Announcement

**jlittle** · Mar 03, 2021, 11:06 PM

IME autoremove doesn't always work. (I wait till after a restart before running it.) When I was having various adventures with dkms it would throw autoremove off sometimes.

Then, using muon to remove stuff usually worked, but I do recall one kernel that had large parts, one or two hundred MB, that I ended up manually deleting.

**chimak111** · Mar 04, 2021, 12:33 AM

Originally posted by jlittle View Post

IME autoremove doesn't always work. (I wait till after a restart before running it.) When I was having various adventures with dkms it would throw autoremove off sometimes.

Then, using muon to remove stuff usually worked, but I do recall one kernel that had large parts, one or two hundred MB, that I ended up manually deleting.

Thanks! I guess I've mostly run sudo apt autoremove without waiting for a restart. And no dkms on my system. (I don't use VBox, just qemu/kvm).

**GreyGeek** · Mar 04, 2021, 05:32 PM

I ran that dpkg-query command on my system and got the same list. That didn't make sense because I have only the 65 and 66 kernels installed, which a cursory inspection of /boot revealed. I suspected that the command was querying the apt archive directory, "/var/cache/apt/archives/". So, I ran "sudo apt-get clean" followed by "sudo apt-get autoclean", That emptied the archive but re-running the dpkg-query command gave the same listing.

I ran "sudo updatedb" to renew my "locate" command database and ran "locate linux-modules-extra" and saw that essentially the same list was in "/var/lib/dpkg/info/" as well, which contains package lists, information, md5sums, etc, but no deb packages. Probably 10Mb in total. One could empty it of everything except the packages that are still installed, but there is more information in that directory than just Linux kernel stuff.

If you are tight on disk space emptying the apt package cache will help out, but otherwise I wouldn't mess with it.

**chimak111** · Mar 04, 2021, 09:55 PM

@gg, thanks for looking into this! Please try

Code:

dpkg-query -Wf '${Status}\t${Package}\n' | grep -i linux

Here's my output from the same system:

Code:

install ok installed	console-setup-linux
install ok installed	libselinux1
install ok installed	linux-base
install ok installed	linux-firmware
install ok installed	linux-generic
install ok installed	linux-headers-5.4.0-65
install ok installed	linux-headers-5.4.0-65-generic
install ok installed	linux-headers-5.4.0-66
install ok installed	linux-headers-5.4.0-66-generic
install ok installed	linux-headers-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-image-5.4.0-42-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-image-5.4.0-47-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-image-5.4.0-48-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-image-5.4.0-51-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-image-5.4.0-52-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-image-5.4.0-53-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-image-5.4.0-54-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-image-5.4.0-56-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-image-5.4.0-58-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-image-5.4.0-59-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-image-5.4.0-60-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-image-5.4.0-62-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-image-5.4.0-64-generic
install ok installed	linux-image-5.4.0-65-generic
install ok installed	linux-image-5.4.0-66-generic
install ok installed	linux-image-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-5.4.0-42-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-5.4.0-47-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-5.4.0-48-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-5.4.0-51-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-5.4.0-52-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-5.4.0-53-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-5.4.0-54-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-5.4.0-56-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-5.4.0-58-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-5.4.0-59-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-5.4.0-60-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-5.4.0-62-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-5.4.0-64-generic
install ok installed	linux-modules-5.4.0-65-generic
install ok installed	linux-modules-5.4.0-66-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-42-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-47-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-48-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-51-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-52-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-53-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-54-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-56-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-58-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-59-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-60-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-62-generic
deinstall ok config-files	linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-64-generic
install ok installed	linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-65-generic
install ok installed	linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-66-generic
install ok installed	linux-sound-base
install ok installed	pptp-linux
install ok installed	syslinux
install ok installed	syslinux-common
install ok installed	syslinux-legacy
install ok installed	util-linux

Re. the files in "/var/lib/dpkg/info", there was a time I used to run "sudo apt purge" on the kernel packages suggested by "sudo apt autoremove" instead of executing "sudo apt autoremove" to clean out extra kernels. Purge would take care of the pesky leftovers in "/var/lib/dpkg/info". I've gotten lazy now.

**kubicle** · Mar 04, 2021, 11:04 PM

Originally posted by chimak111 View Post

Re. the files in "/var/lib/dpkg/info", there was a time I used to run "sudo apt purge" on the kernel packages suggested by "sudo apt autoremove" instead of executing "sudo apt autoremove" to clean out extra kernels. Purge would take care of the pesky leftovers in "/var/lib/dpkg/info". I've gotten lazy now.

