how do I get apt-get to completely uninstall a package?
 

How do I get apt-get to completely uninstall a package?

When you use the command apt-get remove <package> it removes that package from the system but leaves behind config files for that package. How do you get apt-get to remove EVERYTHING when it removes the package?

Here's the case. I used apt-get to remove a package I though I would no longer use. Some time went by and it looke like I was done with it so I manually deleted the config files for that package just to clean up the drive. Some time went by and I needed to use that package again so I used apt-get to install it again. The 2nd time around the package does not have nor generate the config files. I'm assuming since it was installed once it expected them to be there and did not make them this time.

How do I get a total uninstall with apt-get? So when that above situation happens the reinstalled package will be complete by making the configs again.

Re: how do I get apt-get to completely uninstall a package?
 

apt-get --purge remove <package>

Quote:

Here's the case. I used apt-get to remove a package I though I would no longer use. Some time went by and it looke like I was done with it so I manually deleted the config files for that package just to clean up the drive. Some time went by and I needed to use that package again so I used apt-get to install it again. The 2nd time around the package does not have nor generate the config files. I'm assuming since it was installed once it expected them to be there and did not make them this time.

You should never remove files by hand use dpkg --purge <package> if you have already removed it with apt plus the files by hand and it thinks it is still configured this should get rid of it.

Quote:

How do I get a total uninstall with apt-get? So when that above situation happens the reinstalled package will be complete by making the configs again.

See above and try apt-get --reinstall install <package> to see if it helps if not the dpkg --purge then reinstall.

muxman:
you are right, 'apt-get remove' does not do the job throughly, the solution to your problem, IMHO, can be solved this way, which is what i do in order to remove everything pertaining to the package in question:

apt-get install deborphan debfoster

#apt-get remove --purge package
#apt-get clean

the later will clean the /var

#debfoster

will show files and libraries still left after the apt-get remove --purge, if you don't recognize a library, keep it, later on, deborphan will give you a list of 'orphaned' libraries that are hanging with no use, and are safe to nuke.

if you make a mistake with debfoster, type 'u' and will ask you again if you want to keep it. When you are thru with it, invoke deborphan.

#deborphan

will give a list of libraries that are hanging just taking space, to get rid of them:

#deborphan | xargs apt-get -y remove purge

when thru with that:

#apt-get clean

recently after a dist-ugrade to sid, it installed emacs21, i removed it, and debfoster found some files like emacsen, etc.

now, i don't know if dpkg --purge is any better, i should try that sometime.

Great suggestions guys. Those are just what I'm looking for and I'll be putting this knowledge to use.

Thanks!

Hi! I too wanted to purge my machine throughly from old uninstalled packages... I have ubuntu karmic.

I used this simple trick:

dpkg --get-selections | grep deinstall > tobepurged

then opened the resulting file and removed the "deinstalled" line from each entry (used find deinstall and replace *blank*, there were a couple hundred packages). Finally:

cat tobepurged | xargs sudo dpkg -P

It worked fine for me and most important.. it didn't purge active packages!
Hope to hear some suggestions and ways to make it better. It's the first time I post an original solution (I understand it's very basic...) of mine on a linux forum.

aptitude purge ~c
apt-get autoremove

Also you do not need the "remove" when doing apt-get remove --purge package, just apt-get purge package.

deborphan | xargs apt-get -y remove --purge

To remove all orphaned data packages run:

deborphan --guess-dev | xargs apt-get -y remove --purge

To see all the orphaned packages on your system run:

deborphan --guess-all

You can also, to completely remove not just the package but all of its dependencies, use "sudo apt-get autoremove" with the --purge flag.

Had never heard of apt-get clean, so never used it before. Manual said it should be run occasionally to free up disk space. Get this: An astonishing reduction in the disk space used.

Hang on. It's just got rid of /var/cache/apt/archive/* has it? Not so surprising then, and presumably debian.org would not like it because it increases their bandwidth?

