MacKeeper

[cinzig]

Hello,
Is MacKeeper a safe program, They claim that Apple supports their software. If not what software would anyone suggest to clean up my I-Mac
Thanks in advance
Cinzig

 

[lclev]

Hi cinzig,

Most here will tell you to NOT install MacKeeper. Here is a link that will give you a lot of information about it:

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/apple-rumors-reports/301553-mac-forums-investigates-mackeeper.html

As to what to use, download Onyx. It is free and does a great job. Just install it and let the opening utilities run.

If it prompts you to do a disk repair - reboot and hold down the Command +R keys and run Disk Utilities. Run repair disk permissions and repair disk on the main hard drive. Restart OS X and run Onyx again. When all the start up scans are done click on the automation button and click the execute button.

Titanium Software - OnyX

Make sure you download the version that matches your version of OS X.

Lisa

 

[cinzig]

Thanx Lisa,
I will post all my results as soon as I finish. It will take me awhile ( I am slow). It's tough getting old.

 

[Collin Bl]

cinzig u say "to clean up my I-Mac" - question for you - How do you know it needs cleaning?
and what areas are you trying to clean?

 

[cinzig]

I have had this Mac for about 5 yrs. I started out with a PC because most of the people I know have PC's.
I started out late in life to use a computer, I still hunt and peck the keyboard. Any way' this Mac is slowing down I'm assuming i have too many files at start up, and when I try to move pages the little colored wheel stayes on for a while even when playing soliaire.I started out with avast and somehow ended up with MacKeeper. Just want to speed this up. Suppoedly I should have the fastest internet according to my supplier

 

[RadDave]

I have had this Mac for about 5 yrs. I started out with a PC because most of the people I know have PC's.
I started out late in life to use a computer, I still hunt and peck the keyboard. Any way' this Mac is slowing down I'm assuming i have too many files at start up, and when I try to move pages the little colored wheel stayes on for a while even when playing soliaire.I started out with avast and somehow ended up with MacKeeper. Just want to speed this up. Suppoedly I should have the fastest internet according to my supplier

Hi Cinzig - welcome to the forum! I believe that we need to start over w/ you providing more information: 1) What Mac do you own (model/year); 2) What OS X is installed: 3) What is the size of your hard drive & how much storage is free; 4) You need to remove MacKeeper which is not easy (follow the guidelines in the previous links); 5) Remove any AV software that you have added (again, use uninstall programs if available or google the name of the software); and 6) Tell us what you have done in the meantime to correct these problems. This is just for starters - please respond w/ as much detail as possible - Dave

 

[cinzig]

I have an I-Mac osx Lion (11G63) Processor 2.16GHz Core 2 Duo, Memory 1 GB 667 MHz DDR 2 SDRAM
I-Mac 24 in. Late 2006. Hard drive= 250GB SATA Disk 202.49GB free out of 249.2GB
@Memory slots 1 empty

I'm working on trying to uninstall the MacKeeper. I'm not kidding when I said I'm slow at this. Please have Patience with me.

 

[Slydude]

If you have a 250 GB hard drive and 200+ GB free there probably isn't much that a clean up program is going to do. With that little space used the drive is probably pretty clean. If I you want to keep that machine functioning a while longer I'd look at adding additional memory.

This page has pricing for the correct memory modules. The bottom of the page has a link to a video clip demonstrating how to install the memory. These guys are also great at answering any questions you might have.

 

[pm-r]

… ...
I'm working on trying to uninstall the MacKeeper. I'm not kidding when I said I'm slow at this. Please have Patience with me.

That can be a PITA, and if you need help you can use some of the guites from the legitimate Mac sites with a search:
https://www.google.ca/search?client...&oe=UTF-8&gfe_rd=cr&ei=1TGeVJmSCpTCoASy2IGgAQ

or just use one like this:
How To Uninstall MacKeeper from your Mac : Mac Expert Guide

I find it easier to use an app like Find Any File
Thomas Tempelmann - Find Any File

And then use it to do a separate search for any files or folders containing the words: MacKeeper and zeobit
and select them and delete.

Done and all gone!!

 

[Rod]

Dear cinzig if you have a 250Gb hard drive and you still have 200+ Gb empty I can only imagine you must do a lot of erasing of old files.
Your first task is to get rid of MacKeeper. Have a look at this page;
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6515785
Pay special attention to the link to remove MacKeeper particularly the part about encryption if it applies to you as well as the AdWare removal tool Adware Medic which is shareware and very good.
After you have successfully removed it you might want to consider using the native Disc Utility to Erase Free Space on your hard drive but if possible do a backup first.

 

[LexS]

removing mackeeper

That can be a PITA, and if you need help you can use some of the guites from the legitimate Mac sites with a search:
https://www.google.ca/search?client...&oe=UTF-8&gfe_rd=cr&ei=1TGeVJmSCpTCoASy2IGgAQ

or just use one like this:
How To Uninstall MacKeeper from your Mac : Mac Expert Guide

I find it easier to use an app like Find Any File
Thomas Tempelmann - Find Any File

And then use it to do a separate search for any files or folders containing the words: MacKeeper and zeobit
and select them and delete.

Done and all gone!!

After this : Restart and empty trash bin.