I'd recommend using "sudo apt --purge autoremove" when autoremoving, that will also remove the config files when autoremoving.

To remove residual config files for "partly" uninstalled packages, you can use a script, for example (/usr/local/bin/purgerc):

Code:

[FONT=monospace]#!/bin/sh

PCKGS=$(COLUMNS=200 dpkg -l | grep "^rc" | tr -s ' ' | cut -d ' ' -f 2)

echo ${PCKGS}

if [ "x${PCKGS}" != "x" ]; then
  echo "The above packages have been uninstalled, but have residual config files still on disk."
  echo "Enter your password to purge them."
  sudo apt purge ${PCKGS}
else
  echo "No residual configs"
fi
exit 0
[/FONT]

Originally posted by GreyGeek View Post

So, I ran "sudo apt-get clean" followed by "sudo apt-get autoclean"

'autoclean' does nothing if you already ran 'clean', it's just a "softer" version of 'clean' (see the man pages for details).

**chimak111** · Mar 05, 2021, 07:08 AM

Originally posted by kubicle View Post

I'd recommend using "sudo apt --purge autoremove" when autoremoving, that will also remove the config files when autoremoving.

Thanks! Looking forward to the next kernel update

Originally posted by kubicle View Post

To remove residual config files for "partly" uninstalled packages, you can use a script, for example (/usr/local/bin/purgerc):

Code:

[FONT=monospace]#!/bin/sh

PCKGS=$(COLUMNS=200 dpkg -l | grep "^rc" | tr -s ' ' | cut -d ' ' -f 2)

echo ${PCKGS}

if [ "x${PCKGS}" != "x" ]; then
 echo "The above packages have been uninstalled, but have residual config files still on disk."
 echo "Enter your password to purge them."
 sudo apt purge ${PCKGS}
else
 echo "No residual configs"
fi
exit 0
[/FONT]

...

Is [ "x${PCKGS}" != "x" ] checking whether ${PCKGS} is not empty? Then why not use [ -n "${PCKGS}" ]?

And, instead of "COLUMNS=200 dpkg -l | grep "^rc" | tr -s ' ' | cut -d ' ' -f 2" wouldn't "dpkg -l | awk '/^rc/ {print $2}'" work just as well?

**oshunluvr** · Mar 05, 2021, 07:08 AM

Also check out the /lib/modules folders. Unless you use purge successfully when removing a kernel, there's lots of left over folders and files in there.

**chimak111** · Mar 05, 2021, 07:11 AM

After running Kubicle's script,

Code:

No residual configs
$ dpkg-query -Wf '${Installed-Size}\t${Package}\n' | sort -n | grep -i linux
18      linux-generic
18      linux-headers-generic
18      linux-image-generic
57      linux-base
69      linux-sound-base
101     syslinux-legacy
114     pptp-linux
202     libselinux1
354     syslinux
1766    console-setup-linux
3625    syslinux-common
4538    util-linux
11444   linux-image-5.4.0-65-generic
11448   linux-image-5.4.0-66-generic
14143   linux-headers-5.4.0-65-generic
14166   linux-headers-5.4.0-66-generic
69256   linux-headers-5.4.0-65
69285   linux-headers-5.4.0-66
71721   linux-modules-5.4.0-65-generic
71777   linux-modules-5.4.0-66-generic
185483  linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-65-generic
185524  linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-66-generic
544206  linux-firmware
$

**chimak111** · Mar 05, 2021, 07:13 AM

Originally posted by oshunluvr View Post

Also check out the /lib/modules folders. Unless you use purge successfully when removing a kernel, there's lots of left over folders and files in there.

Thanks! After running Kubicle's script there's just the two latest modules:

Code:

$ cd /lib/modules
/lib/modules $ ls
5.4.0-65-generic  5.4.0-66-generic
/lib/modules $

**oshunluvr** · Mar 05, 2021, 07:21 AM

Also, I think there may be a misconception about what's being seen:

dpkg-query is a tool to show information about packages listed in the dpkg database.

The command I gave was to see package sizes when installed, not determine the installation status.

