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TICKET ARCHIVE -> How Do I Uninstall Apps?
filipesa - May 4, 2005 - 5:25 pm
Hi,
I am really quite new to MAC OS so this is a newbie question.
I installed several software in my ibook including Virex and Canon Photo Software.
Problem is i don't know how to uninstall ??
In Windows i have Control Panel -> Add/Remove programs , but here in OSX i don't seem to find a similar application ???
I am really quite new to MAC OS so this is a newbie question.
I installed several software in my ibook including Virex and Canon Photo Software.
Problem is i don't know how to uninstall ??
In Windows i have Control Panel -> Add/Remove programs , but here in OSX i don't seem to find a similar application ???
bobw - May 4, 2005 - 5:31 pm
Hi Filipe
Just drag the applications to the trash and empty. Most all files for the app are located within it.
Then do a Find for the name of the app. You may see a couple preference (plist) files. Trash those also.
--------
Bobw - MacOSX.com Tech Support
bobw@macosx.com
Just drag the applications to the trash and empty. Most all files for the app are located within it.
Then do a Find for the name of the app. You may see a couple preference (plist) files. Trash those also.
--------
Bobw - MacOSX.com Tech Support
bobw@macosx.com
filipesa - May 5, 2005 - 4:31 am
But isnt there some tool to uninstall the applications??
That seems very odd to me, but i am a windows user for so many years...
In Windows if i delete the app folder, i will just get a bunch of error in the next restart because the OS will start looking for the files and wont find them !!!
Wont that happen in the Mac?
Aren't there files that belong to the app, and were installed to the operative system folder and that do not have the "app name" and so i wont be able to find them ???
Isnt there a registry that needs to be deleted ??
That seems very odd to me, but i am a windows user for so many years...
In Windows if i delete the app folder, i will just get a bunch of error in the next restart because the OS will start looking for the files and wont find them !!!
Wont that happen in the Mac?
Aren't there files that belong to the app, and were installed to the operative system folder and that do not have the "app name" and so i wont be able to find them ???
Isnt there a registry that needs to be deleted ??
bobw - May 5, 2005 - 1:33 pm
Filipe
On Macs, there is no uninstaller. Some programs have an uninstaller in the their folder.
Check to see it the apps you want to uninstall has an uninstaller.
But, you can just drag to the trash with no problems.
Some apps do have other files, usually Preference files, which you can do a Find for , or look in the Preference folder for here;
user>library>preferences
These are very small files and if left there, won't cause any problems.
Mac apps usually contain most of their files in the foler. Some put files in the Documents folder here;
user>documents
and here
user>library>application support.
If you do a Find for the apps name, you can trash everything you find.
The only time a file would have another name for the app, is if a file used the name of the software developer.
On Macs, there is no Registry.
It's faily simple to trash an app on a Mac. Even if you only trashed the applications folder, you would never have any problems if other files were still in the system.
--------
Bobw - MacOSX.com Tech Support
bobw@macosx.com
On Macs, there is no uninstaller. Some programs have an uninstaller in the their folder.
Check to see it the apps you want to uninstall has an uninstaller.
But, you can just drag to the trash with no problems.
Some apps do have other files, usually Preference files, which you can do a Find for , or look in the Preference folder for here;
user>library>preferences
These are very small files and if left there, won't cause any problems.
Mac apps usually contain most of their files in the foler. Some put files in the Documents folder here;
user>documents
and here
user>library>application support.
If you do a Find for the apps name, you can trash everything you find.
The only time a file would have another name for the app, is if a file used the name of the software developer.
On Macs, there is no Registry.
It's faily simple to trash an app on a Mac. Even if you only trashed the applications folder, you would never have any problems if other files were still in the system.
--------
Bobw - MacOSX.com Tech Support
bobw@macosx.com
filipesa - May 6, 2005 - 4:53 am
Hi Bob,
Thank you for your help.
So the Mac OS doest not keep record of what apps are installed ?
How does the OS know that it must start Virex Shield upon start ? How does he know that Canon Software must be launched if i connect a photo camera ? How does he know that he must have certain apps running in background when it starts .... if there is no information besides the app folder itself ?
Wont the OS start looking for the Virex folder in the next restart ?
Thank you for your help.
So the Mac OS doest not keep record of what apps are installed ?
How does the OS know that it must start Virex Shield upon start ? How does he know that Canon Software must be launched if i connect a photo camera ? How does he know that he must have certain apps running in background when it starts .... if there is no information besides the app folder itself ?
Wont the OS start looking for the Virex folder in the next restart ?
bobw - May 6, 2005 - 7:50 am
Filipe
The Mac keeps logs here;
user>library>logs
Some apps create logs of what they install, some don't. It's up to the software developers to decide if that happens.
In the app folder, there may be an installer log also.
Programs that need to run on startup usually are programmed for this to happen on install and the files are placed in the Startup items, or the program itself has a feature built in to start upon startup.
Any virus program can cause problems on Mac OSX. It's advised not to install them. Currently, there are no viruses for an OS X system.
The Image Capture program in your App folder is what selects what to do when a camera is attached.
--------
Bobw - MacOSX.com Tech Support
bobw@macosx.com
The Mac keeps logs here;
user>library>logs
Some apps create logs of what they install, some don't. It's up to the software developers to decide if that happens.
In the app folder, there may be an installer log also.
Programs that need to run on startup usually are programmed for this to happen on install and the files are placed in the Startup items, or the program itself has a feature built in to start upon startup.
Any virus program can cause problems on Mac OSX. It's advised not to install them. Currently, there are no viruses for an OS X system.
The Image Capture program in your App folder is what selects what to do when a camera is attached.
--------
Bobw - MacOSX.com Tech Support
bobw@macosx.com
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