I update my ubuntu using "sudo apt-get update".
I got the follwoing error. Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

Is there any way to restore or remove the packages that have been updated using "sudo apt-get update" command. Like as in windows, can i restore my ubuntu or remove the installed packages. Its not about removing a specific package. About all the packages that have been installed using sudo apt-get update comman.

thanks guys.

# 9.

No packages are installed at $ sudo apt-get update

"apt-get update" is updating the "available packages list" only.

? ? Which Ubuntu version is it about : $ cat /etc/issue

-

# 9 .

If you are still using Ubuntu 11.04 :
"11.04" was moved to the 'old archive' some months ago.
You can replace '/etc/apt/sources.list' with this :

Im using ubuntu 12.10. What you mean by "updating the packages list"? Didnt it update the old files? Thankssssss

As far as update goes the man page is helpful:
Ubuntu's docs may help:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SoftwareManagement

Is there any default repository folder, which holds the deb package of downloaded files inside ubuntu?

On Debian there's /var/cache/apt/archives/, I expect Ubuntu is similar.
For specific package versions I use http://snapshot.debian.org
Maybe you should start your own thread in the Ubuntu section to get accurate responses.

I am well aware that this is a considerable bump, but I wanted to thank you for posting this. It worked beautifully on my CB system.

Just ran it on my web server and it removed 133 packages. So thrilled, thanks again! :)

My very pleasure :D

s4sarath, yes in Ubuntu it is the same as Debian. Downloaded packages are kept in: /var/cache/apt/archives/
before you clean them out you could save them on an external HDD, just in case you may want/need to re-install them later on if you can't waste your download quota.

muxman, some programs add hidden folders (with a . in front; use keys: Ctrl + H to unhide them)
mostly they would be left behind after removing programs.
So if you don't need those folders again you can remove them too.

sudo apt-get purge 'package' removes the package files and also config files from /etc.
I think it also removes /var/log files - but not sure.

If you accept any prompts to remove dependent packages, they are simply removed (not purged).

However - apt-get does NOT remove files created in /home (usually prefixed with a dot).
This is a real pain - I've kept the same /home for years and running
apt-get clean removes all history of uninstalled packages.
However the clean option speeds up simplistic backup programs by a huge factor...

Hi,

I don't normally like to comment on zombie threads, but I also don't like misinformation.

No it does not. It removes downloaded package files from /var/cache/apt/archives and /var/cache/apt/archives/partial/.


Evo2.

How does purge compare to completely remove in synaptic?

Same thing.

interesting! thank you.
same as one-liner:

Don't forget to remove any user files/directories which get created in /home, such as hidden config or data files.

I am running a VM debian 8.3 testing a multitude of things and definitely found this suggestion for dpkg --purge <package> command to work.

I thought I'd toss in my 2 cents as a newbie learner.

Thank you.

will remove all references to a package, including config files in /etc.
It won't touch any files in /home including any hidden files such as user config files.

Just using or its equivalent in synaptic will leave some dross lying around.

Purge Remove
 

Thank you Jeremy.

After 12 years this thread is still going. Nice.

1,251,872 views is why i clicked on this.

That would tend to grab the eye. I just think it's funny that I asked the question on 10-02-04 at 01:13 AM and it was answered by 01:33 AM. 20 minutes for an answer and 12 years and over 1.2 million views it's still going strong. That's some serious longevity for such a simple question and answer.

Thanks. I just wanted to remove Picasa 3.0 which I had d/l directly not using a package. The 'uninstall' available under MENU could not find anything. After reading the first few posts I decided to use:

sudo apt-get --purge remove picasa

after terminal presented me with a screen which I did not fully understand (sorry I failed to copy that :-( ) I was given a Y/n option.

Entered Y and lo and behold it worked like a dream.

A search with hidden files showing found no mention of 'picasa' except for lots of picasa.ini files in my PICTURES folder and some sub folders. Deleted those manually.

Thanks again from an 'ancient' newbie.

apt-get is never aware of any files created in your home directory, including config files and hidden files.