Q: how do i uninstall mackeeper

How to Remove MacKeeper

Kappy, thanks for the link the How to Remove MacKeeper.  I went to the link and followed the directions and was able to remove all of the remenants of MacKeeper.  I downloaded MacKeeper and ran it in "free" mode and it found a bunch of problems and them fixed about 20% of them and tried to sell me the package for $40.  I decided not to buy it, but found some things running slower and different than before and wished I hadn't bothered with it. I keep getting email asking me to subscribe. 

I found that you can remove the MacKeeper application if you go into the Applications folder and move the icon to the trash.  You can't remove it using the Applications folder on the desktop.  But, I had read posts that removing the app doesn't stop it and there are residual problems, so I wanted to clean it out completely.

This seemed to work.  Only one word of advice to someone else who will try it.  Before you start removing any of the MacKeeper files and folders, empty the trash can.  I didn't do that and the last step in the procedure is to do a secure empty of the trash can.  I found 12,000 files there than are being secure deleted and it is taking about a second for each file.  So, it's going to be a while before it is finished and I can reboot and see how everything is working.  I am able to work while it is being secure deleted, so all is not lost.

Thanks to Phil Stokes for taking the time to write the step by step instructions.  It is tedious, but works!

I've got a problem. I've downloaded MacKeeper and wish to remove it. Clicking on the link below doesn't help too because apparently one cannot access the link anymore. Can any kind soul list the step-by-step full method of removing this software (malware, more like)? I know that following the uninstallation steps by zeobit themselves won't save your MacBook. Please do advise. Thank you!

Here is the Apple info in case it is the trojan:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4650

To search for files use EasyFind

http://download.cnet.com/EasyFind/3000-2248_4-8707.html

"zeobit" needs to be found everywhere on your computer and removed.

Use the free Easy Finder here to help as it also finds invisible files too.

Solution

Close Safari.
Go to your Applications folder.
Delete the "MacKeeper" file and empty the trash.
 

To fully remove the program, delete the following files (if they exist):

/Library/Application Support/MacKeeper

/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.plugin.AntiTheft.daemon

/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.AntiVirus

~/Library/Preferences/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.plist

~/Library/Preference/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.Helper.plist

~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.Helper

~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.plugin.Backup.agent

~/Library/Caches/com.zeobit.MacKeeper

Where ~ = your home folder.

http://www.removespywarecenter.com/cant-get-rid-of-mackeeper-pop-up-remove-mac-k eeper-manually/

Avoid anything by the names...

MacKeeper / MacShield / MacDefender / MacProtector... ad nauseum.

Apparently there's a legit MacKeeper a/v for Mac. You don't want etiher.

Mac OS X Snow Leopard and malware detection   <--- SL only

How to avoid or remove Mac Defender malware   <----  for Mac OS X 10.4, Mac OS X 10.6, Mac OS X 10.5

Security Update 2011-003 (Snow Leopard)    <---     improves security

http://www.fixkb.com/2011/05/remove-mac-protector.html

http://www.macrumors.com/2011/05/02/new-macdefender-malware-threat-for-mac-os-x/

And read here.  http://www.reedcorner.net/guides/macvirus/

https://discussions.apple.com/message/15421046

You can always back the system up, erase the boot partition and reinstall a fresh copy of OSX. This will do two things, you will definitively know mackeeper is gone, and you will have a fresh copy of osx on your machine never to have mackeeper ever again.

Always keep backup bootable copies - clone your system.

Using Cloning as a Backup Strategy

Carbon Copy Cloner 3.4.1

OS X Lion Install to Different Drive

Just drag MacKeeper to the trash and confirm that you want to delete it. There is nothing else you need to do.

I installed the Safari Adblock extension from https://extensions.apple.com and I have not seen any more annoying MacKeeper ad's.

etresoft, that is wrong. In fact this whole 'drag to the trash' philosophy opens your computer up to huge gaping security holes. Mac Keeper copies parts of itself to several places on your machine, and you want to clean ALL of them out. Your Mac is not doing anything about removing them when you drag an app to the trash.

No, I am right. For all of MacKeeper's clean up system corruption and antivirus fear-mongering, its uninstaller is actually pretty slick. The application watches itself using File System Events. When you drag it to the trash, it notices this and asks if you want to uninstall. When you say yes, it removes all of those other pieces that cause it to run at startup. It leaves some cache files and some log files, but I am not aware of any uninstaller that removes those.

etresoft

In fact you are wrong. I was led to this page because I "dragged it to the trash" and couldn't get rid of it.

Maybe you should install it and see how you go.

OP I used AppCleaner.

Cheers

blackvt wrote:

 

Maybe you should install it and see how you go.

I did. That is what led me to provide those instructions. Phil Stokes also updated his site with some same instructions.

Fair enough. By the looks of your previous posts you are a very knowledgable person.

I came to this page because I googled the issue and unfortunately Phil Stokes method didn't work for me.

Dragging it to the trash did nothing and I never had the "admin" password come up.

Possibly you could look at it again for me, and let me know how you go.

blackvt wrote:

 

I came to this page because I googled the issue and unfortunately Phil Stokes method didn't work for me.

You could have an older version. Supposedly, by the time I actually tried it, MacKeeper had improved its uninstaller. If you go back to Kappy's link above, and look for the section "Uninstalling earlier versions of MacKeeper" that should work. Macs aren't like Windows where files can be hidden all over the system. There are only a few places where such system modifications are found. While they aren't meant for end users to go digging around in, they aren't that difficult to clean up.

I wrote a little diagnostic program that will list any such 3rd party system modifications. Download EtreCheck from http://www.etresoft.com/download/EtreCheck.zip, run it, and paste the results in a new thread. It is best to avoid piggy-packing onto an older thread. That is only useful for getting your question lost.

Disclaimer: Although EtreCheck is free, there are other links on my site that could give me some form of compensation, financial or otherwise.

I agree strongly

hi Kappy,

First, the icon I have which says 'Mackeeper' isn't the robot man, it's a yellow box. And, this yellow box says 'Mackeeper.2.6.1.pkg' next to it. 

It isn't in my Applications folder, it's listed in my Administrator folder.

I went to your 'How to remove Mackeeper' link and read the instructions.

And, when I went to your 'How to remove Mackeeper' site, I read the instructions, and when going to my hardrive, opened Library, then opened Application Support, I don't see Mackeeper listed there, only other folders like Adobe and printer folder.

Does this mean that I don't have Mackeeper installed? It is showing in my Downloads folder.

Please advise. Thanks!