot/grub/menu.lst
Searching for splash image ... none found, skipping ...
Found kernel: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-28-k7
Found kernel: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-27-k7
Found kernel: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-26-k7
Found kernel: /boot/memtest86+.bin
Updating /boot/grub/menu.lst ... done

Purging configuration files for linux-image-2.6.15-25-386 ...
Searching for GRUB installation directory ... found: /boot/grub
Testing for an existing GRUB menu.list file ... found: /boot/grub/menu.lst
Searching for splash image ... none found, skipping ...
Found kernel: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-28-k7
Found kernel: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-27-k7
Found kernel: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-26-k7
Found kernel: /boot/memtest86+.bin
Updating /boot/grub/menu.lst ... done

Cannot delete /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-25-386, doesn't exist.

After that (menu.lst):

...
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-28-k7
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-28-k7 (recovery mode)
...
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-27-k7
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-27-k7 (recovery mode)
...
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-26-k7
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-26-k7 (recovery mode)
...
title Ubuntu, memtest86+
...

and /boot/:

01 2005-10-25 13:32 memtest86+.bin
02 2006-09-08 23:35 config-2.6.15-26-k7
03 2006-09-09 00:54 vmlinuz-2.6.15-26-k7
04 2006-09-09 00:54 abi-2.6.15-26-k7
05 2006-09-09 00:54 System.map-2.6.15-26-k7
06 2006-09-14 19:10 initrd.img-2.6.15-26-k7
07 2006-12-08 20:19 config-2.6.15-27-k7
08 2006-12-08 21:36 vmlinuz-2.6.15-27-k7
09 2006-12-08 21:36 abi-2.6.15-27-k7
10 2006-12-08 21:36 System.map-2.6.15-27-k7
11 2006-12-14 10:29 initrd.img-2.6.15-27-k7
12 2007-03-13 23:01 config-2.6.15-28-k7
13 2007-03-13 23:32 vmlinuz-2.6.15-28-k7
14 2007-03-13 23:32 abi-2.6.15-28-k7
15 2007-03-13 23:32 System.map-2.6.15-28-k7
16 2007-04-15 01:42 initrd.img-2.6.15-28-k7

Note #1
If you just remove entries from the menu.lst they will be back when you update kernel next time.

Note #2
This makes new menu.lst.

/1/ man update-grub tells:

update-grub - program to generate GRUB’s menu.lst file

DESCRIPTION
update-grub is a program used to generate the menu.lst file used by the
grub bootloader. It works by looking in /boot for all files which
start with "vmlinuz-". They will be treated as kernels, and grub menu
entries will be created for each. It will also create the initial
menu.lst if none exists, after prompting the user. It will also add
initrd lines for ramdisk images found with the same version as kernels
found.

[Rog131]

Re: HOWTO: Removing unnecessary entries from the grub menu list

(Kubuntu 10.10 Grub 2)

Example with the Muon package manager


With the Kubuntu 10.10 there are Kernels installed:

ls -l /boot/config*

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 128592 2010-10-17 05:02 /boot/config-2.6.35-22-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 128592 2010-11-24 13:21 /boot/config-2.6.35-23-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 128614 2010-12-02 09:07 /boot/config-2.6.35-24-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 128615 2011-01-22 00:04 /boot/config-2.6.35-25-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 128615 2011-02-23 02:50 /boot/config-2.6.35-27-generic

1-2-3 with the Muon:




1) Entering the version: 2.6.35-22
2) Status is installed
3) Removing/Purging the selected files (linux-image-2.6.35-22-generic)

and "Apply Changes"...

after this there are:

ls -l /boot/config*

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 128592 2010-11-24 13:21 /boot/config-2.6.35-23-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 128614 2010-12-02 09:07 /boot/config-2.6.35-24-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 128615 2011-01-22 00:04 /boot/config-2.6.35-25-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 128615 2011-02-23 02:50 /boot/config-2.6.35-27-generic

Example with the command line:

sudo apt-get purge linux-image-2.6.35-23-generic

[sudo] password for rog131:
Reading package lists...
Building dependency tree...
Reading state information...
The following packages will be REMOVED:
linux-image-2.6.35-23-generic*
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
After this operation, 107MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
(Reading database ... 124345 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing linux-image-2.6.35-23-generic ...
Examining /etc/kernel/postrm.d .
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/initramfs-tools 2.6.35-23-generic /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-23-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-update-grub 2.6.35-23-generic /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-23-generic
Generating grub.cfg ...
Found background image: my_wallpaper.png
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-27-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-27-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-25-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-25-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-24-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-24-generic
Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+.bin
Found Microsoft Windows XP Professional on /dev/sda1
Found Ubuntu Natty (development branch) (11.04) on /dev/sdc1
done
Purging configuration files for linux-image-2.6.35-23-generic ...

