📖 ~1 min read
Table of contents
Symptom & Impact
yum update aborts during kernel install with no space left on device, leaving host partially updated.
Environment & Reproduction
RHEL 7 with small /boot and many retained kernels reproduces package transaction failure.
Root Cause Analysis
Kernel retention policy is too permissive, so /boot fills and blocks initramfs and vmlinuz writes.
Quick Triage
Check df -h /boot, list installed kernels, review journalctl update logs, and confirm service impact.
Step-by-Step Diagnosis
Correlate yum transaction logs with filesystem capacity and verify running kernel before cleanup.
Solution – Primary Fix
Remove obsolete kernels safely, regenerate boot metadata, and rerun yum update to completion.
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Solution – Alternative Approaches
Expand /boot partition, automate kernel cleanup policy, or manage updates through image-based lifecycle.
Verification & Acceptance Criteria
Kernel package installs cleanly, reboot succeeds, and systemctl reports healthy post-update service state.
Rollback Plan
If new kernel regresses, select prior kernel at boot and restore package state from snapshot.
Prevention & Hardening
Set kernel-retention limits, monitor /boot utilization, and alert before capacity reaches critical threshold.
Related Errors & Cross-Refs
Related to dracut failures, grub config drift, and yum lock interruptions during emergency cleanup.
Related tutorial: View the step-by-step tutorial for rhel-7.
View all rhel-7 tutorials on the Tutorials Hub →
Browse all common problems & solutions on the Tutorials Hub.
References & Further Reading
Read RHEL kernel package maintenance guidance and journalctl recovery procedures for update incidents.
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