How to Uninstall GBase Database(GBase 8a): A 5-Step Clean Removal Guide

Wrong software version, completed POC, or server migration? These situations often require a clean GBase Database(GBase 8a) uninstall.

GBase Database provides an uninstall script, but running it in the wrong order can leave services running, processes holding files, or installation directories behind.

Follow these five steps to safely uninstall GBase Database. Run the commands as the DBA user and prepare the required uninstall password in advance.

Step 1: Back Up All Database Data

Before uninstalling GBase Database, back up everything you need to retain. The uninstall script deletes database data and does not preserve it for recovery.

Make sure you back up:

• Database tables and other required data
• Configuration files
• Installation and troubleshooting logs
• External table definitions and source files
• Any load files stored outside the database

Pay special attention to external tables and load source files. Confirm their actual storage paths and make separate copies if necessary.

Do not proceed until the backup is complete and verified.

Step 2: Check for Active Business Connections

Before stopping GBase Database services, confirm that no business connections, running queries, or data loading operations remain.

Stopping services while data loading is in progress may leave incomplete files or interrupt ongoing operations.

Even in a POC environment, check for active workloads before continuing.

Step 3: Stop GBase Database Services

Stop services in reverse startup order: stop GCluster first, followed by GCware.

gcluster_services all stop
gcware_services all stop

Stopping the compute and SQL service layer before the underlying cluster management service helps ensure an orderly shutdown.

For multi-node GBase Database clusters, verify that services have stopped on every node. Stopping services on the first node does not automatically guarantee that remote nodes are clear.

Step 4: Run the GBase Database Uninstall Script

Navigate to the gcinstall directory extracted from the original installation package.

Run the uninstall script in silent mode using the original demo.options configuration file:

cd /opt/gcinstall
./unInstall.py --silent=demo.options

The script uses the existing configuration rather than requiring you to enter all installation parameters again.

Be prepared to enter the required password when prompted. The exact interaction and supported parameters may vary by GBase Database version, so consult the corresponding installation manual.

Important: Do not interrupt the uninstall process. Stopping it midway may leave the cluster in a partially removed state and require manual cleanup.

Step 5: Verify the Uninstall and Clean Up Remaining Files

After the uninstall script finishes, verify that the GBase Database processes have exited and the installation directory has been removed.

Check running processes:

ps -ef | grep -E "gcluster|gcware" | grep -v grep

Check the installation directory:

ls -ld /opt/gbase

A clean result should show no remaining GCluster or GCware processes belonging to this cluster and no remaining installation directory.

If processes remain, identify which cluster they belong to before stopping or killing them. Other database instances or services may share the same host.

If the machine will be reused, also review:

• Old environment variables and profile settings
• Scheduled jobs and automatic startup entries
• The DBA user and its associated configuration
• Residual files and directories
• System parameters modified during environment preparation

Only remove shared users, directories, or system settings after confirming that no other application depends on them.

Additional Notes: Preserve Configuration and Installation Records

The GBase Database uninstall script relies on demo.options. Archive this file together with the installation logs and backup records.

Also remember that system-level settings modified by environment preparation scripts may not be automatically restored during uninstall.

Whether these settings need manual restoration depends on the operating system and GBase Database version. Record all relevant changes in the deployment handover documentation.

For production environments, perform uninstall operations through the approved change management process. Uninstallation is irreversible, and a verified backup is the recovery path.

Final Checklist: GBase Database Uninstall

Before marking the uninstall as complete, confirm:

• [ ] Database data and required files are backed up.
• [ ] No active business connections or loading operations remain.
• [ ] GCluster and GCware services are stopped on every node.
• [ ] unInstall.py completes successfully.
• [ ] No related service processes remain.
• [ ] The installation directory is removed.
• [ ] Environment settings and startup entries are reviewed.
• [ ] demo.options and installation logs are archived.

The key takeaway: A clean GBase Database uninstall is more than running unInstall.py. Back up data, stop services in reverse startup order, execute the uninstall script, and verify every node before returning the machine to service.

Keep these five steps in your GBase Database deployment runbook to make future reinstalls, server replacements, and POC environment cleanup more predictable.