Q4OS Forum

Dai_trying

Member

From: UK

Registered: 2015-12-14

Posts: 2,992

Removing snap core packages

I installed the snapd experimental package with the intention of trying out this new packaging system and for reasons I wont go into with this post I would like to remove it from my system. I have removed all packages that I had previously installed and then removed the snapd package but have been left with the ubuntu-core package in /snap/ .
I tried a simple sudo rm -rf snap/ but it would seem that as these are system files and not supposed to be removed they are read only. I will try chmodding all the files but thought I would post to see if there is any way to just remove this package for future reference.
I have looked on launchpad and there is already a bug filed because this package cannot be removed (and will keep an eye on any further information there), but still have to remove it from this system anyway.

Thanks for reading

Dai

EDIT: tried booting another distribution and completely removed all files and folders from /snapd then removed the snapd folder and was surprised to see all files and folders back when I rebooted back into q4os!!! HELP!!!!

Last edited by Dai_trying (2016-06-22 22:56)

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 4,501

Website

Re: Removing snap core packages

You will not need to boot a rescue cd, just run from Q4OS terminal:
$ sudo apt-get purge snapd ubuntu-core-launcher
$ sudo rm /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/snap-* /etc/systemd/system/snap-*
$ sudo reboot
$ sudo rm -rf /var/lib/snapd /var/snap /snap

Dai_trying

Member

From: UK

Registered: 2015-12-14

Posts: 2,992

Re: Removing snap core packages

Thanks guys that seems to have done the trick.
I think this is an attempt by Ubuntu to embed itself on all linux distro's. Good marketing ploy maybe, but I left Ubuntu a long time ago and just keep one installation for testing, and even then they insist on making life difficult for me by hard-coding which side the minimize/maximize/close icons are located in the app windows! it's now (IMO) the most awkward OS linux has to offer!
And the don't appear to want to fix the xmms2 bug that has been reported (with fix) either! Damn Ubuntu!!!!!

But on the bright side, I think that overall the snap package system does have some benefits (for most users) being able to install a package regardless of their main packaging system is a plus. I however, will be sticking to apt (or yum/yast etc, depending on distribution)and installing packages "the proper way" (IMO).

From what I have seen so far the packages are all run in a virtual environment provided by Ubuntu, so any problems with ubuntu systems will be reflected throughout the Linux community using these packages (If I have understood "snap" correctly).