Remove kernel version that is causing panic?

Question

I am running Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. About two weeks back my kernel got an update of version 4.15.0-58. Before that (in version 55) I was getting some error which kept showing a dialog box with “Report error” button which I kept pressing every time. When Kernel was upgraded to version 58 and I restarted the PC, I got a blank purple screen and the system froze. So I rebooted and selected Advanced boot options and manually selected Kernel 58. This time it showed “Kernel panic - not syncing VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0)” error.

By rebooting again and selecting version 55 I’m able to boot successfully.

Do you think my kernel version 58 is corrupted? In which case will it be useful for me to remove version 58? Or wait until version 59 is available and hope it will fix my problem?

Thanks, makarand

PS: I am a beginner level user. So will it be better for me to just use a GUI tool like say ubuntu-cleaner to do this?

ls -al /boot  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  1009450 Oct  9  2013 abi-3.11.0-12-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  1011333 Mar 12  2014 abi-3.11.0-19-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  1011742 May  3  2014 abi-3.11.0-20-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  1011634 May 16  2014 abi-3.11.0-22-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  1011685 Jun  5  2014 abi-3.11.0-23-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  1170475 Jun 29  2016 abi-3.13.0-92-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   925685 May  1  2013 abi-3.8.0-19-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   926513 Sep 11  2013 abi-3.8.0-31-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   926513 Oct  2  2013 abi-3.8.0-32-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   926578 Oct 23  2013 abi-3.8.0-33-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   926578 Nov 13  2013 abi-3.8.0-34-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   926578 Dec  3  2013 abi-3.8.0-35-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   168533 Oct  9  2013 config-3.11.0-12-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   168540 Mar 12  2014 config-3.11.0-19-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   168540 May  3  2014 config-3.11.0-20-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   168540 May 16  2014 config-3.11.0-22-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   168541 Jun  5  2014 config-3.11.0-23-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   170036 Jun 29  2016 config-3.13.0-92-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   160890 May  1  2013 config-3.8.0-19-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   160908 Sep 11  2013 config-3.8.0-31-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   160909 Oct  2  2013 config-3.8.0-32-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   160909 Oct 23  2013 config-3.8.0-33-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   160909 Nov 13  2013 config-3.8.0-34-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   160898 Dec  3  2013 config-3.8.0-35-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   218920 Jul  2 22:11 config-4.15.0-55-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   218850 Aug  6 16:15 config-4.15.0-58-generic  
drwxr-xr-x  5 root root     4096 Aug 20 14:20 grub  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 16923372 Apr 18  2014 initrd.img-3.11.0-12-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 17037446 Apr 22  2014 initrd.img-3.11.0-19-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 17035411 May  7  2014 initrd.img-3.11.0-20-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 17035859 May 28  2014 initrd.img-3.11.0-22-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 17037767 Jun  9  2014 initrd.img-3.11.0-23-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 28113312 Jul 19 14:41 initrd.img-3.13.0-92-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 15986620 Oct 19  2013 initrd.img-3.8.0-19-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 16054984 Oct 19  2013 initrd.img-3.8.0-31-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 16054243 Nov  9  2013 initrd.img-3.8.0-32-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 16054604 Nov 12  2013 initrd.img-3.8.0-33-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 16054953 Dec  7  2013 initrd.img-3.8.0-34-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 16107710 Jan  6  2014 initrd.img-3.8.0-35-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 35594219 Aug 13 09:51 initrd.img-4.15.0-55-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 35606182 Aug 16 10:06 initrd.img-4.15.0-58-generic  
drwx------  2 root root    16384 Sep 18  2013 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  2621091 Oct  9  2013 System.map-3.11.0-12-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  2629933 Mar 12  2014 System.map-3.11.0-19-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  2630177 May  3  2014 System.map-3.11.0-20-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  2630092 May 16  2014 System.map-3.11.0-22-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  2630383 Jun  5  2014 System.map-3.11.0-23-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  2702749 Jun 29  2016 System.map-3.13.0-92-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  2443743 May  1  2013 System.map-3.8.0-19-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  2445683 Sep 11  2013 System.map-3.8.0-31-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  2445627 Oct  2  2013 System.map-3.8.0-32-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  2445793 Oct 23  2013 System.map-3.8.0-33-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  2445747 Nov 13  2013 System.map-3.8.0-34-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  2450539 Dec  3  2013 System.map-3.8.0-35-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  3167185 Jul  2 22:11 System.map-4.15.0-55-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  3170172 Aug  6 16:15 System.map-4.15.0-58-generic  
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  5632848 Apr 18  2014 vmlinuz-3.11.0-12-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  5669328 Mar 12  2014 vmlinuz-3.11.0-19-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  5666800 May  3  2014 vmlinuz-3.11.0-20-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  5668304 May 16  2014 vmlinuz-3.11.0-22-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  5668432 Jun  5  2014 vmlinuz-3.11.0-23-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  5855520 Jun 29  2016 vmlinuz-3.13.0-92-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  5368560 May  1  2013 vmlinuz-3.8.0-19-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  5372944 Sep 11  2013 vmlinuz-3.8.0-31-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  5375088 Oct  2  2013 vmlinuz-3.8.0-32-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  5375056 Oct 23  2013 vmlinuz-3.8.0-33-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  5375472 Nov 13  2013 vmlinuz-3.8.0-34-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  5402224 Dec  3  2013 vmlinuz-3.8.0-35-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  7567504 Jul  2 22:11 vmlinuz-4.15.0-55-generic  
-rw-------  1 root root  7580576 Aug  6 16:15 vmlinuz-4.15.0-58-generic  


