[SOLVED] (kernel) update(s) failing - swap space?

suicidaleggroll · 01-20-2012, 03:37 PM

Your /var/cache is very large, here's my /var/

Code:

craig:~ # du -sh /var/*
4.0K    /var/X11R6
65M     /var/adm
107M    /var/cache
4.0K    /var/crash
4.0K    /var/db
8.0K    /var/games
98M     /var/lib
32K     /var/lock
37M     /var/log
0       /var/mail
16K     /var/mpi-selector
4.0K    /var/opt
212K    /var/run
1.6M    /var/spool
21M     /var/tmp
12K     /var/yp

If you trace that 4.x GB usage through /var/cache you should be able to figure out which service is responsible for it, then tell it to clean up the cache (eg: "zypper clean"). Once cleaned up, a lot of applications will let you change the cache location. If whoever is responsible lets you change the cache directory, I would move it somewhere in /home/ to get it onto the 300GB partition so you don't run into this in the future.

snowpine · 01-20-2012, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glaedr

Can I access these files through Dolphin/Konqueror?

I do not advise that.

Deleteing system files (basically anything outside your /home) is not necessary under normal circumstances. Especially if you are not 100% sure what the file does and what the full implications will be.

Rather, I'm hoping you can drill down another level:

Code:

du -sh /var/cache/*

for more information.

I have a hunch you have a large cache of software packages. Hopefully an OpenSUSE user can explain how to clear these properly using the package manager.

If you want to free up some space in /usr, the way to do this is by uninstalling applications you don't need. However you will get a much better effort/reward ratio by clearing out your /var/cache first.

ps After you clean your zypper cache you will probably need to start your interrupted upgrade from the beginning again, hopefully you don't have a bandwidth cap or slow connection?

Glaedr · 01-20-2012, 03:46 PM

I've ended up with:

4.9G /var/cache/zypp

and

linux-p9bp:/home/laura # du -sh /var/cache/zypp/packages/*
119M /var/cache/zypp/packages/devel:languages

erl
36K /var/cache/zypp/packages/dvd
676M /var/cache/zypp/packages/Education
4.0K /var/cache/zypp/packages/InstallationImage
153M /var/cache/zypp/packages/KDE:Extra
1.2G /var/cache/zypp/packages/KDE:Unstable:SC
8.0K /var/cache/zypp/packages/libdvdcss repository
8.0K /var/cache/zypp/packages/multimedia:musescore
20K /var/cache/zypp/packages/openSUSE-11.4-11.4-0
12K /var/cache/zypp/packages/openSUSE:Factory:Contrib
36K /var/cache/zypp/packages/packman
1.1G /var/cache/zypp/packages/Packman Repository
4.0K /var/cache/zypp/packages/PK_TMP_DIR
8.4M /var/cache/zypp/packages/repo-non-oss
880M /var/cache/zypp/packages/repo-oss
735M /var/cache/zypp/packages/Updates-for-openSUSE-11.4-11.4-0

So it looks like it, yes. Odd, I didn't think I had very much installed. I'll have a dig through and see what I can get rid of. I still don't understand why the other updates went through too when they were larger.

snowpine · 01-20-2012, 03:55 PM

Just dump the cache (I think maybe "zypper clean") and you will free 4.9gb instantly. These files are no longer necessary.

suicidaleggroll · 01-20-2012, 03:56 PM

Try running "zypper clean" as root, and then check the size of /var/cache/zypp again.

edit: too slow...

edit2: Once you clean it up, you can modify /etc/zypp/zypp.conf to move the cache directory onto your /home/ partition so it doesn't fill up "/" again.

Glaedr · 01-20-2012, 06:59 PM

Cache cleared, and updates completed. When I get some free time I'll also get rid of some unused packages. Thanks everyone!