qubes-doc/troubleshooting/remove-vm-manually.md

---
layout: doc
title: How to Remove VMs Manually
permalink: /doc/remove-vm-manually/
---

How to Remove VMs Manually
==========================

How to Remove a TemplateVM Manually 
------------------------------------------

Try the [normal method] before resorting to these.
All of the following commands should be executed in a dom0 terminal.

### R3.2

1. Remove the TemplateVM's directory:

       $ rm -rf /var/lib/qubes/vm-templates/<template-name>

2. Remove the TemplateVM from qubes.xml:

       $ qvm-remove --just-db <template-name>

3. Remove the TemplateVM's `*.desktop` files from `~/.local/share/applications`:

       $ rm ~/.local/share/applications/<template-name>*

4. Remove the TemplateVM's Applications Menu entry:
        
       $ sudo rm /etc/xdg/menus/applications-merged/<template-name>*


[normal method]: /doc/templates/#how-to-install-uninstall-and-reinstall

### R4.0

When a template is marked as 'installed by package manager', but cannot be uninstalled there, trying to uninstall manually will result in the error "ERROR: VM installed by package manager: template-vm-name". Do as follows to be able to uninstall the template:

1. Check the state of `installed_by_rpm`

       $ qvm-prefs template-vm-name

2. If `installed_by_rpm - True]`, mark the template as not installed by package manager

       $ qvm-prefs template-vm-name installed_by_rpm false

3. Re-check the state of `installed_by_rpm`

- If `installed_by_rpm - False`, remove the template like you would a regular qube:

       $ qvm-remove template-vm-name

- If `installed_by_rpm` remains `True`, reboot your computer to bring qubes.xml in sync with qubesd, and try again to remove the template.
Create page on removing VMs manually 2016-12-20 08:36:06 -05:00			`---`
			`layout: doc`
			`title: How to Remove VMs Manually`
			`permalink: /doc/remove-vm-manually/`
			`---`

			`How to Remove VMs Manually`
			`==========================`

Update remove-vm-manually.md I added a description of how to remove templates installed by a package manager that are no longer listed in that or falsely labeled as such 2018-07-16 17:51:13 -04:00			`How to Remove a TemplateVM Manually`
Add section on installing, uninstalling, and reinstalling templates Also includes other miscellaneous fixes and improvements 2018-06-12 22:50:03 -04:00			`------------------------------------------`
Create page on removing VMs manually 2016-12-20 08:36:06 -05:00
Update remove-vm-manually.md I added a description of how to remove templates installed by a package manager that are no longer listed in that or falsely labeled as such 2018-07-16 17:51:13 -04:00			`Try the [normal method] before resorting to these.`
Add section on installing, uninstalling, and reinstalling templates Also includes other miscellaneous fixes and improvements 2018-06-12 22:50:03 -04:00			`All of the following commands should be executed in a dom0 terminal.`
Create page on removing VMs manually 2016-12-20 08:36:06 -05:00
Update remove-vm-manually.md I added a description of how to remove templates installed by a package manager that are no longer listed in that or falsely labeled as such 2018-07-16 17:51:13 -04:00			`### R3.2`

Create page on removing VMs manually 2016-12-20 08:36:06 -05:00			`1. Remove the TemplateVM's directory:`

Add section on installing, uninstalling, and reinstalling templates Also includes other miscellaneous fixes and improvements 2018-06-12 22:50:03 -04:00			`$ rm -rf /var/lib/qubes/vm-templates/<template-name>`
Create page on removing VMs manually 2016-12-20 08:36:06 -05:00
			`2. Remove the TemplateVM from qubes.xml:`

Add section on installing, uninstalling, and reinstalling templates Also includes other miscellaneous fixes and improvements 2018-06-12 22:50:03 -04:00			`$ qvm-remove --just-db <template-name>`
Create page on removing VMs manually 2016-12-20 08:36:06 -05:00
			3. Remove the TemplateVM's `*.desktop` files from `~/.local/share/applications`:

Add section on installing, uninstalling, and reinstalling templates Also includes other miscellaneous fixes and improvements 2018-06-12 22:50:03 -04:00			`$ rm ~/.local/share/applications/<template-name>*`
Create page on removing VMs manually 2016-12-20 08:36:06 -05:00
Remove redundant string (closes #309) 2017-03-09 11:41:55 -05:00			`4. Remove the TemplateVM's Applications Menu entry:`
Added Applications Menu entry fix 2017-03-09 11:30:12 -05:00
Add section on installing, uninstalling, and reinstalling templates Also includes other miscellaneous fixes and improvements 2018-06-12 22:50:03 -04:00			`$ sudo rm /etc/xdg/menus/applications-merged/<template-name>*`


			`[normal method]: /doc/templates/#how-to-install-uninstall-and-reinstall`

Update remove-vm-manually.md I added a description of how to remove templates installed by a package manager that are no longer listed in that or falsely labeled as such 2018-07-16 17:51:13 -04:00			`### R4.0`

			`When a template is marked as 'installed by package manager', but cannot be uninstalled there, trying to uninstall manually will result in the error "ERROR: VM installed by package manager: template-vm-name". Do as follows to be able to uninstall the template:`

			1. Check the state of `installed_by_rpm`

			`$ qvm-prefs template-vm-name`

			2. If `installed_by_rpm - True]`, mark the template as not installed by package manager

			`$ qvm-prefs template-vm-name installed_by_rpm false`

			3. Re-check the state of `installed_by_rpm`

			- If `installed_by_rpm - False`, remove the template like you would a regular qube:

			`$ qvm-remove template-vm-name`

			- If `installed_by_rpm` remains `True`, reboot your computer to bring qubes.xml in sync with qubesd, and try again to remove the template.