Remove MariaDB (MySQL) Databases

Question

How do I completly remove MariaDB so I can reset the root password?

Solution

First, create a backup of {database}:

mysqldump -u {user} -p {database} > /home/$USER/Documents/backup.sql

To remove any trace of mariadb installed through apt-get:

sudo service mysql stop
sudo apt-get --purge remove "mysql*"
sudo rm -rf /etc/mysql/ 

and it is all gone. Including databases and any configuration file.

To check if anything named mysql is gone do a

sudo updatedb

and a

locate mysql

It should be fairly empty (maybe some manual pages or a connector). If though you see a my.cnf amongst the results remove that too.

Comments

[Rinzwind]

Sorry? What does the 1st have to do with the 2nd? And even if you did mean to reset the password for connecting to the database and not the root password: what does that have to do with removing mariadb?

[SteamPunk_Devil]

I used apt-get I need to pretty much reset all the passwords to it but think Ive broken it to the stage a complete reset is easier than doing it manually

[Nathan Basanese]

// , I know this is Ask Ubuntu, but do you have any ideas for how to do this without using the package manager?

[Rinzwind]

That depends on the OS you want it for.