How to remove MySQL completely with config and library files?

Question

So far I've tried the following commands:

sudo apt-get remove mysql-server mysql-client mysql-common
sudo apt-get purge mysql-server mysql-client mysql-common
sudo apt-get autoremove

But whenever I try to locate MySQL using the following command, I get a list of files related to MySQL:

shell>> locate mysql

Output:

/etc/mysql
/etc/apparmor.d/usr.sbin.mysqld
/etc/apparmor.d/abstractions/mysql
/etc/apparmor.d/cache/usr.sbin.mysqld
/etc/apparmor.d/cache/usr.sbin.mysqld-akonadi
/etc/apparmor.d/local/usr.sbin.mysqld
/etc/bash_completion.d/mysqladmin
/etc/init/mysql.conf
/etc/logcheck/ignore.d.paranoid/mysql-server-5_5
/etc/logcheck/ignore.d.server/mysql-server-5_5
/etc/logcheck/ignore.d.workstation/mysql-server-5_5
/etc/logrotate.d/mysql-server
/etc/mysql/conf.d
/etc/mysql/debian-start
/etc/mysql/debian.cnf
/etc/mysql/conf.d/mysqld_safe_syslog.cnf
/home/pkr/.mysql_history
/home/pkr/.cache/software-center/piston-helper/rec.ubuntu.com,api,1.0,recommend_app,libqt4-sql-mysql,,349051c3a57da571aa832adb39177aff
/home/pkr/.cache/software-center/piston-helper/rec.ubuntu.com,api,1.0,recommend_app,mysql-client,,cbf77a486cdc80547317981a33144427
/home/pkr/.cache/software-center/piston-helper/rec.ubuntu.com,api,1.0,recommend_app,mysql-client,,de8220dee4d957a9502caa79e8d2fdda
/home/pkr/.cache/software-center/rnrclient/reviews.ubuntu.com,reviews,api,1.0,reviews,filter,en,any,any,any,libqt4-sql-mysql,page,1,helpful,,17fb2e657321dc51526ee8fe9928da30
/home/pkr/.cache/software-center/rnrclient/reviews.ubuntu.com,reviews,api,1.0,reviews,filter,en,any,any,any,mysql-client,page,1,helpful,,a4c1b6e8200f36ab5745c6f81f14da0a
/home/pkr/.cache/software-center/rnrclient/reviews.ubuntu.com,reviews,api,1.0,reviews,filter,en,ubuntu,oneiric,any,libqt4-sql-mysql,page,1,helpful,,c54295fb82b8183350cd34f22c3547ef
/home/pkr/.cache/software-center/rnrclient/reviews.ubuntu.com,reviews,api,1.0,reviews,filter,en,ubuntu,oneiric,any,mysql-client,page,1,helpful,,fcf201c1abff3f774af89173a84de2cc
/home/pkr/.cache/software-center/rnrclient/reviews.ubuntu.com,reviews,api,1.0,reviews,filter,en,ubuntu,precise,any,libqt4-sql-mysql,page,1,helpful,,0cd86648584efeccfb16119012f89540
/home/pkr/.cache/software-center/rnrclient/reviews.ubuntu.com,reviews,api,1.0,reviews,filter,en,ubuntu,precise,any,mysql-client,page,1,helpful,,eb84724e9da7851ff8862a227d8bac59
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/mysql.conf
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql.err
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql.err.old
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/columns_priv.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/columns_priv.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/columns_priv.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/db.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/db.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/db.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/event.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/event.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/event.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/func.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/func.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/func.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/general_log.CSM
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/general_log.CSV
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/general_log.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/help_category.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/help_category.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/help_category.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/help_keyword.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/help_keyword.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/help_keyword.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/help_relation.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/help_relation.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/help_relation.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/help_topic.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/help_topic.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/help_topic.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/host.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/host.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/host.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/ndb_binlog_index.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/ndb_binlog_index.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/ndb_binlog_index.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/plugin.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/plugin.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/plugin.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/proc.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/proc.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/proc.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/procs_priv.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/procs_priv.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/procs_priv.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/proxies_priv.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/proxies_priv.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/proxies_priv.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/servers.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/servers.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/servers.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/slow_log.CSM
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/slow_log.CSV
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/slow_log.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/tables_priv.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/tables_priv.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/tables_priv.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/time_zone.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/time_zone.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/time_zone.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/time_zone_leap_second.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/time_zone_leap_second.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/time_zone_leap_second.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/time_zone_name.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/time_zone_name.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/time_zone_name.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/time_zone_transition.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/time_zone_transition.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/time_zone_transition.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/time_zone_transition_type.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/time_zone_transition_type.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/time_zone_transition_type.frm
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/user.MYD
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/user.MYI
/home/pkr/.local/share/akonadi/db_data/mysql/user.frm
/usr/bin/mysql
/usr/bin/mysql_install_db
/usr/bin/mysql_upgrade
/usr/bin/mysqlcheck
/usr/sbin/mysqld
/usr/share/mysql
/usr/share/app-install/desktop/gmysqlcc:gmysqlcc.desktop
/usr/share/app-install/desktop/mysql-client.desktop
/usr/share/app-install/desktop/mysql-navigator:mysql-navigator.desktop
/usr/share/app-install/desktop/mysql-server.desktop
/usr/share/app-install/icons/gmysqlcc-32.png
/usr/share/app-install/icons/mysql-navigator.png
/usr/share/doc/mysql-client-core-5.5
/usr/share/doc/mysql-server-core-5.5
/usr/share/kde4/apps/katepart/syntax/sql-mysql.xml
/usr/share/man/man1/mysql.1.gz
/usr/share/man/man1/mysql_install_db.1.gz
/usr/share/man/man1/mysql_upgrade.1.gz
/usr/share/man/man1/mysqlcheck.1.gz
/usr/share/man/man8/mysqld.8.gz
/var/cache/apt/archives/akonadi-backend-mysql_1.7.2-0ubuntu1_all.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/libmysqlclient-dev_5.5.22-0ubuntu1_i386.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/libmysqlclient18_5.5.22-0ubuntu1_i386.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/libqt4-sql-mysql_4%3a4.8.1-0ubuntu4.1_i386.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/mysql-client-5.5_5.5.22-0ubuntu1_i386.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/mysql-client-core-5.5_5.5.22-0ubuntu1_i386.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/mysql-client_5.5.22-0ubuntu1_all.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/mysql-common_5.5.22-0ubuntu1_all.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/mysql-server-5.5_5.5.22-0ubuntu1_i386.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/mysql-server-core-5.5_5.5.22-0ubuntu1_i386.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/mysql-server_5.5.22-0ubuntu1_all.deb
/var/lib/dpkg/info/mysql-client-core-5.5.list
/var/lib/dpkg/info/mysql-client-core-5.5.md5sums
/var/lib/dpkg/info/mysql-server-5.5.list
/var/lib/dpkg/info/mysql-server-5.5.postrm
/var/lib/dpkg/info/mysql-server-core-5.5.list
/var/lib/dpkg/info/mysql-server-core-5.5.md5sums
/var/log/mysql
/var/log/mysql.err
/var/log/mysql.log
/var/log/mysql.log.1.gz
/var/log/mysql.log.2.gz
/var/log/mysql.log.3.gz
/var/log/mysql.log.4.gz
/var/log/mysql.log.5.gz
/var/log/mysql.log.6.gz
/var/log/mysql.log.7.gz
/var/log/upstart/mysql.log.1.gz
/var/log/upstart/mysql.log.2.gz
/var/log/upstart/mysql.log.3.gz
/var/log/upstart/mysql.log.4.gz
/var/log/upstart/mysql.log.5.gz
/var/log/upstart/mysql.log.6.gz
/var/log/upstart/mysql.log.7.gz

