How to remove older versions of PHP installed via PPA
9,664
PHP 5.6 is no more installed and its configuration files are no more tracked by the package management system APT/dpkg. If it were, dpkg -l would produce a line starting with rc for it. So you can simply rm the remaining tracks of PHP 5.x found on your machine. (Note: Taking a backup before removing files is advisable.)
The versions 7.0, 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4 are installed using APT/dpkg on your machine and you can use the package management system’s tools to uninstall them, e.g. apt purge. The command to remove everything related to PHP 7.0 would be:
sudo apt purge php7.0\*
Note: Check what is going to be removed before proceeding.
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Author by
LBA
Updated on September 18, 2022Comments
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LBA almost 2 years
I've seen many similar questions but whatever I tried so far wasn't successful.
I installed PHP in different versions and in parallel from an PPA. This is exactly how I want it.
But now I have some older, unmaintained versions of PHP installed on the system (I even can see e.g. an /etc/php/php5.6 folder with content though
php5.6 -vclaims it's not installed, butphp7.0 -vstill works e.g.).How to get rid of specific older versions and their extensions.
apt purge etc. did not help and I want to keep the PPA for future versions.
EDIT Looking at the list of installed PHP packages I doubt it's installed from the PPA?
$ apt list --installed php\* php-cli/xenial,now 2:7.4+72+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 all [installiert] php-common/xenial,now 2:72+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 all [Installiert,automatisch] php-igbinary/xenial,now 3.1.0+2.0.8-2+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php-imagick/xenial,now 3.4.4-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+20191129 amd64 [installiert] php-mbstring/xenial,now 2:7.4+72+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 all [installiert] php-pear/xenial,now 1:1.10.8+submodules+notgz-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 all [installiert] php-redis/xenial,now 5.1.1+4.3.0-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.0-cli/xenial,now 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.0-common/xenial,now 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.0-curl/xenial,now 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.0-fpm/xenial,now 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.0-gd/xenial,now 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.0-json/xenial,now 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.0-mbstring/xenial,now 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.0-mysql/xenial,now 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.0-opcache/xenial,now 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.0-readline/xenial,now 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.0-xml/xenial,now 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.0-zip/xenial,now 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.2-cli/xenial,now 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.2-common/xenial,now 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.2-curl/xenial,now 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.2-dev/xenial,now 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.2-fpm/xenial,now 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.2-gd/xenial,now 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.2-intl/xenial,now 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.2-json/xenial,now 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.2-mbstring/xenial,now 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.2-mysql/xenial,now 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.2-opcache/xenial,now 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.2-readline/xenial,now 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.2-xml/xenial,now 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.2-zip/xenial,now 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.3-cli/xenial,now 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.3-common/xenial,now 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.3-curl/xenial,now 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.3-gd/xenial,now 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.3-intl/xenial,now 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.3-json/xenial,now 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.3-mysql/xenial,now 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.3-opcache/xenial,now 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.3-readline/xenial,now 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.3-xml/xenial,now 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.3-zip/xenial,now 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+1 amd64 [installiert] php7.4-cli/xenial,now 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+2 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.4-common/xenial,now 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+2 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.4-curl/xenial,now 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+2 amd64 [installiert] php7.4-fpm/xenial,now 