How do I uninstall AOL?? New to OSX

phildexter · Aug 22, 2004, 12:18 PM

Hi people

I've just got a 15inch powerbook, love it. But seeing as I'm new to Apple software I've no idea how to uninstall or remove programs. I recently put AOL on, now I need to get rid of it, any advice? thanks guys

Phil

jsw · Aug 22, 2004, 12:25 PM

AOL might come with an "Uninstall AOL" script or app in the AOL folder - if so, double click on that.

Otherwise, go to (apple menu)->System Preferences->Accounts->[your account]->Startup Items and AOL (if there).

Drag the AOL folder or app from Applications to the Trash can (don't know if it's a folder or single app as I don't have it installed).

Should be done...

jsw · Aug 22, 2004, 12:27 PM

Also, from their site:

Quote:

You can always cancel your membership by calling Member Services at 1-800-827-6364. Should you decide to cancel your service before the end of your free trial, you will not incur any charges. For further help, simply go to AOL Keyword: Cancel.

Be sure to cancel!!!

munkle · Aug 22, 2004, 12:41 PM

Another way to check that you have deleted AOL, or any other app for that matter, is to do a search in Finder (Cmd-F) for AOL. All files relating to AOL will pop up and then just proceed to delete all relevant files.

Normally to delete an app all you have to do is delete it by sending it to the trash, this will still leave a preference file but at only a few kb it's not a big deal. However some apps might create a folder under Application Support etc, so doing a search is the best bet to totally remove all files associated with an app.

Sneeper · Aug 22, 2004, 02:08 PM

See if there is an AOL receipts folder. If there is, then you can find out every file that belongs to AOL. here is how:

Look in /Library/Receipts/ for a pkg folder that looks like it belongs to AOL. Let's say you find one called "AOL.pkg". Then, from the command line do:

lsbom /Library/Receipts/AOL.pkg/Contents/Archive.bom

This will list all the files that were installed by the AOL package. Then you know exactly what to delete.

mikeyredk · Aug 22, 2004, 02:40 PM

just do a search for aol in the finder and delete what comes up.

Sneeper · Aug 22, 2004, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeyredk

just do a search for aol in the finder and delete what comes up.

That only will get things with "aol" in the name. it COULD be that all of AOLs files have aol in them, but in my experience often appliications (especially pkg installers) also include files that don't have their own name in them.

beatle888 · Aug 22, 2004, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeyredk

just do a search for aol in the finder and delete what comes up.

you have to be a bit more careful than that. if you searched for .... say Flash. and deleted EVERYTHING in regards to Flash, you might be deleting something another application uses to view Flash files (like a web browser). its important to click on each file that comes up in the search results and see where its located before ditching it. If im deleting an app and find that one of the files that have that apps name in it but its located in another companies application folder (yes this does happen) then i leave that file alone. but usually just the .plst (preference file) and the application i searched for comes up. still you have to excercise SOME caution.

FredAkbar · Aug 22, 2004, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phildexter

Hi people

I've just got a 15inch powerbook, love it. But seeing as I'm new to Apple software I've no idea how to uninstall or remove programs. I recently put AOL on, now I need to get rid of it, any advice? thanks guys

Phil

To answer your question for general purposes, you can just drag something to the trash to delete it (so there should be an AOL program in your Applications folder, just drag that to the trash and empty the trash). There's no registry and no dll files everywhere like on Windows so there's no need for an Add/Remove Programs thing. Now all programs make certain other files that they use, like a file to store your custom settings and all, so like others have said, you can just do a search for "AOL" and delete anything that you're sure was just used by the AOL program.

Even if you don't do that search, it won't really hurt. Just deleting the main AOL program will free up a good bit of hard drive space, and that's all that really matters in this case.

phildexter · Aug 23, 2004, 03:06 AM

Thanks guys for all your help, seems to have worked!

Aug 22, 2004, 12:18 PM	#1
phildexter macrumors member Join Date: Aug 2004	How do I uninstall AOL?? New to OSX Hi people I've just got a 15inch powerbook, love it. But seeing as I'm new to Apple software I've no idea how to uninstall or remove programs. I recently put AOL on, now I need to get rid of it, any advice? thanks guys Phil

Aug 22, 2004, 12:25 PM	#2
jsw Demi-God (Moderator) Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Andover, MA	AOL might come with an "Uninstall AOL" script or app in the AOL folder - if so, double click on that. Otherwise, go to (apple menu)->System Preferences->Accounts->[your account]->Startup Items and AOL (if there). Drag the AOL folder or app from Applications to the Trash can (don't know if it's a folder or single app as I don't have it installed). Should be done... __________________ You'll be the one moaning for me to give you some. - THC(taken out of context)

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Aug 22, 2004, 12:41 PM	#4
munkle macrumors 68030 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: On a jet plane	Another way to check that you have deleted AOL, or any other app for that matter, is to do a search in Finder (Cmd-F) for AOL. All files relating to AOL will pop up and then just proceed to delete all relevant files. Normally to delete an app all you have to do is delete it by sending it to the trash, this will still leave a preference file but at only a few kb it's not a big deal. However some apps might create a folder under Application Support etc, so doing a search is the best bet to totally remove all files associated with an app.

Aug 22, 2004, 02:08 PM	#5
Sneeper macrumors regular Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: San Francisco	See if there is an AOL receipts folder. If there is, then you can find out every file that belongs to AOL. here is how: Look in /Library/Receipts/ for a pkg folder that looks like it belongs to AOL. Let's say you find one called "AOL.pkg". Then, from the command line do: lsbom /Library/Receipts/AOL.pkg/Contents/Archive.bom This will list all the files that were installed by the AOL package. Then you know exactly what to delete.

Aug 22, 2004, 02:40 PM	#6
mikeyredk macrumors 65816 Join Date: Mar 2003	just do a search for aol in the finder and delete what comes up.

Aug 23, 2004, 03:06 AM	#10
phildexter Thread Starter macrumors member Join Date: Aug 2004	Thanks guys for all your help, seems to have worked!