Deleting old kernels?

BruceCadieux · 08-22-2002, 03:23 PM

I am running RedHat 7.3 and have updated my kernel to 2.4.18-10. Now I have the previous two kernels still sitting on my machine.

Is it safe to delete these older kernel directories, and if so what exactly would I need to delete and do to safely be rid of them?

neo77777 · 08-22-2002, 03:40 PM

If your new kernel works perfectly for you and you have no need for the older kernels and you are using lio you can delete /usr/src/linux-older.versions
rm -r /usr/src/linux-older.version1 /usr/src/linux-older.version2 ...
rm -f /boot/vmlinuz-older.version1 ....
in lilo.conf you should remove the sections for old kernels

Code:

prompt
timeout=10
default=linux
boot=/dev/hda
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
message=/boot/message
linear

image=/boot/vmlinuz-current
        label=linux
        root=/dev/hda8
        append="hdc=ide-scsi"
        read-only
        initrd=/boot/initrd-current.img

image=/boot/vmlinuz-old
        label=linux_old
        root=/dev/hda8
        append="hdc=ide-scsi"
        read-only
        initrd=/boot/initrd-old.img

so it'll look like

Code:

prompt
timeout=10
default=linux
boot=/dev/hda
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
message=/boot/message
linear

image=/boot/vmlinuz-current
        label=linux
        root=/dev/hda8
        append="hdc=ide-scsi"
        read-only
        initrd=/boot/initrd-current.img

also get rid off if any /boot/initrd-old.version.img files /boot/System.map-old.version etc. And rerun lilo:
/sbin/lilo
Also /lib/modules/old.kernel.version can be removed as well

BruceCadieux · 08-22-2002, 05:19 PM

Thank You very much neo.

The new kernel works fine, and your directions also worked fine, I am not using lilo, so I just edited my grub.conf to reflect the changes and all is good.

Thanks again.

neo77777 · 08-22-2002, 10:57 PM

You're welcome

nemec · 09-24-2002, 07:56 AM

rpm -e --test kernel-oldversion -vvv

check that there is no NOs

rpm -e kernel-oldversion

thats it. Run Lilo to play safe, I guess.