delete applications in os x without leaving leftovers?

[ethan101]

hi i was just wondering if there is an easy way to delete everything associated with an application. for example i delete msn messenger and the preferences are left over in my library so i have to search them out and delete them


any ideas?

Ethan

 

[WildCowboy]

AppZapper is a very good program for this, but it costs a few bucks. Otherwise just do the Spotlight search for the app's name and you should find most of them...that's the free and dirty way.

 

[flyguy451]

I've been using Cleanapp for awhile - seems to be well worth the ten bucks to buy it.

Macupdate: Cleanapp

 

[Aniej]

listen to wildcowboy! appzapper hands down, not even a debate to be had here really.

 

[flyguy451]

I disagree. This article on the Apple Matters website says that CleanApp is better than AppZapper;

"Summary

AppZapper is a good program and removes applications well, but it doesn’t have the extra features that CleanApp does whilst still remaining ridiculously simple to use. The backup option (Archive) is an excellent way to prolong the life of this wee program and it’s good to be able to remove unwanted widgets and plugins with ease without having to search through your system to do it manually. Want another reason to buy CleanApp over AppZapper? It’s $2 cheaper. Okay, it’s not a great deal of money but you’re paying $2 less for almost double the amount of features available. "

Full article here: Apple Matters CleanApp vs AppZapper

 

[WildCowboy]

I disagree. This article on the Apple Matters website says that CleanApp is better than AppZapper;

CleanApp could be a decent app...I spotted the MacBytes link to this AppleMatters article, and it does look good. I haven't used it though, so I can't personally vouch for it, as I can AppZapper. (I also picked up AppZapper for free through a MacZOT offer awhile ago, so you can't beat that price.)

I'm not sold on the archive feature of CleanApp yet. If I want to reinstall an app later, I'll leave the prefs in place and not zap them. If I want to archive the app, I'll save the .dmg in came in. But I suppose it could be useful, and if I tried it I might very well wonder how I lived without it, but from the outside, it's not a must-get for me yet.

 

[Aniej]

I disagree. This article on the Apple Matters website says that CleanApp is better than AppZapper;

"Summary

AppZapper is a good program and removes applications well, but it doesn’t have the extra features that CleanApp does whilst still remaining ridiculously simple to use. The backup option (Archive) is an excellent way to prolong the life of this wee program and it’s good to be able to remove unwanted widgets and plugins with ease without having to search through your system to do it manually. Want another reason to buy CleanApp over AppZapper? It’s $2 cheaper. Okay, it’s not a great deal of money but you’re paying $2 less for almost double the amount of features available. "

Full article here: Apple Matters CleanApp vs AppZapper

What are you talking about, all you do is hit the little genie button and it lists every single application you have and when it was last used. Similarly, right at the bottom of appzapper is a drop down list of all widgets, prefs, screensavers, etc.

 

[Aniej]

CleanApp could be a decent app...I spotted the MacBytes link to this AppleMatters article, and it does look good. I haven't used it though, so I can't personally vouch for it, as I can AppZapper. (I also picked up AppZapper for free through a MacZOT offer awhile ago, so you can't beat that price.)

I'm not sold on the archive feature of CleanApp yet. If I want to reinstall an app later, I'll leave the prefs in place and not zap them. If I want to archive the app, I'll save the .dmg in came in. But I suppose it could be useful, and if I tried it I might very well wonder how I lived without it, but from the outside, it's not a must-get for me yet.

oh and that's exactly right, i am looking to trash the application, not save it. if i really have a desire to archive some aspect, then i will leave it in place, but the point is to effectively eliminate the files.

 

[Hobofuzz]

I use AppDelete.

I tested AppZapper once against AppDelete, removing VMWare Fusion. AppZapper caught only the config files, while AppDelete caught the drivers, the configuration files, the documentation, EVERYTHING.

 

[Aniej]

I use AppDelete.

I tested AppZapper once against AppDelete, removing VMWare Fusion. AppZapper caught only the config files, while AppDelete caught the drivers, the configuration files, the documentation, EVERYTHING.

interesting i have not heard of this before, but will definitely check it out now. is it freeware

 

[Aniej]

and i just answered my lazy butt's question...

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/31123

freeware

 

[Aniej]

commmeee on now

ok just tried appdelete and it sucks. how do you even begin to suggest that this is better let alone stands in the same room as appzapper? you have to drag each application, one-by-one into the appdelete icon for it to do anything at all. that is really annoying when you measure it against any of the other similar applications out there. i thought this picture summed up my views pretty well!

 

[scott523]

I just tested AppDelete and it was nowhere close to deleting the crap that came with Adobe Reader. There were remnants of Adobe installation logs, .plist, etc.

As for AppZapp, it was worse. I dragged Adobe Reader into AppZapp and it refuses to uninstall. Then I dragged the Adobe Download Manager and AppZapp found all but missed one file in the Receipts folder.