Now there are:

ls -l /boot/config*

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 128614 2010-12-02 09:07 /boot/config-2.6.35-24-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 128615 2011-01-22 00:04 /boot/config-2.6.35-25-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 128615 2011-02-23 02:50 /boot/config-2.6.35-27-generic

Links:
> FAQ: Kernel
> FAQ: Package Managers

[OneLine]

Bump-12.04

Testing with the Kubuntu 12.04 Beta 2


There are Kernels:

:~$ ls -l /boot/config*
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 140007 Mar 10 03:22 /boot/config-3.2.0-18-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 140153 Mar 21 04:51 /boot/config-3.2.0-19-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 140211 Mar 27 20:22 /boot/config-3.2.0-20-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 140243 Mar 30 08:05 /boot/config-3.2.0-21-generic

The Grub update ( https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2 ) is finding them:

:~$ sudo update-grub
Generating grub.cfg ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-21-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-21-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-20-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-20-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-19-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-19-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-18-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-18-generic

Pick-Purge-Removed with the Muon



Now there are:

:~$ ls -l /boot/config*
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 140153 Mar 21 04:51 /boot/config-3.2.0-19-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 140211 Mar 27 20:22 /boot/config-3.2.0-20-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 140243 Mar 30 08:05 /boot/config-3.2.0-21-generic

The Grub is finding:

:~$ sudo update-grub
Generating grub.cfg ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-21-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-21-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-20-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-20-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-19-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-19-generic

Pick-Purge-Removed with the apt

Looking kernel 3.2.0-19 with the apt-show-versions

:~$ apt-show-versions | grep 3.2.0-19
linux-headers-3.2.0-19 3.2.0-19.31 installed: No available version in archive
linux-headers-3.2.0-19-generic 3.2.0-19.31 installed: No available version in archive
linux-image-3.2.0-19-generic 3.2.0-19.31 installed: No available version in archive

Purging (copy&paste from the apt-show-versions...):

sudo apt-get purge linux-headers-3.2.0-19 linux-headers-3.2.0-19-generic linux-image-3.2.0-19-generic

Reading package lists...
Building dependency tree...
Reading state information...

The following packages will be REMOVED:
linux-headers-3.2.0-19* linux-headers-3.2.0-19-generic*
linux-image-3.2.0-19-generic*
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 3 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
After this operation, 216 MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]?

There are Kernels:

:~$ ls -l /boot/config*
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 140211 Mar 27 20:22 /boot/config-3.2.0-20-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 140243 Mar 30 08:05 /boot/config-3.2.0-21-generic

The Grub is finding:

:~$ sudo update-grub
Generating grub.cfg ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-21-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-21-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-20-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-20-generic

[OneLine]

Manual mode

http://www.kubuntuforums.net/showthr...linux-versions

The best option is to remove the packages from the package management but if it not possible:


Picking the unwanted kernel entries and manually moving/removing them:



Updating the grub:

sudo update-grub

[sudo] password for oneline:
Generating grub.cfg ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-22-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-22-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-21-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-21-generic
Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+.bin
Found Ubuntu 11.10 (11.10) on /dev/sda5
Found Microsoft Windows XP Professional on /dev/sdc1
done

[OneLine]

Bump 12.10

Testing with the 12.10 beta



There are Kernels:

$ ls -l /boot/config*
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 147792 Aug 13 18:46 /boot/config-3.5.0-10-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 147808 Aug 17 00:26 /boot/config-3.5.0-11-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 147819 Aug 29 20:11 /boot/config-3.5.0-13-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 147819 Sep 14 23:44 /boot/config-3.5.0-14-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 147878 Sep 19 23:24 /boot/config-3.5.0-15-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 147800 Aug 9 17:16 /boot/config-3.5.0-9-generic

Picking the "3.5.0-9" and marking them to be removed (purge)



Clik: "Apply Changes"

The dpkg log is telling:

$ grep "remove" /var/log/dpkg.log

2012-09-23 19:24:11 remove linux-headers-3.5.0-9-generic:amd64 3.5.0-9.9 <none>
2012-09-23 19:24:14 remove linux-headers-3.5.0-9:all 3.5.0-9.9 <none>
2012-09-23 19:24:17 remove linux-image-extra-3.5.0-9-generic:amd64 3.5.0-9.9 <none>
2012-09-23 19:24:31 remove linux-image-3.5.0-9-generic:amd64 3.5.0-9.9 <none>

...and the /boot/config is having:

$ ls -l /boot/config*
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 147792 Aug 13 18:46 /boot/config-3.5.0-10-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 147808 Aug 17 00:26 /boot/config-3.5.0-11-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 147819 Aug 29 20:11 /boot/config-3.5.0-13-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 147819 Sep 14 23:44 /boot/config-3.5.0-14-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 147878 Sep 19 23:24 /boot/config-3.5.0-15-generic