Ubuntu - Remove and Reinstall MySQL Reason i am posting thing is because MySQL leaves to many file behind, this post can be helpful when you try to install mariadb but you ca not because of all the old MySQL files still on your Ubuntu system. apt-get remove --purge mysql* apt-get purge mysql* apt-get autoremove apt-get autoclean apt-get remove dbconfig-mysql apt-get dist-upgrade apt-get install mysql-server