Finder - Account password - iFilex

[Mac Elvis]

Last night I deleted Crashplan and downloaded iFilex to get rid of any persistent files that didn't get deleted as part of the uninstall.

I highlighted all of the 6 or so files at once and pressed the delete key. The mac then asked me for my account password as it was making changes to the system. However it didn't just ask me once it asked about 4 or 5 times before the files went into the Trash. I got the pizza icon for a sec or two between password prompts.

Any ideas why this happend and why the files wouldn't move into the trash in one go?

 

[GGJstudios]

Last night I deleted Crashplan and downloaded iFilex to get rid of any persistent files that didn't get deleted as part of the uninstall.

I highlighted all of the 6 or so files at once and pressed the delete key. The mac then asked me for my account password as it was making changes to the system. However it didn't just ask me once it asked about 4 or 5 times before the files went into the Trash. I got the pizza icon for a sec or two between password prompts.

Any ideas why this happend and why the files wouldn't move into the trash in one go?

In most cases, app removal software doesn't do a thorough job of finding and removing files/folders related to deleted apps. For more information, read this and this. If you just want to delete the app, drag the .app file to the trash. No other software needed. If you want to completely remove all associated files/folders, no removal apps will do the job.

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

Best way to FULLY DELETE a program​

 

[Mac Elvis]

Thanks, for clarity I do think it's to do with ifilex as the mac doesn't do this when sending files to the trash unde it's own steam

 

[Weaselboy]

Thanks, for clarity I do think it's to do with ifilex as the mac doesn't do this when sending files to the trash unde it's own steam

It is not because of iFileX. All iFileX is is a simplified search front end for Finder, it is not a application removal app. Deleting an app using iFileX is still a manual search/deletion. If iFileX asked for a password Finder would also. I just tried it with Finder. If I select the Crashplan folder in my screen cap and hit command-delete a prompt will come up asking for an admin password. This is because your are deleting a file outside the user space. The reason you have not seen this before is because you have probably only been deleting files inside the user space, like documents for example.

 

[Mac Elvis]

It is not because of iFileX. All iFileX is is a simplified search front end for Finder, it is not a application removal app. Deleting an app using iFileX is still a manual search/deletion. If iFileX asked for a password Finder would also. I just tried it with Finder. If I select the Crashplan folder in my screen cap and hit command-delete a prompt will come up asking for an admin password. This is because your are deleting a file outside the user space. The reason you have not seen this before is because you have probably only been deleting files inside the user space, like documents for example.

Thanks, I understand now. I've deleted iFilex by sending to trash and using Finder to locate any other related files. Now I have no CrashPlan and no iFilex. Just still left wondering why the prompt for my password would not go away despite keying in the correct one. As I mentioned before it took 4-5 attempts of keying in the correct password and then, IIRC, pressing cancel before all files were deleted. Very odd, any ideas?

Also could you define what is meant by User space?

 

[Weaselboy]

Thanks, I understand now. I've deleted iFilex by sending to trash and using Finder to locate any other related files. Now I have no CrashPlan and no iFilex. Just still left wondering why the prompt for my password would not go away despite keying in the correct one. As I mentioned before it took 4-5 attempts of keying in the correct password and then, IIRC, pressing cancel before all files were deleted. Very odd, any ideas?

Also could you define what is meant by User space?

I think what you were seeing was a separate password prompt for each file that required admin rights to delete, hence the repeat password requests. It does not sound like you were doing anything wrong. Like I said, that would happen in Finder or iFileX either one.

By user space I mean any files in the folder /Users/yourname (where yourname is the account name... like bjones for example). Anything in that folder belongs to you only and is considered the user space. Folders outside that area such as /Library or /System are outside your user space (folder) and often require a admin password to make changes or deletions.

I did not think to warn you about this admin password issue when we chatted yesterday.

 

[Mac Elvis]

I think what you were seeing was a separate password prompt for each file that required admin rights to delete, hence the repeat password requests. It does not sound like you were doing anything wrong. Like I said, that would happen in Finder or iFileX either one.

By user space I mean any files in the folder /Users/yourname (where yourname is the account name... like bjones for example). Anything in that folder belongs to you only and is considered the user space. Folders outside that area such as /Library or /System are outside your user space (folder) and often require a admin password to make changes or deletions.

I did not think to warn you about this admin password issue when we chatted yesterday.

Thanks for talking me through all this, really grateful. Separate password prompts crossed my mind tbh as the 2nd time it happened when I deleted the Twitter app using iFilex as an aid there were around 3 files and it could well have asked me 3 times. Its just the Crashplan search found around a dozen or so and although it asked me quite a few times I don't recall it being around 12. Does it ask for passwords repeatedly by file types in certain areas? Therefore although 12 files maybe they were in say 4/5 areas hence 4/5 password prompts? I realise this isn't a major concern but its bugging me that I can't explain it.

 

[Weaselboy]

Thanks for talking me through all this, really grateful. Separate password prompts crossed my mind tbh as the 2nd time it happened when I deleted the Twitter app using iFilex as an aid there were around 3 files and it could well have asked me 3 times. Its just the Crashplan search found around a dozen or so and although it asked me quite a few times I don't recall it being around 12. Does it ask for passwords repeatedly by file types in certain areas? Therefore although 12 files maybe they were in say 4/5 areas hence 4/5 password prompts? I realise this isn't a major concern but its bugging me that I can't explain it.

It won't necessarily ask for a PW for every file. For example on your Crashplan search it came up with about 20 items to delete. Probably over half of those are files within folders also on the list to delete. So as it deletes the folder /Library/Application Support/Crashplan for example it would take with it some of the individual files on the list, thus reducing the number of files to delete and the number of password entries to make. Also, it won't ask for a PW for files under your /Users/username folder structure.

What I usually do is delete the app itself from the list and also the relevant folders found on the list, then run the search a second time to narrow things down and make it easier to see what files you are dealing with.

 

[Mac Elvis]

It won't necessarily ask for a PW for every file. For example on your Crashplan search it came up with about 20 items to delete. Probably over half of those are files within folders also on the list to delete. So as it deletes the folder /Library/Application Support/Crashplan for example it would take with it some of the individual files on the list, thus reducing the number of files to delete and the number of password entries to make. Also, it won't ask for a PW for files under your /Users/username folder structure.

What I usually do is delete the app itself from the list and also the relevant folders found on the list, then run the search a second time to narrow things down and make it easier to see what files you are dealing with.

GREAT!! Thanks Really, thanks so much. Thats all I need to know to allow me to sleep tonight.