System Setup and Software Installation Guide for Cisco NCS 1010, IOS XR Releases

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Resolve insufficient disk space during software installation

Updated: June 17, 2026

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Use this procedure to resolve insufficient disk space during software installation. It helps recover from package installation failures caused by limited available storage.

Use this task to rectify insufficient disk space when installing software.

Problem:

The software installation terminates with the error Error on 0/1/CPU0: Insufficient disk space to install packages.

Cause:

To install the Cisco IOS XR software, an unused disk space of so-and-so must be available on the NCS 1010. If this space is not available before installing the software, the installation process terminates with the error.

Solution:

Identify the required disk space using the show install log or install add command.

View the space consumed by the harddisk: location using the show media location all command.

RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios#show media location all
Wed Jan 8 08:29:00.808 UTC

Media Info for Location: node0_RP0_CPU0
Partition                            Size     Used  Percent    Avail
--------------------------------------------------------------------
rootfs:                             54.4G    16.5G      30%      38G
data:                               77.3G    20.5G      27%    56.8G
disk0:                               3.9G      12M       1%     3.6G
/var/lib/docker                      6.6G      17M       1%     6.2G
disk2:                                15G     6.1G      42%     8.6G
log:                                 5.3G     572M      12%     4.4G
harddisk:                             61G      19G      32%      39G

Media Info for Location: node0_RP1_CPU0
Partition                            Size     Used  Percent    Avail
--------------------------------------------------------------------
rootfs:                             54.3G    16.5G      30%    37.9G
data:                               77.4G    46.1G      60%    31.4G
disk0:                               3.9G     8.5M       1%     3.6G
/var/lib/docker                      6.6G      19M       1%     6.2G
log:                                 5.3G     492M      10%     4.5G
harddisk:                             61G      44G      78%      14G

Media Info for Location: node0_0_CPU0
Partition                            Size     Used  Percent    Avail
--------------------------------------------------------------------
rootfs:                             54.4G    10.1G      18%    44.4G
data:                               77.3G     1.9G       2%    75.5G
/var/lib/docker                      6.6G      16M       1%     6.2G
disk0:                               3.9G     8.2M       1%     3.6G
harddisk:                             61G     109M       1%      57G
log:                                 5.3G     372M       8%     4.6G
          
Media Info for Location: node0_6_CPU0
Partition                            Size     Used  Percent    Avail
--------------------------------------------------------------------
rootfs:                             54.4G    10.1G      18%    44.4G
data:                               77.3G     1.9G       2%    75.4G
disk0:                               3.9G     8.3M       1%     3.6G
/var/lib/docker                      6.6G      16M       1%     6.2G
harddisk:                             61G     154M       1%      57G
log:                                 5.3G     374M       8%     4.6G

Use the following procedure to free up the disk space to make room for the software installation.

Before you begin

Follow these steps to rectify insufficient disk space when installing software.

Procedure

1.

Remove inactive packages from the system.

Example:

View the inactive packages: 
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(admin)#show install inactive
6 inactive package(s) found:
    ncs5500-xr-6.6.1
    ncs5500-k9sec-3.1.0.0-r661
    ncs5500-mpls-2.1.0.0-r661
    ncs5500-isis-2.1.0.0-r661
    ncs5500-mcast-2.1.0.0-r661
    ncs5500-mgbl-3.0.0.0-r661
Remove the inactive packages: 
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(admin)#install remove inactive all synchronous
   instdir[198]: %INSTALL-INSTMGR-6-INSTALL_OPERATION_STARTED : 
Install operation 8 '(admin) install remove inactive all' started by user 'user_b' 
Install operation 8 '(admin) install remove inactive all' started by user 'user_b' at
   09:25:41 UTC Fri June 10
Info:     This operation will remove the following package:
ncs5500-xr-6.6.1
    ncs5500-k9sec-3.1.0.0-r661
    ncs5500-mpls-2.1.0.0-r661
    ncs5500-isis-2.1.0.0-r661
    ncs5500-mcast-2.1.0.0-r661
    ncs5500-mgbl-3.0.0.0-r661
Proceed with removing these packages? [confirm]
The install operation will continue synchronously.
2.

Remove stale or unnecessary files from the harddisk: location such as cores, debug logs, kdump and showtech data. We recommended that you do not remove files from other partitions because these locations may contain files that are relevant to collecting debug information. Carefully inspect the files to be deleted.

Example:

RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios#rmdir harddisk:
Remove directory filename []?newdir
Delete harddisk:/newdir[confirm]y
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios#delete harddisk:/file
            
          
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios#dir harddisk:
	Directory of harddisk:
	37146       drwx  4096        Sun Dec 14 15:30:48 2008  malloc_dump
	43030       drwx  4096        Wed Dec 24 11:20:52 2008  tracebacks
	43035       drwx  4096        Thu Jan  8 18:59:18 2009  sau
	51026       drwx  4096        Sat Dec 27 02:52:46 2008  tempA
	51027       drwx  4096        Sat Dec 27 02:04:10 2008  dir.not.del
	-430307552  -rwx  342         Fri Jan 16 10:47:38 2009  running-config
	-430305504  -rwx  39790       Mon Jan 26 23:45:56 2009  cf.dat
39929724928 bytes total (39883235328 bytes free)

Use the delete command to remove specific directory or files. When a directory contains files such as images, bug fixes or configuration files, you must remove the files before deleting the directory.

Verify that the unwanted directory is removed from the harddisk.