clean-up after MacKeeper

[crisscross01]

pursuing links to speed up my MBP 17, I installed MacKeeper and even got on the phone to 'activate' it before realising it was bad news and then confirming this via Apple Discussions.

The question is how to check it hasn't left any hidden poison? I tried to delete it using AppDelete, but after a while it transferred the process to its own uninstaller for which it required password. I then used finder to look for traces and deleted its email attachments. Then shut down and changed master password.

Anything else?

May or may not be related, but when I tried to install latest Apple security update, the MBP froze during obligatory re-start. The internal HD then didn't show at all until I did an Option start and re-chose it as the start-up disk

 

[harryb2448]

The best suggestion is to format and clean install alas.

 

[crisscross01]

The best suggestion is to format and clean install alas.

I am slightly at a loss as to how I would do that without losing data files. All back-ups whether as currently using Time machine or as pre lion using SuperDuper are going to bring the nasties back after wiping HD and re-installing Mountain Lion followed by restore?

I suppose I could use the last Time machine back-up before installing MacKeeper and manually add the newer image files, a few iWork files and email archive???

 

[cradom]

how to uninstall MacKeeper – updated |

 

[harryb2448]

Good luck with the suggestion. Have noted not using the uninstaller first creates huge problems. Crap gets left behind. Keep us posted on your progress?

One suggestion may be to download it again, then run the suggested uninstaller. Finger crossed.

 

[Rod]

It is one of the failings of Time Machine that it restores too much in the case of a Full Restore. It is one of the reasons I prefer Carbon Copy Cloner and Super Duper although I run TM too. In the past I have simply done an erase, reformat an clean instal, not a bad thing to do anyway, and manually dragged my essential files back from CCC. It's not as bad as it sounds and it's surprising the stuff you don't need sometimes. :Blushing:

 

[crisscross01]

how to uninstall MacKeeper – updated |

I have done most of the procedure, but not sure what to do about the TimeMachine backups. The simplest seems to just trash the backupdb folders for the the one or two times between when I had just installed it and those when I am reasonably confident I had cleaned out.

(there was actually nothing to clean out after my original appdelete+uninstall & finder files)

Rod: are you suggesting one does multiple back-ups, ie 1 using TimeMachine and another using SuperDuper or CCC?

BTW I haven't actually had any problems (apart from repairing HD after freeze during security update), this is just precaurtionary

 

[chscag]

Rod: are you suggesting one does multiple back-ups, ie 1 using TimeMachine and another using SuperDuper or CCC?

Yes, many of us do multiple backups. I personally do both full Time Machine backups and CCC backups. Keep in mind that TM backups can not be booted and require the system to be reinstalled before a complete recovery can be accomplished. Whereas CCC and SD will do it all in one step.

 

[crisscross01]

Yes, many of us do multiple backups. I personally do both full Time Machine backups and CCC backups. Keep in mind that TM backups can not be booted and require the system to be reinstalled before a complete recovery can be accomplished. Whereas CCC and SD will do it all in one step.

I stopped using SuperDuper, which I like, because I thought you couldn't reboot and restore from it - is that out of date?

I concluded that it was just not worth the risk of the MacKeeper crew having planted a Trojan.

I erased the HD, re-installed Mountain Lion (don't try to do that with an internet connection as slow and pathetic as ours until middle of night!). I manually deleted the most recent TM backup files so as to avoid re-installing what I was trying to get rid of! then used Migration Assistant to transfer last Time Machine Backup prior to installing MK. I manually copied the few image and iWork files I knew I needed from the critical period via a different external HD partition. It is very irritating that Mig Asst insists you have new admin & user accounts, but hopefully I have deleted unecessary new one and re-named master back to what it was.

 

[Slydude]

I stopped using SuperDuper, which I like, because I thought you couldn't reboot and restore from it - is that out of date?

SuperDuper allows you to reboot and restore from it. Always has AFAIK.

What might have confused you a bit is that SuperDuper "clones" everything but the Mac's hidden recovery partition which can be used for troubleshooting/recovery in the event of a disaster. I guess their opinion is that with a bootable clone you don't need the recovery partition.

 

[crisscross01]

SuperDuper allows you to reboot and restore from it. Always has AFAIK.

What might have confused you a bit is that SuperDuper "clones" everything but the Mac's hidden recovery partition which can be used for troubleshooting/recovery in the event of a disaster. I guess their opinion is that with a bootable clone you don't need the recovery partition.

Maybe also confused from when I tried to transfer a SuperDuper back-up from an earlier core2duo MBP to this i7 one. I think because Mountain Lion has different version for different chips. Time machine avoids problem by installing an appropriate ML before allowing non-system transfers?

Probably going off topic. Thanks for all your contibutions

 

[Slydude]

That might have been the issue. The software from the older machine did not contain appropriate drivers for the newer I7-based Mac. Depending upon which version of the system software was on the Core2Duo and which applications were involved some of the applications might have reansferred properly (unless they were Power PC apps).