@rbalint about your test case: I wonder why linux-image-4.8.0-53-generic was not removed by u-u? Was it the booted kernel? You also did not run 'sudo /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal' before running u-u. Your test case does not show how the kernels were installed.
In the following, I show the extraction of terminal output of a more complete test case for u-u. It installs linux-image- extra-4.4.0-141-generic by apt. Output of 'apt autoremove --simulate' shows it would remove the kernel, and one unneeded package that is not a kernel related. Whereas u-u just removes the kernel (which may be the expected behavior). $ set -x; sudo apt install -y unattended-upgrades/xenial-proposed linux-image-extra-4.4.0-141-generic; sudo apt-mark auto linux-image-extra-4.4.0-141-generic; sudo /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal; apt autoremove --simulate; sudo unattended-upgrade -v; set +x + sudo apt install -y unattended-upgrades/xenial-proposed linux-image-extra-4.4.0-141-generic Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done unattended-upgrades is already the newest version (1.1ubuntu1.18.04.7~16.04.2). Selected version '1.1ubuntu1.18.04.7~16.04.2' (Ubuntu:16.04/xenial-proposed [all]) for 'unattended-upgrades' The following package was automatically installed and is no longer required: xscreensaver-data Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove it. Suggested packages: fdutils linux-doc-4.4.0 | linux-source-4.4.0 linux-tools linux-headers-4.4.0-141-generic The following NEW packages will be installed: linux-image-4.4.0-141-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-141-generic 0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 58,7 MB of archives. After this operation, 224 MB of additional disk space will be used. Get:1 http://ubuntu.mirror.true.nl/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 linux-image-4.4.0-141-generic amd64 4.4.0-141.167 [22,2 MB] Get:2 http://ubuntu.mirror.true.nl/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 linux-image-extra-4.4.0-141-generic amd64 4.4.0-141.167 [36,5 MB] Fetched 58,7 MB in 26s (2 233 kB/s) Selecting previously unselected package linux-image-4.4.0-141-generic. (Reading database ... 332942 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack .../linux-image-4.4.0-141-generic_4.4.0-141.167_amd64.deb ... Examining /etc/kernel/preinst.d/ run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/preinst.d/intel-microcode 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic Done. Unpacking linux-image-4.4.0-141-generic (4.4.0-141.167) ... Selecting previously unselected package linux-image-extra-4.4.0-141-generic. Preparing to unpack .../linux-image-extra-4.4.0-141-generic_4.4.0-141.167_amd64.deb ... Unpacking linux-image-extra-4.4.0-141-generic (4.4.0-141.167) ... Setting up linux-image-4.4.0-141-generic (4.4.0-141.167) ... Running depmod. update-initramfs: deferring update (hook will be called later) Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d. run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic Error! Your kernel headers for kernel 4.4.0-141-generic cannot be found. Please install the linux-headers-4.4.0-141-generic package, or use the --kernelsourcedir option to tell DKMS where it's located Error! Your kernel headers for kernel 4.4.0-141-generic cannot be found. Please install the linux-headers-4.4.0-141-generic package, or use the --kernelsourcedir option to tell DKMS where it's located run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-141-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/pm-utils 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/unattended-upgrades 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/update-notifier 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-update-grub 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic Generating grub configuration file ... Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.15.0-46-generic Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-46-generic Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-143-generic Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-143-generic Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-141-generic Found memtest86+ image: /memtest86+.elf Found memtest86+ image: /memtest86+.bin Found Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS (16.04) on /dev/sdc2 done Setting up linux-image-extra-4.4.0-141-generic (4.4.0-141.167) ... run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic Error! Your kernel headers for kernel 4.4.0-141-generic cannot be found. Please install the linux-headers-4.4.0-141-generic package, or use the --kernelsourcedir option to tell DKMS where it's located Error! Your kernel headers for kernel 4.4.0-141-generic cannot be found. Please install the linux-headers-4.4.0-141-generic package, or use the --kernelsourcedir option to tell DKMS where it's located run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-141-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/pm-utils 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/unattended-upgrades 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/update-notifier 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-update-grub 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic Generating grub configuration file ... Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.15.0-46-generic Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-46-generic Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-143-generic Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-143-generic Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-141-generic Found memtest86+ image: /memtest86+.elf Found memtest86+ image: /memtest86+.bin Found Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS (16.04) on /dev/sdc2 done + sudo apt-mark auto linux-image-extra-4.4.0-141-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-141-generic set to automatically installed. + sudo /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal + apt autoremove --simulate NOTE: This is only a simulation! apt-get needs root privileges for real execution. Keep also in mind that locking is deactivated, so don't depend on the relevance to the real current situation! Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done The following packages will be REMOVED: linux-image-4.4.0-141-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-141-generic xscreensaver-data 0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 3 to remove and 1 not upgraded. Remv linux-image-extra-4.4.0-141-generic [4.4.0-141.167] Remv linux-image-4.4.0-141-generic [4.4.0-141.167] Remv xscreensaver-data [5.34-2ubuntu1] + sudo unattended-upgrade -v Initial blacklisted packages: Initial whitelisted packages: Starting unattended upgrades script Allowed origins are: o=Ubuntu,a=xenial, o=Ubuntu,a=xenial-security, o=UbuntuESM,a=xenial Removing unused kernel packages: linux-image-4.4.0-141-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-141-generic (Reading database ... 