Ubuntu Cleanup Script

A simple Bash script for Ubuntu/Debian-based systems that performs system cleanup and safely removes old kernels.

What it does

This script helps reduce disk usage and keep the system clean by:

• Running APT cleanup commands:
  • autoremove --purge
  • autoclean
  • clean
• Removing cached APT list files
• Detecting the currently running kernel
• Keeping:
  • the current kernel
  • one fallback kernel
• Purging older unused kernel packages:
  • linux-image
  • linux-headers
  • linux-modules
  • linux-modules-extra
  • related tools packages, if installed
• Removing orphaned initrd.img-* files
• Rebuilding initramfs only for the current kernel
• Updating GRUB
• Purging leftover rc packages

Why use it

Over time, Ubuntu may keep several old kernel versions installed. This script automates cleanup in a safer way by keeping the active kernel and one backup kernel instead of trying to remove everything blindly.

Requirements

• Ubuntu or Debian-based Linux distribution
• bash
• apt-get
• dpkg-query
• update-initramfs
• update-grub
• Root privileges

Usage

1. Save the script

Save the script as:

cleanup.sh

2. Make it executable

chmod +x cleanup.sh

3. Run it as root

sudo ./cleanup.sh

Example

git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/YOUR_REPO.git
cd YOUR_REPO
chmod +x cleanup.sh
sudo ./cleanup.sh

Safety notes

• The script is intended for Ubuntu/Debian-based systems.
• It keeps the currently running kernel.
• It also keeps one fallback kernel for recovery.
• Review the script before using it on production systems.
• Do not run it if you are not sure how your boot setup is managed.

Recommended checks after running

You can verify installed kernels with:

dpkg -l 'linux-image-*' | awk '/^ii/{print $2}'

You can verify remaining initramfs images with:

ls -lh /boot/initrd.img-*

What it does not do

• It does not remove the currently running kernel.
• It does not remove all kernels blindly.
• It does not depend on external third-party tools.

License

MIT License

Disclaimer

Use this script at your own risk. Always test on a non-critical machine first and make sure you have a working backup or recovery option.