# Remove a chef-client

**URL:** <https://discourse.chef.io/t/remove-a-chef-client/2292>\
**Category:** Chef Infra (archive)\
**Created:** [December 27, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/remove-a-chef-client/2292 "2011-12-27T15:08:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Kelly\_Goedert](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.chef.io/kelly_goedert/32/769_2.png) [@Kelly\_Goedert](https://discourse.chef.io/u/Kelly_Goedert)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/remove-a-chef-client/2292/1 "2011-12-27T15:08:25Z")

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Hi,

how can I remove the chef-client installation from a node? It seems to  
restart by itself… I would to remove and make a clean reinstall

Thanks

Kelly

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**Author:** ![Miquel\_Torres](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.chef.io/miquel_torres/32/768_2.png) [@Miquel\_Torres](https://discourse.chef.io/u/Miquel_Torres)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/remove-a-chef-client/2292/2 "2011-12-27T20:12:26Z")

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Hi,

yeah, we have the same problem. It is dependent on you packaging  
system though. In Debian you need to:

- stop the chef-client service
- remove the chef logrotate entry (that restarts it weekly)
- Remove from run level so that it doesn't get started after a reboot

We have a recipe with the name kill\_chef\_client that does all that.  
But it is not enough because every time the Chef package is upgraded  
all that will come back!

2011/12/27 Kelly Goedert [kelly.goedert@gmail.com](mailto:kelly.goedert@gmail.com):

> Hi,
> 
> how can I remove the chef-client installation from a node? It seems to  
> restart by itself... I would to remove and make a clean reinstall
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Kelly