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+2 amd64 [installiert] php7.4-gd/xenial,now 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+2 amd64 [installiert] php7.4-intl/xenial,now 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+2 amd64 [installiert] php7.4-json/xenial,now 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+2 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.4-mbstring/xenial,now 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+2 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.4-mysql/xenial,now 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+2 amd64 [installiert] php7.4-opcache/xenial,now 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+2 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.4-readline/xenial,now 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+2 amd64 [Installiert,automatisch] php7.4-xml/xenial,now 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+2 amd64 [installiert] php7.4-zip/xenial,now 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.sury.org+2 amd64 [installiert]EDIT 2 With list of dpkg (removed 'none's and 'no description available'):
$ dpkg -l php\* un php-amqp un php-apcu un php-apcu-bc un php-ast un php-calendar ii php-cli 2:7.4+72+ubuntu16.04.1+d all command-line interpreter for the PHP scripting language (default) ii php-common 2:72+ubuntu16.04.1+deb.s all Common files for PHP packages un php-console-getopt un php-ctype un php-curl un php-dom un php-exif un php-ffi un php-fileinfo un php-fpm un php-ftp un php-gd un php-geoip un php-gmagick un php-iconv ii php-igbinary 3.1.0+2.0.8-2+ubuntu16.0 amd64 igbinary PHP serializer ii php-imagick 3.4.4-1+ubuntu16.04.1+de amd64 Provides a wrapper to the ImageMagick library un php-intl un php-json ii php-mbstring 2:7.4+72+ubuntu16.04.1+d all MBSTRING module for PHP [default] un php-mcrypt un php-memcache un php-memcached un php-mongodb un php-msgpack un php-mysqli un php-mysqlnd un php-opcache un php-pdo un php-pdo-mysql ii php-pear 1:1.10.8+submodules+notg all PEAR Base System un php-pear-frontend-gtk un php-pear-frontend-web un php-phar un php-posix un php-radius un php-readline ii php-redis 5.1.1+4.3.0-1+ubuntu16.0 amd64 PHP extension for interfacing with Redis un php-rrd un php-shmop un php-simplexml un php-smbclient un php-sockets un php-ssh2 un php-structures-graph un php-sysvmsg un php-sysvsem un php-sysvshm un php-tokenizer un php-uploadprogress un php-uuid un php-wddx un php-xdebug un php-xml un php-xml-util un php-xmlreader un php-xmlwriter un php-xsl un php-zip un php-zmq un php5-fpm un php5.6-common un php5.6-igbinary un php5.6-imagick un php5.6-json un php5.6-redis un php7.0-calendar ii php7.0-cli 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+ amd64 command-line interpreter for the PHP scripting language ii php7.0-common 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+ amd64 documentation, examples and common module for PHP un php7.0-ctype ii php7.0-curl 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+ amd64 CURL module for PHP un php7.0-dom un php7.0-exif un php7.0-fileinfo ii php7.0-fpm 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+ amd64 server-side, HTML-embedded scripting language (FPM-CGI binary) un php7.0-ftp ii php7.0-gd 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+ amd64 GD module for PHP un php7.0-gettext un php7.0-iconv un php7.0-igbinary un php7.0-imagick ii php7.0-json 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+ amd64 JSON module for PHP ii php7.0-mbstring 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+ amd64 MBSTRING module for PHP rc php7.0-mcrypt 7.0.33-14+ubuntu16.04.1+ amd64 libmcrypt module for PHP ii php7.0-mysql 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+ amd64 MySQL module for PHP un php7.0-mysqli un php7.0-mysqlnd ii php7.0-opcache 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+ amd64 Zend OpCache module for PHP un php7.0-pdo un php7.0-pdo-mysql un php7.0-phar un php7.0-posix ii php7.0-readline 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+ amd64 readline module for PHP un php7.0-redis un php7.0-shmop un php7.0-simplexml un php7.0-sockets un php7.0-sysvmsg un php7.0-sysvsem un php7.0-sysvshm un php7.0-tokenizer un php7.0-wddx ii php7.0-xml 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+ amd64 DOM, SimpleXML, WDDX, XML, and XSL module for PHP un php7.0-xmlreader un php7.0-xmlwriter un php7.0-xsl ii php7.0-zip 7.0.33-15+ubuntu16.04.1+ amd64 Zip module for PHP un php7.1-igbinary un php7.1-imagick un php7.1-redis un php7.2-calendar ii php7.2-cli 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 command-line interpreter for the PHP scripting language ii php7.2-common 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 documentation, examples and common module for PHP un php7.2-ctype ii php7.2-curl 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 CURL module for PHP ii php7.2-dev 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 Files for PHP7.2 module development un php7.2-dom un php7.2-exif un php7.2-fileinfo ii php7.2-fpm 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 server-side, HTML-embedded scripting language (FPM-CGI binary) un php7.2-ftp ii php7.2-gd 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 GD module for PHP un php7.2-gettext un php7.2-iconv un php7.2-igbinary un php7.2-imagick ii php7.2-intl 