How to completely uninstall python 2.7.13 on Ubuntu 16.04

Question:

I installed Python 2.7.13 on Ubuntu 16.04 according to this guide, and it became the default version as an alternative to the version 2.7.12. But, I wanted to completely remove Python 2.7.13 and return back to the version 2.7.12 as the default version since the pip command does not work with the following error.

bash: /usr/local/bin/pip: /usr/bin/python: bad interpreter: No such file or directory

Could you please help me how to completely remove Python 2.7.13 from Ubuntu 16.04? Otherwise, could you please suggest how to fix the above error?

Asked By: Lucas

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Answers:

caution : It is not recommended to remove the default Python from Ubuntu, it may cause GDM(Graphical Display Manager, that provide graphical login capabilities) failed.

To completely uninstall Python2.x.x and everything depends on it. use this command:

sudo apt purge python2.x-minimal

As there are still a lot of packages that depend on Python2.x.x. So you should have a close look at the packages that apt wants to remove before you let it proceed.

Thanks, I hope it will be helpful for you.

Answered By: Subarata Talukder

try following to see all instances of python

whereis python
which python

Then remove all instances using:

sudo apt autoremove python

repeat sudo apt autoremove python(for all versions)
that should do it, then install Anaconda and manage Pythons however you like if you need to reinstall it.

Answered By: Sean
sudo apt purge python2.7-minimal
Answered By: tayfun Kılıç

How I do:

# Remove python2
sudo apt purge -y python2.7-minimal

# You already have Python3 but 
# don't care about the version 
sudo ln -s /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/python

# Same for pip
sudo apt install -y python3-pip
sudo ln -s /usr/bin/pip3 /usr/bin/pip

# Confirm the new version of Python: 3
python --version
Answered By: Benoit Mariaux

Sometimes you need to first update the apt repo list.

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt purge python2.7-minimal
Answered By: Radzor

This is what I have after doing purge of all the python versions and reinstalling only 3.6.

root@esp32:/# python
Python 3.6.0b2 (default, Oct 11 2016, 05:27:10) 
[GCC 6.2.0 20161005] on linux
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> 
root@esp32:/# python3
Python 3.8.0 (default, Dec 15 2019, 14:19:02) 
[GCC 6.2.0 20161005] on linux
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.

Also the pip and pip3 commands are totally f up:

root@esp32:/# pip
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/bin/pip", line 7, in <module>
    from pip._internal.cli.main import main
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/pip/_internal/cli/main.py", line 60
    sys.stderr.write(f"ERROR: {exc}")
                                   ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

root@esp32:/# pip3
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/bin/pip3", line 7, in <module>
    from pip._internal.cli.main import main
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/pip/_internal/cli/main.py", line 60
    sys.stderr.write(f"ERROR: {exc}")
                                   ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

I am totally noob at Linux, I just wanted to update Python from 2.x to 3.x so that Platformio could upgrade and now I messed up everything it seems.

Answered By: bbogdanmircea