Problem::Remove/uninstalled, in some instances leaves a "vase quality" of folder/files behind!

steelheat · 10-12-2018, 10:42 PM

You are welcome to move this post to where you think it belongs, I couldn't fits it into any other category!

Back in 02 when my screen stayed so blue(after 20+ years I still can't stand saying the dang name w i n d o zzzzzzzzs, my butt hurts like I'm still getting kick!) I used a program(can't remember the programs name!) that did all of this before and after an install/uninstall. All I had to do
was chase down the left behind files and delete them.

I'm using Debian 9.0.5

A little help please!
I would like to be able to do the samething in Linux that I did in w i n d o zzzzzzzzs!

I want to make sure when I have a program removed/uninstalled that it and all it's files and everything it created while installed are completely removed when uninstalled! Over time I've found that remove and uninstall don't necessarily remove everything, in some instances a "vase quality" of folder/files are left behind!

To accomplish this:

First, I'm looking for a program that (that can do all of this or)can make a copy of the system before installing any new programs. After the install, if I decided that I don't want to keep it or don't like the program, I then uninstall it.

After the uninstall I then run the program again and it reports what has not been removed or the state of the system so it can be compared to the copy of the system taken before the software was installed?

Or...

Secondly, Where can I find the command line commands that I can run to do what I just described above. Say... a command to copy the system before the install. Then, after I uninstall the software I just installed, I run the same command again and then compare the two copies to see what was left on the system after the uninstall?

Yea, I know, it even sound confusing, even to me!

This is "IT" in a nut shell::

a- A command line command or program to copy the whole system and save it for later

b- Install new software, decide to keep or uninstall it

c- Decision was made to dump new software and I uninstall it

d- Run same command as in "a" above and make second copy of the system and save it

e- Do a comparison of both save system copies to see if folders/files were left by uninstall

If nothing else, maybe direct me to where similar posting are posted?

Thks for any help or directions at all!sh

mrmazda · 10-13-2018, 02:56 AM

You might want to investigate the snapshotting capabilities of the BTRFS filesystem, which is standard in recent releases of openSUSE.

hydrurga · 10-13-2018, 06:32 AM

Consider using Timeshift to make system snapshots.

steelheat · 10-14-2018, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hydrurga

Consider using Timeshift to make system snapshots.

Thks hydruraga, I have searched pages waiting to be read as I type on Timeshift along with mrmazda's BTRFS filesystem suggestion. Already, both looks like what I've been looking for hopefully. Thks again.sh

steelheat · 10-14-2018, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmazda

You might want to investigate the snapshotting capabilities of the BTRFS filesystem, which is standard in recent releases of openSUSE.

Thks mrmasda, I'm checking out snapshots as I post and hopefully I'll have something to come back and comment on later on. Thks again!sh

BW-userx · 10-14-2018, 06:59 PM

you can utilize two commands to remoe left over derectory and files

Code:

rmdir # if dir not empty it will not delete it
rm -r # will remove dir and everything in it, use with caution.

you have to know how to use path to statements.