removing applications???

new to mac and wondering what is the proper way to remove applications and all associated files. in response to an earlier question regarding windows media player i want to remove WMP from my system. thanks, steve

Welcome to Mac-Forums, skywyler. You'd have to check to see if the app has its own uninstaller or if you can dispose of them yourself.

Being a Micro$oft app, I would imagine it does come with its own uninstaller and that if you try to get rid of it yourself, you'll be having one heck of a time to get all the bits scattered all over the system off of your Mac. Same goes for Adobe apps.

If it's an ordinary app, I use AppZapper which isn't free, though - $12. Some people will suggest AppDelete instead (which is freeware), but I've seen here and there some reports they had problems with it so not all the improvements that were supposed to be included in the latest version seem to work or some parts still need some tweaking.

I second the AppZapper suggestion!

It's a great app! And it's addictive, LOL! I use it whenever I want to get rid of some software

When uninstalling, I'll run a spotlight check for all associated files, folders, and orphaned extensions.

Sorry, I'm pretty new around here, but I must take issue with this. Us Mac users constantly sit around saying how easy Macs are to use, and I open this thread to find people recommending spending money on additional software to remove software!? In the case of WMP I can kind of understand because it is a real pain, but as a default response? I'm not abrasive, I just think this is bad representation. The answer to your question is here, good luck:

http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-3513-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=887&messageID=331656&start=-9958

Uh... whatever happened to just "drag to Trash" + "Empty Trash" THE END?

The Mac version of WMP is a single package like most apps, no?

@remain

No. Usually you would be right on the money, but not with WMP. MS really wanted to tie it into the system. Typical.

I use AppZapper because I just don't have the time to sift through what Spotlight will or will not turn up in the hits.

I have seen apps with bits that stay behind in the system because those files don't share the same name as the app that was dragged to the trash: so this means you have to make another Spotlight search with the name of the developer or the company that made the program, for instance. And then I could make a mistake and delete something I might just need. With all the beta testing, various tweaks to AppZapper and having to shell out the dough to use it, I imagine problems like these have been ironed out.

To me it's just a question efficiency and saving time.

MacHeadCase said:

I use AppZapper because I just don't have the time to sift through what Spotlight will or will not turn up in the hits.

Click to expand...

I share your pain.

I shutter to admit the number of times I've spent running multiple searches for every possible manifestation of a program's name to delete. Even then, there's one or two hidden somewhere that I'll never find. LOL

That AppDelete thing sounds like a pretty good idea.

I use CleanApp... It is perfect!

Only $10

Doesn't Windows Media Player in particular have an uninstaller that comes with it?

remain said:

Uh... whatever happened to just "drag to Trash" + "Empty Trash" THE END?

The Mac version of WMP is a single package like most apps, no?

Click to expand...

Thorin said:

@remain

No. Usually you would be right on the money, but not with WMP. MS really wanted to tie it into the system. Typical.

Click to expand...

Um..... then is it abnormal if I just dragged Windows Media Player.app from the Applications folder to the Trash then did Empty Trash?

Or are there other files I'm also supposed to delete before WMP can be considered to be "fully uninstalled"?

(note: I'm using Tiger now, and WMP was installed before the upgrade from Panther. Don't know if that makes a difference.)

remain said:

Um..... then is it abnormal if I just dragged Windows Media Player.app from the Applications folder to the Trash then did Empty Trash?

Or are there other files I'm also supposed to delete before WMP can be considered to be "fully uninstalled"?

(note: I'm using Tiger now, and WMP was installed before the upgrade from Panther. Don't know if that makes a difference.)

Click to expand...

The only extra files I found were the installer, and the preferences pane. Both of them came up in a spotlight search and I deleted them.

I can't say for sure that every component is off my machine. But spotlight searching shows nothing.

-Nick