GNU bug report logs - #53000
How to reclaim space when no space is available?

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Jeffrey Walton <noloader <at> gmail.com>
To: bug-guix <at> gnu.org
Subject: How to reclaim space when no space is available?
Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2022 23:12:12 -0500

Hi Everyone,

I've run out of disk space. I'm trying to run 'guix gc' but it seems
to need disk space to perform the garbage collection.

$ sudo guix gc
finding garbage collector roots...
note: can't create trash directory: creating directory
`/gnu/store/trash': No space left on device
deleting garbage...
...
error (ignored): aborting transaction: cannot rollback - no
transaction is active
guix gc: error: committing transaction: database or disk is full

Does anyone know how to delete all old packages and artifacts without
the need for some free disk space?

I don't need old stuff. I use the VM to test builds and run self tests
of some packages I am responsible for. I don't need the extra bells
and whistles.

Jeff

Message #8 received at 53000 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Liliana Marie Prikler <liliana.prikler <at> ist.tugraz.at>
To: noloader <at> gmail.com, 53000 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: How to reclaim space when no space is available?
Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2022 07:56:01 +0100

Am Montag, dem 03.01.2022 um 23:12 -0500 schrieb Jeffrey Walton:
> Hi Everyone,
> 
> I've run out of disk space. I'm trying to run 'guix gc' but it seems
> to need disk space to perform the garbage collection.
> 
> $ sudo guix gc
I don't think the manuals specify using `sudo guix gc'.  Last time I
checked a normal `guix gc' does the same, as the logic is in either way
handed off to the daemon running as root already.

> finding garbage collector roots...
> note: can't create trash directory: creating directory
> `/gnu/store/trash': No space left on device
> deleting garbage...
> ...
> error (ignored): aborting transaction: cannot rollback - no
> transaction is active guix gc: error: committing transaction:
> database or disk is full
> 
> Does anyone know how to delete all old packages and artifacts without
> the need for some free disk space?
It's a known bug that you currently can't free space without having
space.  (You can try searching for similar bug IDs or you can wait for
someone else to link you to them.)  The "fix" would ironically be to
sacrifice even more space to Guix by avoiding store deduplication,
because then store items can easily be deleted.

You could try manually freeing up space, but as someone who already
messed with GC internals I'd heavily suggest you avoid doing that. 
Unless you don't mind stuffing kittens in a blender, that is.

> I don't need old stuff. I use the VM to test builds and run self
> tests of some packages I am responsible for. I don't need the extra
> bells and whistles.
Those extra bells and whistles are the entire point of functional
package management.  You get backups and roll-backs for free.  If you
think VMs or Docker containers are sufficient for testing purposes
while you happily accept Debian overwriting files in-place, that is a
position you can hold, but it is not the Nix/Guix way.

Cheers

Message #11 received at 53000 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Mark H Weaver <mhw <at> netris.org>
To: noloader <at> gmail.com, 53000 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#53000: How to reclaim space when no space is available?
Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2022 05:00:38 -0500

Jeffrey Walton <noloader <at> gmail.com> writes:
> Does anyone know how to delete all old packages and artifacts without
> the need for some free disk space?

Are there are any nonessential files on that partition, outside of the
store, that could be temporarily moved elsewhere, or deleted?  Perhaps
old logs from /var/log, e.g. old build logs from /var/log/guix/drvs?

        Mark

-- 
Disinformation flourishes because many people care deeply about injustice
but very few check the facts.  Ask me about <https://stallmansupport.org>.

Message #14 received at 53000 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Leo Famulari <leo <at> famulari.name>
To: Mark H Weaver <mhw <at> netris.org>
Cc: noloader <at> gmail.com, 53000 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#53000: How to reclaim space when no space is available?
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2022 12:30:52 -0500

On Tue, Jan 04, 2022 at 05:00:38AM -0500, Mark H Weaver wrote:
> Jeffrey Walton <noloader <at> gmail.com> writes:
> > Does anyone know how to delete all old packages and artifacts without
> > the need for some free disk space?
> 
> Are there are any nonessential files on that partition, outside of the
> store, that could be temporarily moved elsewhere, or deleted?  Perhaps
> old logs from /var/log, e.g. old build logs from /var/log/guix/drvs?

There may also be '/var/cache' and '/root/.cache', which should be safe
to delete. The latter will definitely share a partition with the store,
and the former will probably share the partition.

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