How do I make space to resize the root (/) partition? No free space on root, cant uninstall software nor update

Question

The main question is how to make space in root (/). After this I want to resize the root partition, this topic can be found on: How to resize partitions? or elsewhere.

I'm a little bit confused. No command seems to work for there is no space. I tried some random easy-way solutions but the problem persists. Here is the description of what I did:

1. It started giving me advices of “Little space on root, try uninstall software”

2. I removed some, and the Software Update continued working.

3. Eventually the root filled and now and for over two weeks the update software isn't working. I forced to upgrade with sudo apt-get update and sudo apt-get upgrade and not working. It gives me this message (auxiliary repositories):

4. At some point I tried to do some random reading on forums and enter command like this:

   sudo apt-get clean
   

   and gave me a file in: /var/cache/apt/archives/lock.txt and problems with dependencies, repositories and dpkg.

5. When I run sudo apt-get -f install this is the current exit:

   $$$$$$$$:~$ sudo apt-get -f install
   [sudo] password for $$$$: 
   Leyendo lista de paquetes... Hecho
   Creando árbol de dependencias
   Leyendo la información de estado... Hecho
   Corrigiendo dependencias... Listo
   Se instalarán los siguientes paquetes extras:
     linux-headers-3.13.0-61 linux-headers-3.13.0-61-generic
   Se instalarán los siguientes paquetes NUEVOS:
     linux-headers-3.13.0-61 linux-headers-3.13.0-61-generic
   0 actualizados, 2 se instalarán, 0 para eliminar y 60 no actualizados.
   2 no instalados del todo o eliminados.
   Se necesita descargar 0 B/9.575 kB de archivos.
   Se utilizarán 76,5 MB de espacio de disco adicional después de esta operación.
     ¿Desea continuar? [S/n] s
   dpkg: aviso: falta el fichero de lista de ficheros del paquete "gnome-power-manager", se supondrá que el paquete no tiene ningún fichero actualmente instalado
   dpkg: aviso: falta el fichero de lista de ficheros del paquete "qtdeclarative5-qtfeedback-plugin:i386", se supondrá que el paquete no tiene ningún fichero actualmente instalado
   dpkg: aviso: falta el fichero de lista de ficheros del paquete "libio-string-perl", se supondrá que el paquete no tiene ningún fichero actualmente instalado`
   (…)
   

And continues with 2369 problems like this (all packages not found?)

6. Over this point I realized I had the root full and needed to liberate space and maybe extend the size of partition, for which I read I will need some 200 MB of free space. I don't remember how but I entered two commands that told me how much used/total space I had, noting it was full.

7. And now when I try to not mess with commands I don't really know (late), trying to uninstall software gives me this exit:

   $$$$$$$$$:~$ sudo apt-get --purge remove openshot
   [sudo] password for $$$$:
   Leyendo lista de paquetes... Hecho
   Creando árbol de dependencias       
   Leyendo la información de estado... Hecho
   Tal vez quiera ejecutar «apt-get -f install» para corregirlo:
   Los siguientes paquetes tienen dependencias incumplidas:
   linux-headers-generic : Depende: linux-headers-3.13.0-61-generic pero no va a instalarse
   E: Dependencias incumplidas. Intente «apt-get -f install» sin paquetes (o especifique una solución).`
   

Any suggestions? I have installed programs not found on Software Center and took me some time and effort, I would like not to format or reinstall Ubuntu if possible. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

system by default reserve 5% memory for superuser . so you can use that memory by reducing 5% to 2% . let up suppose you have 100GB hard disk then system will keep 5GB memory for superuser reserved. it will not use all 5% memory so you can reduce it by 2%.

tune2fs -m 2 /dev/sda1

if you are going to create partition and you want to assign less memory to superuser then use

mkfs.ext3 -m 2 /dev/sda1

don't reduce it to 0% that will harmful for system .

Answer 2

Boot on the computer with a live USB key/cdrom linux, and from this, use parted or gparted to extend your root partition. You'll not be able to do it from your system as the root partition is mounted and in use.