# Can't delete an ES index **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [August 15, 2016, 4:48pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-delete-an-es-index/58041 "2016-08-15T16:48:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bishaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@bishaka](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/bishaka)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 4:48pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-delete-an-es-index/58041/1 "2016-08-15T16:48:59Z")
I deleted an index from elasticsearch using the command curl -XDELETE '[http://localhost:9200/twitter/](http://localhost:9200/twitter/)' and also from the elasticsearch-head plugin interface..however, that index pops up again and populates with data. I also deleted the logtash config file from the directory. I am not sure why it's doing this? ---
**Author:** ![cbuescher](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/cbuescher/32/60402_2.png) [@cbuescher](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/cbuescher)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-delete-an-es-index/58041/2 "2016-08-15T18:36:35Z")
If it populates again with data you need to find the process that is feeding it. Most likely a logstash instance still running somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![bishaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@bishaka](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/bishaka)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 8:44pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-delete-an-es-index/58041/3 "2016-08-15T20:44:56Z")
I also tried to shutdown the node in the elasticsearch-head plugin interface...it is not even shutting down that node?...I am not sure what's going here.. ---
**Author:** ![bishaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@bishaka](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/bishaka)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 9:02pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-delete-an-es-index/58041/4 "2016-08-15T21:02:23Z")
I used > curl -XPOST '[http://localhost:9200/\_cluster/nodes/\_shutdown](http://localhost:9200/_cluster/nodes/_shutdown)' to shutdown the node and I get the following error: > {"error":{"root\_cause":[{"type":"invalid\_index\_name\_exception","reason":"Invalid index name [_cluster], must not start with '_'","index":"\_cluster"}],"type":"invalid\_index\_name\_exception","reason":"Invalid index name [_cluster], must not start with '_'","index":"\_cluster"},"status":400}[root@mimbo bin]# what's going on? ---
**Author:** ![warkolm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/warkolm/32/39224_2.png) [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 10:09pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-delete-an-es-index/58041/5 "2016-08-15T22:09:32Z")
What version are you on? ---
**Author:** ![bishaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@bishaka](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/bishaka)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 10:12pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-delete-an-es-index/58041/6 "2016-08-15T22:12:05Z")
I am using: Logstash version: 2.3.4 Kibana version: 4.5.4 ES version: 2.3.5 ---
**Author:** ![warkolm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/warkolm/32/39224_2.png) [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 10:25pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-delete-an-es-index/58041/7 "2016-08-15T22:25:28Z")
`_shutdown` was removed in 2.X - [https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/breaking\_20\_removed\_features.html#\_literal\_\_shutdown\_literal\_api](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/breaking_20_removed_features.html#_literal__shutdown_literal_api) ---
**Author:** ![chocolate9624](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f19dbf/32.png) [@chocolate9624](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/chocolate9624)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2017, 11:03am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-delete-an-es-index/58041/8 "2017-01-15T11:03:39Z")
How can I shudown es 2.X ？Thans！ ---
**Author:** ![dadoonet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dadoonet/32/137187_2.png) [@dadoonet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dadoonet)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2017, 11:48am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-delete-an-es-index/58041/9 "2017-01-15T11:48:39Z")
CTRL+C kill service elasticsearch stop It depends how you started it most likely ---
**Author:** ![chocolate9624](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f19dbf/32.png) [@chocolate9624](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/chocolate9624)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 7:56am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-delete-an-es-index/58041/10 "2017-01-16T07:56:09Z")
Thanks ! I can get the pid. However, this pid is changing dynamically. I can not kill this pid. ---
**Author:** ![dadoonet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dadoonet/32/137187_2.png) [@dadoonet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dadoonet)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 8:15am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-delete-an-es-index/58041/11 "2017-01-16T08:15:46Z")
Store it. This is typically what service scripts are doing IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![chocolate9624](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f19dbf/32.png) [@chocolate9624](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/chocolate9624)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 6:06am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-delete-an-es-index/58041/12 "2017-01-20T06:06:27Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 10:04pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-delete-an-es-index/58041/13 "2017-07-05T22:04:01Z")