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 Internationalisation module for PHP ii php7.2-json 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 JSON module for PHP ii php7.2-mbstring 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 MBSTRING module for PHP ii php7.2-mysql 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 MySQL module for PHP un php7.2-mysqli un php7.2-mysqlnd ii php7.2-opcache 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 Zend OpCache module for PHP un php7.2-pdo un php7.2-pdo-mysql un php7.2-phar un php7.2-posix ii php7.2-readline 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 readline module for PHP un php7.2-redis un php7.2-shmop un php7.2-simplexml un php7.2-sockets un php7.2-sodium un php7.2-sysvmsg un php7.2-sysvsem un php7.2-sysvshm un php7.2-tokenizer un php7.2-wddx ii php7.2-xml 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 DOM, SimpleXML, WDDX, XML, and XSL module for PHP un php7.2-xmlreader un php7.2-xmlwriter un php7.2-xsl ii php7.2-zip 7.2.27-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 Zip module for PHP un php7.3-calendar ii php7.3-cli 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 command-line interpreter for the PHP scripting language ii php7.3-common 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 documentation, examples and common module for PHP un php7.3-ctype ii php7.3-curl 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 CURL module for PHP un php7.3-dom un php7.3-exif un php7.3-fileinfo un php7.3-ftp ii php7.3-gd 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 GD module for PHP un php7.3-gettext un php7.3-iconv un php7.3-igbinary un php7.3-imagick ii php7.3-intl 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 Internationalisation module for PHP ii php7.3-json 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 JSON module for PHP rc php7.3-mbstring 7.3.13-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 MBSTRING module for PHP ii php7.3-mysql 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 MySQL module for PHP un php7.3-mysqli un php7.3-mysqlnd ii php7.3-opcache 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 Zend OpCache module for PHP un php7.3-pdo un php7.3-pdo-mysql un php7.3-phar un php7.3-posix ii php7.3-readline 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 readline module for PHP un php7.3-redis un php7.3-shmop un php7.3-simplexml un php7.3-sockets un php7.3-sysvmsg un php7.3-sysvsem un php7.3-sysvshm un php7.3-tokenizer un php7.3-wddx ii php7.3-xml 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 DOM, SimpleXML, WDDX, XML, and XSL module for PHP un php7.3-xmlreader un php7.3-xmlwriter un php7.3-xsl ii php7.3-zip 7.3.14-1+ubuntu16.04.1+d amd64 Zip module for PHP un php7.4-calendar ii php7.4-cli 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+de amd64 command-line interpreter for the PHP scripting language ii php7.4-common 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+de amd64 documentation, examples and common module for PHP un php7.4-ctype ii php7.4-curl 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+de amd64 CURL module for PHP un php7.4-dom un php7.4-exif un php7.4-ffi un php7.4-fileinfo ii php7.4-fpm 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+de amd64 server-side, HTML-embedded scripting language (FPM-CGI binary) un php7.4-ftp ii php7.4-gd 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+de amd64 GD module for PHP un php7.4-gettext un php7.4-iconv un php7.4-igbinary un php7.4-imagick ii php7.4-intl 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+de amd64 Internationalisation module for PHP ii php7.4-json 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+de amd64 JSON module for PHP ii php7.4-mbstring 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+de amd64 MBSTRING module for PHP ii php7.4-mysql 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+de amd64 MySQL module for PHP un php7.4-mysqli un php7.4-mysqlnd ii php7.4-opcache 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+de amd64 Zend OpCache module for PHP un php7.4-pdo un php7.4-pdo-mysql un php7.4-phar un php7.4-posix ii php7.4-readline 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+de amd64 readline module for PHP un php7.4-redis un php7.4-shmop un php7.4-simplexml un php7.4-sockets un php7.4-sysvmsg un php7.4-sysvsem un php7.4-sysvshm un php7.4-tokenizer ii php7.4-xml 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+de amd64 DOM, SimpleXML, XML, and XSL module for PHP un php7.4-xmlreader un php7.4-xmlwriter un php7.4-xsl ii php7.4-zip 7.4.2-1+ubuntu16.04.1+de amd64 Zip module for PHP un phpapi-20131226 un phpapi-20151012 un phpapi-20160303 un phpapi-20170718 un phpapi-20180731 un phpapi-20190902 -
LBA over 4 yearsthanks. So though other files might have been installed these tracks needs to be removed manually? Is there a simple way to identify them as they must have been part of the install process?
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Melebius over 4 years@LBA Configuration files (mostly stored in
/etc) should be removed in the purge process. I cannot tell you retrospectively why/etc/php/php5.6was not removed in your case. Maybe you had a local modification there? The purge command might have told you the reason when you uninstalled PHP 5.6 using APT in the past.
