---
name: "linux-check-removal"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "linux-base"
version: "4.12.1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/linux-check-removal"
---

# linux-check-removal(1)

check whether removal of a kernel is safe

## NAME

linux-check-removal - check whether removal of a kernel is safe

## SYNOPSIS

**linux-check-removal** *KERNEL-VER*

## DESCRIPTION

**linux-check-removal** is intended to be called from the prerm maintainer scripts of Linux kernel packages.

The *KERNEL-VER* argument must be the kernel version string as shown by **uname -r** and used in filenames, not the package version.

If the currently running kernel matches *KERNEL-VER*, **linux-check-removal** normally prompts the user to confirm this potentially dangerous action and fails if the user chooses to abort.  There are two exceptions to this behaviour:

- •

  If the current environment is a chroot or container, it is assumed that the running kernel is independent of any installed kernel package and the command always quietly succeeds

- •

  If debconf prompts are disabled, the command warns if removing the running kernel but always succeeds

## ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

- *DEBIAN\_FRONTEND*

  Name of the preferred debconf front-end.  If set to *noninteractive*, debconf prompts are disabled and **linux-check-removal** always quietly succeeds.

- *DPKG\_MAINTSCRIPT\_PACKAGE*

  Name of the package to be removed, automatically set by dpkg.

## AUTHOR

**linux-check-removal** and this manual page were written by Ben Hutchings as part of the Debian **linux-base** package.