338562 files and directories currently installed.) Removing linux-image-extra-4.4.0-141-generic (4.4.0-141.167) ... run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic Error! Your kernel headers for kernel 4.4.0-141-generic cannot be found. Please install the linux-headers-4.4.0-141-generic package, or use the --kernelsourcedir option to tell DKMS where it's located Error! Your kernel headers for kernel 4.4.0-141-generic cannot be found. Please install the linux-headers-4.4.0-141-generic package, or use the --kernelsourcedir option to tell DKMS where it's located run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-141-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/pm-utils 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/unattended-upgrades 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/update-notifier 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-update-grub 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic Generating grub configuration file ... Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.15.0-46-generic Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-46-generic Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-143-generic Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-143-generic Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-141-generic Found memtest86+ image: /memtest86+.elf Found memtest86+ image: /memtest86+.bin Found Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS (16.04) on /dev/sdc2 done Removing linux-image-4.4.0-141-generic (4.4.0-141.167) ... Examining /etc/kernel/prerm.d. run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/prerm.d/dkms 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic Examining /etc/kernel/postrm.d . run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/initramfs-tools 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic update-initramfs: Deleting /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-141-generic run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-update-grub 4.4.0-141-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic Generating grub configuration file ... Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.15.0-46-generic Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-46-generic Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-143-generic Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-143-generic Found memtest86+ image: /memtest86+.elf Found memtest86+ image: /memtest86+.bin Found Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS (16.04) on /dev/sdc2 done The link /vmlinuz is a damaged link Removing symbolic link vmlinuz you may need to re-run your boot loader[grub] The link /initrd.img is a damaged link Removing symbolic link initrd.img you may need to re-run your boot loader[grub] Packages that were successfully auto-removed: linux-image-4.4.0-141-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-141-generic Packages that are kept back: No packages found that can be upgraded unattended and no pending auto-removals + set +x -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Touch seeded packages, which is subscribed to unattended-upgrades in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1624644 Title: By default settings unattended-upgrade does not automatically remove kernel packages that become unused in conjunction with updating by other software Status in unattended-upgrades package in Ubuntu: Fix Released Status in update-manager package in Ubuntu: Fix Released Status in unattended-upgrades source package in Xenial: Fix Committed Status in update-manager source package in Xenial: Fix Released Status in unattended-upgrades source package in Artful: Won't Fix Status in update-manager source package in Artful: Fix Released Bug description: [Impact] * Update-manager and unattended-upgrades install many kernel packages during the lifetime of a release but does not remove them automatically leading to those packages filling disk space potentially completely filling /boot and making the system unable to install updates or even boot. * Stable release users are impacted by this bug for years and their systems already collected many autoremovable unused kernel packages, thus they would benefit from backporting the fix greatly. * The bug is fixed by removing autoremovable (not currently booted) kernel packages when running unattended-upgrades or update-manager. Update manager offers the kernel removals when there are other updates to be installed. [Test Case] 1. Install kernel packages to be removed, mark them auto-installed and run apt's kernel hook script to make apt consider them autoremovable: sudo apt install -y linux-image-extra-4.4.0-92-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-93-generic sudo apt-mark auto linux-image-extra-4.4.0-92-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-93-generic sudo /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 2. Also downgrade a package to be upgraded: sudo apt-get install -y --allow-downgrades ca- certificates=20160104ubuntu1 3. (update-manager). Run update-manager and observe that kernel packages are offered for removal in Details of updates. sudo update-manager 4. (update-manager) Click on Install Now and observe that the kernel packages are removed. 3. (unattended-upgrades, the fix comes in an update of u-u) Run unattended-upgrades manually and observe the removal of the autoremovable kernel packages: sudo unattended-upgrade -v [Regression Potential] The change may cause update-manager or unattanded-upgrades to remove used kernel packages or fail to install other package updates. [Other Info] The unattended-upgrades fix is uploaded with many other fixes and those may cause regressions in other areas in unattended-upgrades. [Original bug text] When using default settings for unattended-upgrade i.e. Unattended-Upgrade::Remove-Unused-Dependencies "false"; # default "false" Unattended-Upgrade::Remove-New-Unused-Dependencies "true"; # default "true" in configuration file /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50unattended-upgrades, unattended-upgrade is unable to remove packages that become unused in conjunction with updating by other software such as update-manager or apt full-upgrade. This is because unattended-upgrade compares the list of unneeded packages before and after it upgrades packages to detect which packages are new unused ones. Consequently, if user installs new kernels using e.g. update-manager, the excessive kernels will not be removed by unattended-upgrade, and eventually (small) /boot will become full. Expected behavior: handle removing of unused packages differently at least until other package management software installed by default can handle removing of new unused packages. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04 Package: unattended-upgrades 0.90 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-36.55-generic 4.4.16 Uname: Linux 4.4.0-36-generic i686 ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1 Architecture: i386 CurrentDesktop: XFCE Date: Sat Sep 17 11:28:44 2016 InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-09-05 (11 days ago) InstallationMedia: Mythbuntu 16.04.1 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release i386 (20160719) PackageArchitecture: all SourcePackage: unattended-upgrades UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install) To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/unattended-upgrades/+bug/1624644/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages Post to : touch-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
