linux - Uninstall python built from source?

Question

I've installed python 2.6 from source, and somehow later mistakenly installed another python 2.6 from a package manager too.

I can't find a way to uninstall a python that was built from source, is this possible/easy?

Running ubuntu 10.04.

Answer 1

You can use checkinstall to remove Python. The idea is:

1. Install checkinstall
2. Use checkinstall to make a deb of your Python installation
3. Use dpkg -r to remove the deb.

See this post for more details.

PS. Note that Ubuntu must always have at least one installation of Python installed, or else major pieces of your OS stop working. Above, I'm assuming it's safe to remove the Python built from source, without removing the Python that was installed by the package manager.

PPS. If you accidentally erase all Python installations from your Ubuntu machine, all is not lost. Instructions on how to recover from this situation can be found here.

Answer 2

In the future it may be prudent to use sudo checkinstall.

Answer 3

I did the following and reinstall using 'make install' and it worked.

whereis python3.6
rm -rf /usr/local/lib/python3.6
rm -rf /usr/local/bin/python3.6*
make install

Answer 4

Have you looked into make uninstall I believe this should work for you, assuming you have the python 2.6 source and the make file has uninstall available (it should).

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-newbie-8/source-uninstall-with-make-uninstall-howto-230225/

Answer 5

1. "make uninstall" is your best bet. Unfortunately, it sounds like your particular source install doesn't have an "uninsall" target. Drag :(

2. "setup.py uninstall" is another good suggestion. Please post back if you have it, and if it worked. Unfortunately, it, too, might not exist with your particular source install.

3. Failing all else, a "brute force" method would be:

   a) dpkg -l # Find out the exact version of your Python package

   dpkg -L YOUR_PYTHON_PACKAGE_AND_VERSION # Get a list of all files in the package

   b) cd YOUR_PYTHON_SOURCE

   ./configure

   make clean

   make install # Get a list of all files in the source install

   c) dpkg -r YOUR_PYTHON_PACKAGE_AND_VERSION # Remove the package

   d) Go on a search-and-destroy mission for all files you identified in steps a) and b)

   e) Reinstall from package (recommended) or source

   f) Voila! Done.

'Hope that helps .. PSM

Answer 6

Below command removed all the things it installed for me.

make -n install

Answer 7

Do you still have the source directory where you compiled Python before? If so, you can CD into that directory and run sudo make uninstall.

If you don't have it still, you could re-create it by going through the build steps again--download, extract, configure, and make--but end with sudo make uninstall instead of sudo make install, of course.