Doing a "Complete" uninstall in OS X

coolmaccoolmac
Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
How can I completely uninstall a program in OS X?

I like to make sure there are no files left of an uninstalled program, but sometimes I'll get messages like " this file owned by root" or that I don't have enough privileges.



The only reason I even use OS 9 is to remove these files that I can't in OS X,

Tomorrow I'll be replacing my hard drive and would like to install only OS X, if there's a way to completely uninstall a program.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    chychchych Posts: 860member
    you can:



    get info on the file you can't remove, go to permissions, authenticate to administrator password, change ownership, delete



    or



    fire up terminal, type in "sudo rm" and a space, drag the file you want removed onto terminal, hit enter, type in admin password (if it is a folder, you'll have to use "sudo rm -r" and a space)
  • Reply 2 of 8
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Of course, there's the slight problem that no app you initiate the installaion of should install a root-owned file that you cannot uninstall either automatically (using Installer.app and the app's Receipt), or manually.



    What files/apps are you trying to uninstall here?



    Basic rule: if it was installed with an Installer package, rerun Installer, and open the Receipt for the app (look in /Library/Receipts). You then get an Uninstall option. Use it. If it was installed by you as a drag and drop operation, drag it to the Trash.



    That's about it.
  • Reply 3 of 8
    macsrgood4umacsrgood4u Posts: 3,007member
    How do you get to terminal?
  • Reply 4 of 8
    chychchych Posts: 860member
    It's in /applications/utilities
  • Reply 5 of 8
    physguyphysguy Posts: 920member
    [quote]Originally posted by Kickaha:

    <strong>Of course, there's the slight problem that no app you initiate the installaion of should install a root-owned file that you cannot uninstall either automatically (using Installer.app and the app's Receipt), or manually.



    What files/apps are you trying to uninstall here?



    Basic rule: if it was installed with an Installer package, rerun Installer, and open the Receipt for the app (look in /Library/Receipts). You then get an Uninstall option. Use it. If it was installed by you as a drag and drop operation, drag it to the Trash.



    That's about it.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I tried this to get rid of the IPoverFW package and it only said ' can't open package is a receipt'. I tried several other receipts and got the same message. Is there another 'open' features?



    Thanks,
  • Reply 6 of 8
    serranoserrano Posts: 1,806member
    [quote]Originally posted by MacsRGood4U:

    <strong>How do you get to terminal?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    yikes.



  • Reply 7 of 8
    imacfanimacfan Posts: 444member
    This is one of the major problems that I have with updating to OS X. At the moment I am completely in control of OS 9.2.2, and know how to do most things manually. But now, I feel that going to a system that needs a command line to access some features is a step backwards.



    David
  • Reply 8 of 8
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Think of it this way...



    Your computer is like a piece of woodworking hardware.



    OS 9 is a bandsaw with no guards, no shields, no case.* You can adjust the *crap* out of it, but you have to know what you're doing, how to keep your hands out of it when, and most importantly, how to keep from getting cut. Taking care during normal use slows you down.



    (* Well, you can get to most of it, but a few of the adjustment screws are encased in epoxy and utterly unreachable. This is the manufacturer's 'do not touch this' system of keeping you from messing something up.)



    OS X is the same bandsaw with the guards, shields and case in place. You can use it 99% of the time as is without any worry, so you're faster at getting your job done... but if you *do* want to adjust something, you need to grab your tools to take the safety equipment off to get to the guts. Once you get the case off though, *everything* is available to you.



    Which would you rather use?



    It not really an issue... what coolmac seems to be struggling with is an Installer package that *didn't* offer an uninstall method (which it should) for things it placed where it shouldn't have (which it shouldn't). It's not any different than an installer under OS 9 installing items and making them invisible so you can't uninstall them. (Seen it.) It's a bad installer package.



    Coolmac, sorry for the delay: Like I just stated, most packages should allow you to uninstall, it sounds like this one isn't. Find the receipt in /Library/Receipts, and ctrl-click on it to bring up the contextual menu. Select 'Show Package Contents'. Open the Contents folder. Find the file that ends in .bom... it may be Archive.bom. PM it to me, and I can extract the information on exactly what was placed where. Or, you can open up the Terminal and use the 'lsbom -s Archive.bom' (assuming it is named Archive.bom) command to see for yourself. Post that list here, and we can all kibbutz on what it did that it shouldn't have.



    [ 02-02-2003: Message edited by: Kickaha ]</p>
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