ls -al /var/crash  
total 12  
drwxrwsrwt  2 root     whoopsie 4096 Sep  3 10:07 .  
drwxr-xr-x 15 root     root     4096 Aug  7  2016 ..  
-rw-r--r--  1 kernoops whoopsie 3072 Aug 30 15:04 linux-image-4.15.0-55-generic.219232.crash  

dpkg -l *linux-image* | grep ii  
ii  linux-image-4.15.0-55-generic          4.15.0-55.60  i386         Linux kernel image for version 4.15.0 on 32 bit x86 SMP  
ii  linux-image-4.15.0-58-generic          4.15.0-58.64  i386         Linux kernel image for version 4.15.0 on 32 bit x86 SMP  
ii  linux-image-4.15.0-60-generic          4.15.0-60.67  i386         Linux kernel image for version 4.15.0 on 32 bit x86 SMP  
ii  linux-image-generic                    4.15.0.60.62  i386         Generic Linux kernel image  

dpkg -l *3.8.0* | grep ii  
dpkg-query: no packages found matching *3.8.0*  

dpkg -l *3.11.0* | grep ii  
dpkg-query: no packages found matching *3.11.0*

heynnema · Accepted Answer · 2019-09-09T14:25:38.290

First, your ls -al /boot shows a great number of old kernels and support files. Normally you should only see 1-2 older versions. Software Updater should be prompting you to delete these older versions, and help clean up your disk.

Second, to try and solve your current problem, we'll try and rebuild a couple of files that are used during the boot cycle.

In terminal...

sudo update-initramfs -c -k 4.15.0-55-generic # rebuild initrd.img

sudo update-initramfs -c -k 4.15.0-58-generic # rebuild initrd.img

sudo rm -i /var/crash/*.crash # to clean up an old crash dump

reboot # to kernel -58

Update #1:

To clean up /boot, we'll use synaptic...

Start synaptic.

Search for 3.11.0-12, click on the $ column header to sort, identify the 3-5 installed files that begin with linux-. "Complete remove" these files.

Repeat this for all versions showing in the ls -al /boot listing, except the 4.15.0-xx files.

sudo update-grub # rebuild GRUB menu

Update #2:

Since you're having trouble using synaptic, you can try it this way...

You should be able to:

dpkg -l *3.8.0*|grep ii # list installed packages

dpkg -l *3.11.0*|grep ii # list installed packages

sudo dpkg -P enter_package_name_here, etc. # purge package

... but being careful to just purge the linux- kernel and support file packagenames. Then also

sudo update-grub # update GRUB

Update #3:

The files left over in /boot must be from the use of ubuntu-cleaner, or similar utility. Ubuntu-cleaner doesn't remove these extra files when removing older kernels.

You'll have to manually remove these extra files. Something like this should work...

sudo rm -i /boot/*3*generic

this will query you for each file it finds, so make sure that the files belong to the 3.8.0 and 3.11.0 file set before responding with "y".

sudo update-grub

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 03 '19 at 21:04

You shouldn't have to wait for the next update. You could reinstall the kernel version you like. First, search for available versions

sudo apt search linux-image

You can pick the version you like from the list shown after the command, and install it (replace version with the correct version you want)

sudo apt install linux-image-<version>-generic linux-headers-<version>-generic --reinstall

Remove kernel version that is causing panic?

2 Answers2