Code:

[FONT=monospace][COLOR=#54FF54][B]stuart@office[/B][/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]:[/COLOR][COLOR=#54FFFF][B]~[/B][/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]$ dpkg-query -Wf '${Installed-Size}\t${Package}\n' | sort -n | grep -i linux[/COLOR]
~~~
164293  [COLOR=#FF5454][B]linux[/B][/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]-modules-extra-4.18.0-20-generic[/COLOR]
164325  [COLOR=#FF5454][B]linux[/B][/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]-modules-extra-4.18.0-21-generic[/COLOR]
164326  [COLOR=#FF5454][B]linux[/B][/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]-modules-extra-4.18.0-22-generic[/COLOR]
164362  [COLOR=#FF5454][B]linux[/B][/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]-modules-extra-4.18.0-18-generic[/COLOR]
164388  [COLOR=#FF5454][B]linux[/B][/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]-modules-extra-4.18.0-16-generic[/COLOR]
164390  [COLOR=#FF5454][B]linux[/B][/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]-modules-extra-4.18.0-17-generic[/COLOR]
164398  [COLOR=#FF5454][B]linux[/B][/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]-modules-extra-4.18.0-24-generic[/COLOR]
164398  [COLOR=#FF5454][B]linux[/B][/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]-modules-extra-4.18.0-25-generic[/COLOR]
[B]164649  [COLOR=#FF5454][B]linux[/B][/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]-modules-extra-4.18.0-15-generic[/COLOR][/B]
167044  [COLOR=#FF5454][B]linux[/B][/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]-modules-extra-4.15.0-42-generic[/COLOR]
167064  [COLOR=#FF5454][B]linux[/B][/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]-modules-extra-4.15.0-44-generic[/COLOR]
167065  [COLOR=#FF5454][B]linux[/B][/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]-modules-extra-4.15.0-45-generic[/COLOR]
~~~
[/FONT]

About 60 lines truncated in the above.

Code:

stuart@office:~$ dpkg-query -l linux-modules-extra-4.18.0-15-generic
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name                                  Version              Architecture Description
+++-=====================================-====================-============-===============================================================
[B]rc  linux-modules-extra-4.18.0-15-generic [/B]4.18.0-15.16~18.04.1 amd64        Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.18.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP

I believe "rc" means "Removed" along with "Config files"

If you want to see what kernels are install, use dpkg -l and grep to see what's installed. Something like:

dpkg -l |grep -E "^[^rc]" | awk '{print $2}'

**kubicle** · Mar 05, 2021, 08:04 AM

Originally posted by chimak111 View Post

Is [ "x${PCKGS}" != "x" ] checking whether ${PCKGS} is not empty? Then why not use [ -n "${PCKGS}" ]?

I tend to stay away from -n in scripts since it's often a tad ambigious, and can lead to unexpected results (when a variable might not be set against being empty etc.)...also, since this is not bash script (see the shebang "#!/bin/sh") using the x=x test is sort of bullet proof because it should work in any shell that might be running shell scripts. (see this, for example: https://unix.stackexchange.com/quest...a-shell-script )

Originally posted by chimak111 View Post

And, instead of "COLUMNS=200 dpkg -l | grep "^rc" | tr -s ' ' | cut -d ' ' -f 2" wouldn't "dpkg -l | awk '/^rc/ {print $2}" work just as well?

You can use awk if you prefer. As a general rule, grep is faster than awk, but considering the size of the input and the piping the difference is probably negligible, or could even be slower (didn't care enough to test).

**chimak111** · Mar 05, 2021, 08:08 AM

Originally posted by oshunluvr View Post

Also, I think there may be a misconception about what's being seen:
The command I gave was to see package sizes when installed, not determine the installation status.

...

That's true and so I used

Code:

dpkg-query -Wf '${Status}\t${Package}\n' | grep -i linux

in post #5.

**chimak111** · Mar 05, 2021, 08:13 AM

Originally posted by kubicle View Post

I tend to stay away from -n in scripts since it's often a tad ambigious, and can lead to unexpected results (when a variable might not be set against being empty etc.)...also, since this is not bash script (see the shebang "#!/bin/sh") using the x=x test is sort of bullet proof because it should work in any shell that might be running shell scripts. (see this, for example: https://unix.stackexchange.com/quest...a-shell-script )
...

Okay, thanks for the clarification and the link. Time to mark this [SOLVED]!

**Snowhog** · Mar 05, 2021, 09:17 AM

Originally posted by oshunluvr View Post

I believe "rc" means "Removed" along with "Config files"

See https://askubuntu.com/questions/1880...ike-ii-rc-mean

rc means 'It's removed/uninstalled but it's configuration files are still there'

Announcement

Numerous linux hangovers?

[SOLVED] Numerous linux hangovers?

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment