[SOLVED] Delete old linux kernel

cccc · Post by **cccc** » 2012/04/06 14:44:18

hi

What's the best whay to delete old linux kernel on CentOS 6?

[code]
$ rpm -q kernel
kernel-2.6.32-220.2.1.el6.i686
kernel-2.6.32-220.4.1.el6.i686
kernel-2.6.32-220.4.2.el6.i686
kernel-2.6.32-220.7.1.el6.i686[/code]

Should I use 'rpm -e' command to remove?

pschaff · Post by **pschaff** » 2012/04/06 15:15:21

That should work. So should "yum remove ...". To keep fewer kernels automatically edit [b]/etc/yum.conf[/b] and change [b]installonly_limit=5[/b] to a smaller number. It is advisable to keep at least a couple of old kernels to fall back to if there is a problem with an update.

cccc · Post by **cccc** » 2012/04/07 19:41:46

Thx Phil

I've removed using yum and now I have the following:[code]
# rpm -qa | grep kernel
dracut-kernel-004-256.el6_2.1.noarch
kernel-firmware-2.6.32-220.7.1.el6.noarch
kernel-2.6.32-220.7.1.el6.i686
kernel-headers-2.6.32-220.7.1.el6.i686
libreport-plugin-kerneloops-2.0.5-20.el6.i686
[/code]

BTW I've changed in /etc/yum.conf to:[code]installonly_limit=2[/code]

pschaff · Post by **pschaff** » 2012/04/07 23:48:31

You are welcome. Looks good, as long as the current kernel is working for you, as you left nothing to fall back on.

Thanks for reporting back. Marking this thread [SOLVED] for posterity.

sten · Post by **sten** » 2012/07/12 08:39:46

I realize this is solved and closed, but for those interested there is an easier solution -

yum install yum-utils
package-cleanup --oldkernels --count=2

Greg_E · Post by **Greg_E** » 2014/07/12 17:38:33

Reviving this... Will that command remove all older packages? I'm working with a live CD version of 6.5 with an overlay of roughly 4gb, after update I only have 2.7 GB left and haven't begun installing any of the other packages I'll need for this system. I don't care about a fallback kernel on this, everything I need to do works properly on the latest updates.

And yes I will try the above utilities and see for myself, but thought it was worth asking. I assume that if I don't specify how many to save, only the current kernel and packages will be present.

bluegroper · Post by **bluegroper** » 2016/05/07 07:40:50

Just edit your /etc/yum.conf

Code: Select all

installonly_limit=3

Then your next yum update will do all your housekeeping.
No need for any complicated remove commands.
Too easy.
HTH

Urhixidur · Post by **Urhixidur** » 2016/12/14 14:26:38

bluegroper 's change of /etc/yum.conf installonly_limit followed by 'yum update' does not work.

sten's 'package-cleanup --oldkernels --count=2' works perfectly.

w3k4 · Post by **w3k4** » 2017/01/02 17:34:00

I found that my new kernel was crashing .. I was unable to delete this kernel, apparently because it was the latest kernel I had ..

Code: Select all

 $ uname -a
Linux reliant.wek 3.10.0-327.36.3.el7.x86_64 #1 SMP Mon Oct 24 16:09:20 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
 $ rpm -q kernel
kernel-3.10.0-327.el7.x86_64
kernel-3.10.0-327.36.3.el7.x86_64
kernel-3.10.0-514.2.2.el7.x86_64
 $ rpm -e kernel-3.10.0-514.2.2.el7.x86_64
error: Failed dependencies:
        kernel >= 3.10.0-384.el7 is needed by (installed) hypervkvpd-0-0.29.20160216git.el7.x86_64
        kernel >= 3.10.0-384.el7 is needed by (installed) hypervvssd-0-0.29.20160216git.el7.x86_64
        kernel >= 3.10.0-384.el7 is needed by (installed) hypervfcopyd-0-0.29.20160216git.el7.x86_64

I did attempt a yum command as well, with similar results. I finally succeeded, sorta, with the following ..

Code: Select all

 $ find . -name "*514*" -ls
( to ensure I had a good pattern )
 $ tar cfz /root/boot-20170102.tgz /boot
 $ tar tvfz /root/boot-20170102.tgz

( I am good, but not perfect )

Code: Select all

 $ cd /boot && find . -name "*-514.*" -exec rm {} \;
 $ find . -type f -exec grep -c -F "514" {} /dev/null \;
 $ vi ./grub2/grub.cfg

( on line 87 or so, I found a reference to my offending kernel, prefixed with "^menuentry". I deleted that line and all lines through and including it's matching, closing brace ")" )

my boot process now requires human input, so apparently I have some cleanup to do.

Post by **TrevorH** » 2017/01/03 16:54:56

That's not the way to do it.

To remove a kernel that you do not want, first you need to make sure you are not running it as yum will refuse to remove the running kernel. So reboot and select a different kernel from the grub menu and then use yum remove kernel-3.10.0-514.2.2.el7.x86_64

Done.

CentOS