Is my Mac really 'Clean'?

[ShrubbySoup]

Hi,
I was wondering, after deleting Steam, i still had all of my games and preference info still on my SSD. Is it possible that when i delete other apps their preferences or files still get left behind? I'm new to the mac filesystem so i don't really know where to look, compared to pc anyway. Also is there a App that could do this process for me, because this would save me plenty of time i'm sure, Thanks ShrubbySoup

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Yes, settings and such get left behind in the Library folder.

Best way to FULLY DELETE a program without the need of any additional, inefficient applications

Visual presentation of the steps outlined in above link:

Articles explaining why Mac OS X does not need maintenance software like CCleaner, MacKeeper or CleanMyMac:

• Five Mac maintenance myths
  [*]The myth of the dirty Mac

 

[ShrubbySoup]

Thanks

 

[benwiggy]

The other thing to note is that on Windows, all settings are kept in one big file, called the Registry. If there's a problem with one setting, then the whole thing goes.
On OS X, each app's prefs are in a separate file. At worst, they will just sit there not being used.

 

[Mrbobb]

The other thing to note is that on Windows,

With Windows, I had developed a fool-proof way of dealing with this by maintaining full image backups using Ghost. OS on a separate partition of its own, so at any given time, I can "Go Back" very quickly without thinking, without having to research, time consuming what's wrong blah-blah.

With OSX, I have starting going that route via Carbon Copy. I know, there are other ways, "less drastic" shall we say, but storage is cheap. Just a couple of months ago, somehow OSX, or whatever App I installed, created a GUEST, or there was already a GUEST account but it was disabled by default, and all of a sudden on the logon screen, GUEST account was enabled! Did not like that at all, so I just pulled my CC backup, and was back to where I like to be within 20 minutes, No Thinking.

 

[smokeyrabbit]

With OSX, I have starting going that route via Carbon Copy. I know, there are other ways, "less drastic" shall we say, but storage is cheap. Just a couple of months ago, somehow OSX, or whatever App I installed, created a GUEST, or there was already a GUEST account but it was disabled by default, and all of a sudden on the logon screen, GUEST account was enabled! Did not like that at all, so I just pulled my CC backup, and was back to where I like to be within 20 minutes, No Thinking.

System Preferences>Users & Groups>Guest User>Uncheck the box that allows Guests to log into this computer. Takes about 1 minute

 

[Silvereel]

Or you could just ignore it. A worst, we're talking about five or ten megabytes here, I think.