How to completely remove an installed package?

torrent55 · 11-04-2008, 06:03 PM

Hi,

When you install a package say dhcp3 or bind9

How to completely remove those packages.

For example when I download and install the bind9 it says it needs to download the files and its dependecies and indicates the file size in MB.

"apt-get install bind9"

But when I tried to remove it is indicating to me that it needs to removing bind but indicates the file size in KB.

I am puzzled, and certainly require one of yours expertise to answer my question.

Thanks in advance.

klearview · 11-04-2008, 06:47 PM

Remove the package you want to remove:

apt-get remove <package>

(or:

apt-get purge <package>

if you also want to remove configuration files for <package>)

Then do:

apt-get autoremove

to remove dependencies.
(I'd still be very careful with the last command on the server)

Telemachos · 11-04-2008, 07:34 PM

The autoremove feature only works in Lenny or Sid, right? The Etch version of APT doesn't have that feature yet. You could use aptitude in Etch, if you want that behavior.

Be warned, however, that aptitude's handling of autoremoval is more automatic and aggressive than apt-get's. Also, if you've been using only apt-get for a long time, the results the first time you run aptitude may be very surprising. Check the output carefully before you say yes to whatever aptitude suggests.

craigevil · 11-04-2008, 07:48 PM

apt-get purge package && apt-get autoremove
then run deborphan.

torrent55 · 11-04-2008, 09:36 PM

Thank you very much for the information