 

[LexS]

Hi cinzig,

Most here will tell you to NOT install MacKeeper. Here is a link that will give you a lot of information about it:

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/apple-rumors-reports/301553-mac-forums-investigates-mackeeper.html

As to what to use, download Onyx. It is free and does a great job. Just install it and let the opening utilities run.

If it prompts you to do a disk repair - reboot and hold down the Command +R keys and run Disk Utilities. Run repair disk permissions and repair disk on the main hard drive. Restart OS X and run Onyx again. When all the start up scans are done click on the automation button and click the execute button.

Titanium Software - OnyX

Make sure you download the version that matches your version of OS X.

Lisa

As to Onyx:
not everybody is positive about Onyx:
MacMark: Hilfen Mac OS X: Werkzeuge

 

[RadDave]

As to Onyx:
not everybody is positive about Onyx:
MacMark: Hilfen Mac OS X: Werkzeuge

Well, a link to a German language website is not of much help to us 'only' English speakers like myself. BUT, 'Google Translation' comes to the rescue - I've used it to 'translate' the portions concerning Onyx & MacKeeper into English (if interested, see the attachment) - now, these translations are never perfect, but I'm not convinced about the comments on Onyx, especially w/ the overwhelming long experience w/ the program on this forum. Dave
.

View attachment Onyx_MacKeeper_English.txt

 

[LexS]

Well, a link to a German language website is not of much help to us 'only' English speakers like myself. BUT, 'Google Translation' comes to the rescue - I've used it to 'translate' the portions concerning Onyx & MacKeeper into English (if interested, see the attachment) - now, these translations are never perfect, but I'm not convinced about the comments on Onyx, especially w/ the overwhelming long experience w/ the program on this forum. Dave
.

Dave, I thought that site has an english version also (I check that later, although learning German is not a waste of time ;D)
They say what the shortcomings are, the creeping inside very deep, and the completeness of the cleaning. This means it is not really a tool to put in the hands of the unexperienced. I use it some times to test itself, it does not corrupt any thing as long as you know what you do.
In general that MacMark site is interesting, a bit like thesafemac.com from Thomas Reed.
best wishes for 2015.
Lex

 

[Slydude]

Thanks for that info Dave.

@LexS There are a few things that we should keep in mind about Onyx and similar utilities:

1. Some of the concerns that article raises about Onyx will be true for any software that performs that task. The concern about having a program crash while removing certain files for example and cause havoc on the system is common to any software including Apple's utilities. The more appropriate question would be whether Onyx is more prone to that behavior.

2. Several of the cleanup functions in the Onyx toolkit are based in part on certain scripts/functions that OS X runs automatically on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis if the Mac is on. If the Mac is off at the time these scripts are assigned to run they are generally run at the next time the Mac is on. For these scripts utilities such as Onyx simply provide a convenient means of running them on demand.

3. It has been a while since I've run Onyx since I generally only do so on an as need basis. Even then I usually use other tools for some tasks such as disk repair, browser cache cleanup etc but I don't think the makers of Onyx haver ever claimed there was no risk in performing these tasks. They've certainly not engaged in some of the shady marketing that some of the other utilities have become almost infamous for.

Edit: I see fom your post, which posted at almost the same time as mine that we share many of the same views about this type utility.

 

[RadDave]

Dave, I thought that site has an english version also (I check that later, although learning German is not a waste of time ;D)
They say what the shortcomings are, the creeping inside very deep, and the completeness of the cleaning. This means it is not really a tool to put in the hands of the unexperienced. I use it some times to test itself, it does not corrupt any thing as long as you know what you do.
In general that MacMark site is interesting, a bit like thesafemac.com from Thomas Reed.
best wishes for 2015.
Lex

Sorry Lex - the link just took me to the German section - I should have looked around for an English link - I agree most websites that I link to in Europe usually for classical music needs & information have multiple languages, so again for those interested, find an English link which will be a better translation usually than the Google option.

And learning a second or third language is a major accomplishment in life and I support that concept wholeheartedly - I had 4 semesters of Spanish as an undergrad at the U of Michigan, and wasn't to bad but lack of use over the ensuing decades have made my skills pretty useless, although I can ask where the bathroom is or order a beer! Same w/ my wife who as a teenager spending 3 months one summer in France, was pretty fluent in the language, but on several trips to the country decades later, she was reluctant to give it a try. Dave

 

[Dysfunction]

The translation is close enough to gather what the intention of the article is. It has the general problems with either machine, or literal translation.. but.. in the end it reads pretty much the same to me. All in all, I'd agree with the author, however, I still use Onyx (despite knowing how to do all these tasks manually). As it's simply easier.

 

[ParamedicDave]

Thanx Lisa,
I will post all my results as soon as I finish. It will take me awhile ( I am slow). It's tough getting old.

It's a LOT tougher Not Getting Old.;D

Take it from a 70+ year old Paramedic still responding, Full Time, to 911 emergencies!

 

[pigoo3]

It's a LOT tougher Not Getting Old.;D

LOL!

There are "cure's" to avoid getting old. But they're not very desirable!

- Nick

 

[BudVitoff]

...although I can ask where the bathroom is or order a beer!

If you remember the latter, make sure you remember the former.

Cinzig: If you copy the information from your post #7 into your profile, it will make your future life in this forum a lot easier for all of us.