Cleaning Ubuntu Junk and Redundant Packages: Tutorial

[Alboguy]

Hey Guys!!

This is my first tutorial. It's a summary of a bunch of tutorials that I've read in different blogs.

Ok let's start.

1.Cleaning leftover packages with Synaptic Package Manager

Go to System/Administartion/Synaptic Package Manager and when the app pops out click Status. Here's an image:


Then click Not Installed (residual config). The packages that appear are leftover packages by uninstalled software. So select them all and click Mark for complete removal and then Apply. The packages will be completely removed.

2.Remove partial packages with GtkOrphan

Open Synaptic Package Manager again and in the search field type GtkOrphan.
Select the package and click Mark for installation and the Apply. After the succesfull installation you can find GtkOrphan under System/Administration/Remove Orphaned Packages.


Open it and go to Orphaned packages tab. Select the packages and click OK to delete them.

3. Download and Install Bleachbit

Bleachbit it's pretty much like CCleaner in Windows.


You can download Bleachbit from Ubuntu Software Center or get the latest version from his official website. After installation you can find Bleachbit under Applications/System Tools.
Be careful when selecting the settings!! Do not check Places under Firefox beacuse it will delete your current bookmarks and restore Firefox bookmarks to it's original state (Most Visited, Lastest News etc.). And be careful when choosing the settings under System too!! Bleachbit has a second part: Bleachbit as Administrator. With it you can clean up some logs that the system doesn't give you permition to delete.

This is it guys!! I hope you find it useful. You're welcome for any suggestions and opinion. Thank You!!

[hellnoire]

Most people don't realize there's a command line option too for the removal of packages no longer needed.

sudo apt-get autoremove

Simple, short, sweet. A nice touch, if you ask me. But overall, very complete.

[Alboguy]

Most people don't realize there's a command line option too for the removal of packages no longer needed.

sudo apt-get autoremove

Simple, short, sweet. A nice touch, if you ask me. But overall, very complete.

Yeah but Bleachbit can do it automaticly right?

[hellnoire]

Yes it can.

I offer it as a solution only for completeness. Nothing more. (Three you named are the most common, and the fourth, the one I named, completes the quad combo that we have for cleaners under Ubuntu if I remember right.)

[johnshaw1917]

Thanks Alboguy, will keep this in mind!