*completely* erasing a program and associated files

[Ynought]

okay. I would like to *totally* erase opera from my machine. I must have inadvertantly visited a dodgy site with a virus or something. When I go to Google Images, there are '.jpe' images where the normal current 'O' and 'G' images are (if you image google something, you'll see one red 'O' and one blue, lower-case 'G'...well...*he he*....*I* don't...instead I see someone's idea of a joke). anyhoo, I've tried trashing opera and emptying the trash and searching for 'opera' on the mac, trashing those files and emptying the trash but to no avail. Any ideas? do I have a virus? how do I get rid of those dispicable (and inexplicible) images?!

[ra3ndy]

There's very little chance you have a virus, as no one else has one. Odds are you've simply corrupted Opera. Does this problem persist if you use Safari or Firefox?

As an aside: Do you mind if I ask WHY youre using Opera? Only about .9% of the internet shares your opinion that it's a useful browser (then again, 70% think Internet Explorer is useful). In OS 9, Opera was better than IE, but nowadays Safari and Firefox are really your most reliable options for websurfing. Just a harmless query.

[dmetzcher]

To remove Opera, and any preference files that it uses, do the following:
1. Switch to the Finder.
2. Press Command+F to bring up the Find window.
3. In the search field, type "opera" (no quotes).
4. Wait a few seconds, and then delete the Opera application file, and any files that have "opera" in them and end in ".plist". (They will look something like: com.something.opera.plist - or a variation on that theme.)

[mattocm]

Can't remember if I found it on Macupdate or somewhere else, but it's called AppZapper. Just drag the application icon onto the window and it automatically Zaps the application and all associated pref/plist/etc files. Awesome. One of the few shareware things I've gone and paid for after the very first use. I'm a freeware/shareware/demo junkie and this thing helps me get apps I don't like completely off of my machine.

Hope this helps.

[Ynought]

appzapper doesn't want to work. it says the app is 'safe or open' and won't let me modify the prefs without a purchase. i don't want to shell out the dough if it ain't gonna do the trick.

re: why i like opera. dunno. just do. i like mouse gestures, i guess and the fact that when i close and reopen, the pages i was visiting re-render. i also like being able to direct my downloads case-by-case. i use camino rather than safari or firefox and like it ok. it crashes sometimes and doesn't render video that well (youtubeit.coms anyway). i loyal to opera but more'n anything i want those 'jpe's off my computer.

i tried the first suggetion. reinstalled opera and deleted and reinstalled again. even just recently upgraded. nothin' doin'.

any other ideas?