What should I do now?

I am trying to find out if there is any way I can remove all MySQL related files and then re-install MySQL.

I need it for Qt connectivity.

Answer 1

I read the comment section of one of the other answers and it is providing incorrect information. The Data Directory will be different if you are using Debian Package Manager vs HomeBrew (on Debian).

One of my colleagues had issues starting a rails application on his machine. And it seems that the CyberSecurity team ran a security update that corrupted his data directory. These are the steps I followed to help him successfully get his rails app running on his machine:

1. Make yourself admin (if you are using a company computer, you may need to temporarily promote your user with sudo privileges using Self-Service

2. Uninstall Mysql:

   brew uninstall mysql

3. Delete the mysql folders shown, ESPECIALLY the data directory shown.

   ps -ax | grep mysql

4. Confirm data directory:

   file /opt/homebrew/var/mysql

5. Backup your databases:

   cd /opt/homebrew/var/mysql (this is the data directory)

   cp -a database1 ~/Downloads

   cp -a database2 ~/Downloads

6. Now delete the data directory:

   sudo cd ~ && rm -rf /opt/homebrew/var/mysql

7. Confirm its gone:

   file /opt/homebrew/var/mysql

8. Check if there are any mysql pids still running (even after running brew uninstall mysql). There may be. Terminate those pids:

   ps -ax | grep mysql

   kill -9 [pid]

9. The following command shows you mysql is not installed:

   brew info mysql

10. Install MySQL:

    cd ~ && brew install mysql

11. Now you will be able to log into root with mysql:

    mysql -u root

12. Ruby specific stuff:

    gem list | grep mysql2

13. Ruby specific stuff:

    gem uninstall mysql2 && bundle install

14. Ruby specific stuff:

    rails db:drop

    rails db:create

    rails db:migrate

    rails console

Answer 2

Just a little addition to the answer of @dAm2k :

In addition to sudo apt-get remove --purge mysql\*

I've done a sudo apt-get remove --purge mariadb\*.

I seems that in the new release of debian (stretch), when you install mysql it install mariadb package with it.

Hope it helps.

Answer 3

With the command:

sudo apt-get remove --purge mysql\*

you can delete anything related to packages named mysql. Those commands are only valid on debian / debian-based linux distributions (Ubuntu for example).

You can list all installed mysql packages with the command:

sudo dpkg -l | grep -i mysql

For more cleanup of the package cache, you can use the command:

sudo apt-get clean

Also, remember to use the command:

sudo updatedb

Otherwise the "locate" command will display old data.

To install mysql again, use the following command:

sudo apt-get install libmysqlclient-dev mysql-client

This will install the mysql client, libmysql and its headers files.

To install the mysql server, use the command:

sudo apt-get install mysql-server