How to remove MacKeeper?

A google search "remove mackeeper from Mac" returns quite a few options for how to do it.

moonbeep said:

Hi

Want to uninstall Mackeeper but not sure how,went to applications and dragged it too trash but it says the program is still open,anybody know how i close it please so i can remove it

Click to expand...

To completely remove MacKeeper, follow the instructions in the following link, using "MacKeeper", "zeobit" and "antivirus" as your search terms.

The most effective method for complete app removal is manual deletion:

moonbeep said:

Just reformatted the machine,so its off,also installed an extra 8gb of ram today and updated to 10.7.3 and machine feels laggy even after reformat,sorry for all the questions,never had a mac before and have only had it week today,done what it said on google to remove it but it wouldn't work for me,maybe i was not reading the right information or reading it wrong

Click to expand...

I can't vouch for anything you might have read from a Google search, but the instructions I posted would have completely removed MacKeeper without needing to reformat.

As for being laggy after reformatting, check to see if Spotlight is indexing by looking at the Menu Bar icon: (not indexing) (indexing)

Also, launch Activity Monitor and change "My Processes" at the top to "All Processes", then click on the CPU column heading once or twice, so the arrow points downward (highest values on top). Then look to see what may be consuming system resources.

moonbeep said:

Thanks for that,just using up my 90 day entitlement to support,got a tech ringing later today so hopefully they will talk me through whats going on,maybe its something simple

Click to expand...

If you don't get it resolved, let us know. Remember "Genius" is only their job title, and not necessarily an indication of their knowledge, expertise or experience. Hopefully, you'll get someone who knows what they're doing.

New to the forum, and my computer literacy is about at a 3rd grade level,lol. I'm one of those who got suckered into MacKeeper. My computer is running fine, and I haven't experienced any issues. Since I have it already, should I remove it anyways or just keep it? Sorry to hijack the thread, but I didn't see any sense in starting another one about MacKeeper.

Get rid of it. It is not worth it and a total waste of time.

ndpuckhead said:

New to the forum, and my computer literacy is about at a 3rd grade level,lol. I'm one of those who got suckered into MacKeeper. My computer is running fine, and I haven't experienced any issues. Since I have it already, should I remove it anyways or just keep it? Sorry to hijack the thread, but I didn't see any sense in starting another one about MacKeeper.

Click to expand...

I highly recommend you uninstall it, using the instructions in the 3rd post in this thread. You didn't hijack the thread, as your question is on-topic.

I can't get the Mackeeper stuff to respond to "quit" or "force quit" in the Activity Monitor. What am I doing wrong?

how to uninstall mackeeper

I had the same problems trying to uninstall MacKeeper. Every time I tried to drag it to the Trash, it said the program was still open and wouldn't let me. And the program was NOT open. After looking around online at a bunch of tips, here's what I did:

-Restarted my Mac in Safe Mode. How do you do that? As soon as you hear the startup chime, hold down the Shift key until the screen is gray and the apple icon appears.

-Searched for MacKeeper in Applications. Dragged all files into the Trash. It worked.

-Restarted my computer in regular mode and emptied the Trash.

Then I went back online and read that I could still have MacKeeper files all over my computer. So then I:

-Downloaded a free App called Find File. http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/30073/find-file

-Using Find File, I searched for files named "MacKeeper" and "Zoebit." And found almost two dozen in various places.

-Moved all files to the Trash. It wouldn't let me drag the files to the Trash icon in the bottom corner of my screen. I had to open the Trash so you see the box window (sorry, I am not a techie). Then I hit Command+A to highlight all the files that had been found and moved them to the Trash.

-Emptied the Trash Can.

Then I ran into ANOTHER problem. It would not let me empty one of the items from the trash because a file "was still in use." The item it would not let me empty was the MacKeeper folder. The file inside it that was still in use was "Antivirus." So then I:

-Restarted my computer in Safe Mode again.

-Emptied the Trash in Safe Mode.

-Restarted my computer in regular mode. Went into the Trash can, and the MacKeeper folder was gone.

-Performed another file search of my computer using File Finder. No MacKeeper or Zoebit files turned up.

Now, who knows if this truly did work. I am not a techie. But I want to believe that it did!

VivaKat said:

Now, who knows if this truly did work. I am not a techie. But I want to believe that it did!

Click to expand...

You could avoid all of that if you simply follow the instructions in post #3 of this thread.

i tried #3, but not being very technically capable, i found the instructions confusing. and way too many steps. plus i was never able to get the find feature working in the activity monitor. couldn't get the window it shows on my computer. i tried watching the video too and no luck.

looking back on what i did to fix it, i probably could have just:

found all mackeep and related files using File Finder
moved to Trash
restarted computer in Safe Mode
Emptied Trash
done.

but as i say again, i'm not a techie.
and that said, i've spent waayyyy too much time on this board. lol.

VivaKat said:

i tried #3, but not being very technically capable, i found the instructions confusing. and way too many steps. plus i was never able to get the find feature working in the activity monitor.

Click to expand...

You don't need any "find feature" in Activity Monitor. That's used in Finder. The steps to remove the app are fewer, simpler and much faster than the process you described. Anyway, hopefully you've resolved it. If not, and you need help, let us know.

VivaKat said:

i've spent waayyyy too much time on this board. lol.

Click to expand...

After only 2 posts? If that's waayyyy too much time, I'm in deep trouble!

Hi

I was a sucker with MacKeeper too. It let me drag it to Trash and I thought I had disposed of it...it's nowhere to be found in Apps. Except I get pop ups more and more regularly.

How do I uninstall / remove it if I cannot find it?

Thanks

to the poster above. Let me suggest you this; Download iFile from http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/41289/ifilex and then search for "MacKeeper" and perhaps after that "Zeobit" using no quotes. That ought to give you some results.

But before I forget then see if you have some MacKeeper helper running in the background by checking up on Activity Monitor in your Utilities folder. If yes, quit it(there's a red button for that in the toolbar) You can proceed checking for files that MacKeeper is laying around.

Allan - ifilex worked and found five files that aren't showing up on Activity Monitor...do I just delete them and that's it?

PSnark said:

How do I uninstall / remove it if I cannot find it?

Click to expand...

Read post #3 of this thread. Follow the instructions carefully.

The bigger question is, if this app is as bad as most say it is, why does MacRumors accept advertising for it? It just appeared on THIS thread! (Yes, I know many ad programs are automated).

xav8tor said:

The bigger question is, if this app is as bad as most say it is, why does MacRumors accept advertising for it? It just appeared on THIS thread! (Yes, I know many ad programs are automated).

Click to expand...

From the Forum FAQ:

What do I do about annoying ads?

MacRumors uses an advertising service that supplies ads from a pool. We do not select the specific ads shown or the specific advertisers who participate.

Click to expand...

GGJstudios said:

From the Forum FAQ:

Click to expand...

Yep, I know how those work, but you should be able to block ads you don't want biz from. Alternatively, post a disclaimer saying if MacKeeper pops up we do NOT endorse them, nor do we accept revenue share from their clickthroughs.